SLED TEACHER REFLECTION HUB SUBMISSION
There are three parts to this reflection submission. The first part requires a brief description of
your instructional activities over the course of a SLED design task. The second part includes
your reflection on a student who performed well and your reflection on a student who performed
unsatisfactorily. The last section includes your response to two short questions.
Save your file as: Reflection_YourName_YourSchool_YourGrade_Date
Example:
Reflection_Capobianco_Purdue_Grade4_11-15-14
When uploading to the hub, use the title: Teacher Reflection: Your Name, Activity, Term
Example:
Teacher Reflection: Capobianco, Save the Wolf, Fall 2014
Teacher Name: Laurie Camp
School: Wea Ridge Elementary
Grade: 3
Design Task: Simple Machines “Save the Farm Animal”
Date: 11/21/2014
PART I:
Day
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2
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Overview of your SLED lesson(s):
Brief description of lesson activities you enacted
each day over the course of the SLED design task
Students filled out a K,W,L chart in their science
notebooks, indicating what they already knew about
simple machines and what they wished to learn about
them. Next, students were given cards that depicted 6
types of simple machines. They matched the cards to
their definitions, creating notecards to use as a review
throughout the unit.
Students made a simple machines booklet. The
booklet contained information about levers, pulleys,
wedges, wheel & axle’s, inclines planes, and screws.
They also completed an activity where they illustrated
six simple machines that they have seen in real-life.
INQUIRY DAY 1: The class utilized Michael Dahl
read-alouds to further understand the functions and
applications of pulleys and wedges. Basic classroom
materials were used to simulate the simple machines.
INQUIRY DAY 2: The class utilized Michael Dahl
read-alouds to further understand the functions and
What do you think your
students learned each day
Students became familiar with
six types of simple machines
and began to explore their realworld applications.
Students became familiar with
the function of each simple
machine, while making real-life
applications to the science
content.
Students learned how 2 specific
simple machines work and
became familiar with ways they
could be built.
Students learned how 2 specific
simple machines work and
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applications of levers and wheel and axels. Basic
classroom materials were used to simulate the simple
machines.
INQUIRY DAY 3: The class utilized Michael Dahl
read-alouds to further understand screws and inclines
planes. Basic classroom materials were used to
simulate the simple machines.
MOVIE: Bill Nye Simple Machines
Students were introduced to the design task, “Save the
Pig” and identified the problem, goal, client,
constraints, etc. in preparation for the task.
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Students completed their individual and group
designs.
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Students designed a prototype of a compound
machine to catch a farm animal with their teams.
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Students tested their prototypes and had the
opportunity to redesign.
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Reflection & Post Assessment
became familiar with ways they
could be built.
Students learned how 2 specific
simple machines work and
became familiar with ways they
could be built.
Students learned what their
challenge was and began to
brainstorm ways that they could
meet their goal.
Students brainstormed ways
that they could incorporate their
new knowledge of simple
machines into a purposeful
compound machine.
Students practiced teamwork,
while learning what did and
what didn’t function as well
while trying to make the simple
machines on their prototype
work together.
Students presented their
prototypes to the class, sharing
what worked and what didn’t
work throughout the process.
They brainstormed ideas of
how they could improve their
designs.
Students reflected on their
prototype’s performances and
challenges that they faced.
Please answer the questions below:
1. What worked well?
For the simple machine design task I wanted the students to get some experience with the
materials before they were asked to design and build. My co-worker and I made bags with
different materials that they would be allowed to use on the task. After reading the books that
we purchased on each machine, I had the kids take a bag and we made each simple machine in
small groups. It was amazing to see how creative they were with just a few supplies. The
students were able to correctly build each simple machine, identify each simple machine, and
explain how it would be used. I found their vocabulary and knowledge of how to use the simple
machines to be excellent. The concepts were there and I was pleased with the products.
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2. What are two ways you can improve your efforts toward integrating design?
Our team has worked hard this year (our second year in SLED) to integrate design into our
science program. We did a better job of integrating the SLED books into our reading program
and using it to teach non-fiction text. I know that one goal we have is to become total SLED for
our science. Our team has worked hard on developing foldables and other interactive activities
for our notebooks to help teach the standards and to integrate design.
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PART II:
Reflection#1 on student performance:
Include an image of work from one student who you thought performed well on the task. Insert
the image here within the Word document. This image may be a copy of the student’s notebook
entry(s) or an image of the team’s artifact or an actual picture of the student at work.
In the space below describe what the image(s) is about and why you would explain or
characterize the student’s performance as mastery or excellent.
This is a picture of a group’s redesign. I wanted to focus more on the redesign component for
this task. After discussing with the group and class about pulleys and what we had learned in the
books and computer generated game through Chicago Museum of Science, this group decided to
add a second pulley to help do the work. The group also worked on balancing out their animal
trap so that the animal would be safe. I felt that adding the second pulley was a good
demonstration of what they had learned previously. Given more materials they were able to
make a successful product. I also felt using the cup as a base was clever. The group realized that
the pole had to have a strong base.
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Reflection#2 on student performance:
Include an image of work from one student who you thought did not perform as well
(unsatisfactory) on the task. Insert the image here within the Word document. This image may
be a copy of the student’s notebook entry(s) or an image of the team’s artifact or an actual
picture of the student at work.
In the space below describe what the image is about and why you would explain or
characterize the student’s performance as unsatisfactory.
The individual design was very detailed. I felt that the group design was unsatisfactory for many
reasons. One, the labeling wasn’t the best. Second, the use of the inclined plane had no real
significance. It didn’t have a purpose. The inclined plane did not help with the capturing and
safety of the animal. In my opinion the group as a whole did not have a clear understanding of
how simple machines need to work together to make a compound machine. To solve one
purpose.
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PART II:
Reflection #3
Describe one thing you enjoyed about instructing this SLED task.
I enjoyed the literacy tie in with the books we purchased through SLED. The books taught the
concepts in a clear way and in a way that the kids could relate to. The connection between
subjects worked well and it tied into literacy standards using nonfiction. We were also able to tie
this into our field trip experience at Fair Oaks. We re-worked the story to fit what we
experienced on the field trip (pigs). The design task was our end to the unit.
Describe one thing in your practice you would improve upon next time you implement this
engineering design task or another SLED design task.
I feel I struggle with the designing of the task. If the kids explain their drawings to me, I am able
to understand what they are thinking of doing. Getting them to translate that onto paper has been
a challenge for me both last year and this year. I felt I improved in teaching sketching, but it
doesn’t seem to be showing in the kids’ work. I have a hard time seeing the actual science in
their drawings. Verbally they use the terms and can correctly communicate the process, but it
isn’t evident in most sketches.