Gold Tower Challenge - Upper Primary St Patrick’s STEAM
In this STEAM activity, students create a gold tower that will allow them (a leprechaun) to keep their pot of gold safe at the end of the rainbow. They will have to think about the structure and materials that they will use to compete against the other teams.
Learning goals
- We are learning to investigate needs or opportunities for designing and the materials, components, tools, equipment and processes needed to create designed solutions.
- We are learning to critique needs or opportunities for designing and investigate materials, components, tools, equipment and processes to achieve intended designed solutions.
- We are learning to generate, iterate and communicate design ideas, decisions and processes using technical terms and graphical representation techniques.
- We are learning to generate, develop and communicate design ideas and processes for audiences using appropriate technical terms and graphical representations.
- We are learning to select and use suitable materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to safely make designed solutions.
- We are learning to select appropriate materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques and apply safe procedures to make designed solutions.
- We are learning to develop project plans that include consideration of resources to individually and collaboratively make designed solutions.
- We are learning to develop project plans that include consideration of resources when making designed solutions, both individually and collaboratively.
Curriculum alignment
Generate, iterate and communicate design ideas, decisions and processes using technical terms and graphical representation techniques, including using digital tools
AC9TDE6P01 9Investigate needs or opportunities for designing, and the materials, components, tools, equipment and processes needed to create designed solutions
AC9TDE6P03 9Select and use suitable materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to safely make designed solutions
AC9TDE6P05 9Develop project plans that include consideration of resources to individually and collaboratively make designed solutions
ACTDEP025 8.4Generate, develop and communicate design ideas and processes for audiences using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques
ACTDEP028 8.4Develop project plans that include consideration of resources when making designed solutions individually and collaboratively
ACTDEP026 8.4Select appropriate materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques and apply safe procedures to make designed solutions
ACTDEP024 8.4Critique needs or opportunities for designing, and investigate materials, components, tools, equipment and processes to achieve intended designed solutions
Australian Curriculum covers QLD / SA / WA / NT / TAS / ACT.
Differentiation
Modifications
A demonstration of the strength of triangles will help cement this important concept to the students in your classroom, and likely make their entries more successful. Many demonstrations of this idea can be found on Youtube.
Extensions
The section in the PowerPoint presentation entitled ‘Things to Consider’ (slides 10-14) can be omitted from classrooms with more design experience.