6Title: _Upcycling_STEAM Lesson Brief
Educators on the team: (for certification max: 4/team) Emily King
When & Where you attended a training. Dates _2014-2015___ Town/State Knob Noster High School,
Knob Noster, MO
Students use knowledge from across the disciplines to strengthen their understanding of each subject’s
content and its related careers through topic or theme oriented realistic problem-based activity-rich
lessons.
Theme that this lesson would tie to: Upcycling
Specific Topic Concept within that theme: Upcycling
*Filling out the black items makes this a basic plan, filling out the grey makes it a possible publishable
STEAM plan.
PROJECT IDEA + brief notes & supplies
BASIC CONCEPTS
Concept: The students will research and
learn about Upcycling through gathering
data about pallets in science and
technology, imagining a furniture design
and questioning each other’s ideas with
art and reaching a conclusion on a final
product through engineering.
Science –
 Concepts –identify changes in ecosystems and
interactions of organisms with their environments
 read expository text, summarize, engage in
extensive discussion
 Goal / Objectives – The students will learn the
importance of upcycling. They will gain knowledge
about the destruction of trees for wood, the waste
going into the landfills by discarding pallets and
the impact on the environment as a result.
 Standards – Interactions among organisms and
their environment (SC4D), Changes in the Earth’s
Surface (SC5 3Ab)
 Careers – industrial design, wood turner, engineer,
environmentalist, carpenter, entrepreneur
 Project – students will learn about the need to
upcycle pallets due to the need of our planet to
reduce our waste and need for deforestation
through informational text
 Assessment – formative assessment based on
discussion between groups in which students
articulate and examine the need to upcycle.
 Extension – students begin formulating a plan on
how to upcycle pallets.
Basic Plan: The students will learn the
history of pallets and the needs and
benefits of upcycling them. Then they will
examine different styles of furniture built
with pallets to generate ideas of their own
design. The students will design on paper
furniture for sitting on, and then they will
build a prototype of their design out of
popsicle sticks. The final piece of the
project is the prototype will be built by the
teacher and be brought into the classroom
for the students’ use.
Skill level (Grade Range):fourth grade
Timing of Lesson: two-three weeks (class
periods are 30 minute sessions per day)
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Technology & Engineering –
 Concepts –Students will learn that upcycling is
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
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Basic Supplies: internet access (for
information, and music component),
popsicle sticks, wood glue, hot glue,
sketching paper, pallets and tools
necessary to construct design.
All Subjects: science, language arts
Individual Subjects: science and math
Science – Research notes, computer
Math- Measurement, proportion
IT Resources: websites: Pinterest for pallet
furniture examples,
http://recycling.about.com/od/Pallet_Rec
ycling_Glossary/a/What-Is-A-Pallet.htm
(What is a Pallet?),
http://www.1001pallets.com/pallet-size/
(Pallet Size), Pandora for music.
Other Resources: teachers knowledge on
building with pallets
Misc:
Photos:
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reusing discarded objects to create a product of
higher quality or value than the original using
internet sources.
Goal / Objectives - The students will learn the
specific characteristics of pallet design. They will
learn the specific uses of them in industry which
will lend itself to their durable construction and
the difficulty of dismantling them for other uses.
Standards - Follow an inquiry process to construct
new understandings, draw conclusions, and create
new knowledge (T1A4)
Careers - industrial design, wood turner, engineer,
environmentalist, carpenter, entrepreneur
Project - The students will find information on
what pallets are currently used for, their basic
construction and necessary requirements to
dismantle them. Then students will begin to
formulate a plan of the design prototype based on
a more developed understanding of the material
they will be working with.
Assessment – Students create a design plan
upcycling a pallet and identify the need of having
initiative to create a new product.
Extension - Students will discuss how different
styles of pallets may inhibit their design.
Math –
 Concepts –Measure and use proportion to create a
scale model.
 Goal / Objectives – Students will recognize that the
prototype is a very small representation of the
overall ending project. Measurements of space
such as doorways and actual student size is
relevant to the project.
 Standards Know relative sizes of measurement
units (4.MD.A.1)
 Careers - industrial design, wood turner, engineer,
environmentalist, carpenter, entrepreneur
 Project – the student will draw a sketch of their
pallet project design. Then the students will work
in teams to build a prototype out of popsicle
sticks.
 Assessment – Prototype that is a scale model of
students upcycle design that reflets accurate
measurements.
 Extension - Students will be working in teams and
will be required to use all team members ideas
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
and input to complete the project.
LA –
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SS –
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Concepts –read expository text, summarize, and
carry on discussions
Goal / Objectives – the students will read to find
information pertaining to pallets, what they are,
what they are used for and how they are being
upcycled today.
Standards – read and comprehend complex
literary and informational texts independently and
proficiently(R.CCR.10)
Speaking and Listening standard-Recount or
describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud
or information presented orally or through other
media(SL.2.2)
Speaking and Listening standard -Ask and answer
questions about what a speaker says in order to
clarify comprehension, gather additional
information, or deepen understanding of a topic or
issue. (SL.2.3)
Careers - industrial design, wood turner, engineer,
environmentalist, carpenter, entrepreneur
Assessment – formative assessment based on
discussion between groups on the understanding
of the need to upcycle through observation of
conversation between cooperative learning groups
and exit tickets.
Extension - Begin formulating a plan on how
students can upcycle pallets.
Concepts –Students will explain why industry so
heavily relies on the use of pallets and the impact
of their economic design for transporting product
more efficiently.
Goal / Objectives – the students will gain a better
understanding of the industrial uses of pallets and
the importance in distribution of products
throughout the country as well as the
environmental impact of using pallets made of
wood.
Standards – Understanding the consequences of
personal and public and economic decisions (SS4
3.8)
Careers - industrial design, wood turner, engineer,
environmentalist, carpenter, entrepreneur
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
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Project - - the student will read about the
industrial uses of pallets in relation to shipping
product and articulate why industry relies on them
so heavily. Students will discuss how they might
have been shipped in the past for the use of
pallets.
Assessment formative assessment based on
discussion between groups on the understanding
of the uses of pallets for shipping purposes and the
demand for continual production of pallets to keep
up with shipping demands. Students will explain
the impact of economic demand.
Extension - Work as teams to discuss alternatives
to using pallets for shipping and present to group.
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Concepts- Students will design a piece of furniture
made from pallets for use in the classroom.
Goal/Objectives: The students will create a design
of furniture that can be taken from concept to
reality and functionality.
Standards- HC1B4
Careers - industrial design, wood turner, engineer,
environmentalist, carpenter, entrepreneur
Project- The students will examine different
furniture designs made from pallets on Pinterest.
They will use this foundation to expand their
creativity. The students will sketch and then build
a prototype of furniture. Students will design a
functional piece of furniture.
Assessment – The prototype that the students
build will be checked for functionality and
discussed by the group as a whole.
Extension –the students will be required to work
as teams to create a final design.
Concepts –Proper alignment of spine in creating
comfortable and safe furniture. The students will
research and identify proper sitting posture.
Goal / Objectives – the students will understand
that their furniture design must be comfortable
and support the spine properly
Standards – Prevention (HPE4)
Careers - industrial design, wood turner, engineer,
environmentalist, carpenter, entrepreneur
Project – the students will design a piece of
furniture that will be comfortable to sit on their
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
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way.
Assessment – The students will build prototypes
and as a whole choose which design is the most
comfortable to sit on. Students will explain
comfort in relation to the proper sitting posture
and alignment of the spine.
Extension – students will be challenged to add any
additional parts to make piece more functional
(arm rests, foot rests, ect.)
Music –
 Concepts – the students will work to music to be
more productive in a timely manner. The students
will describe how music affects their production.
 Goal / Objectives – The students will be given
music from different genres to determine which
beat helps them to produce more effectively.
 Standards – Genres and Styles (MU9)
 Careers - industrial design, wood turner, engineer,
environmentalist, carpenter, entrepreneur
 Project – Students will listen to different genres
and styles of music while working on prototype.
 Assessment – Students will determine which style
of music creates more productivity for them
personally.
 Extension – The students will be asked to briefly
analyze which beat was the most productive.
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STEAM Education
Lesson Brief