Unit 1 — Introduction to STEM - Tin Foil Boat Challenge
Description
Students begin the school year learning the foundations of STEM through a design challenge. They build boats from tin foil and test them to hold weight, applying the engineering design process. Students collect data through measurement and graphing, create presentations of their designs, and learn fundamental problem-solving skills. This unit serves as a pre-assessment and introduction to how failure and iteration lead to improvement.
Essential Questions
- How can I design a boat that floats and holds weight?
- What materials work best for different purposes?
- How do I use data to improve my design?
Learning Objectives
- Apply the engineering design process to solve a real problem
- Test designs and collect quantitative data
- Make predictions and measure results
- Communicate design choices through presentations
- Understand how constraints affect design decisions
Supplemental Resources
- Markers and colored pencils for design planning
- Chart paper for displaying data graphs
- Sticky notes for recording observations during testing
Data and Analysis
Engineering Design
Digital Literacy
Measurement
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
Students write in science notebooks, create digital stories about plants and animals, and communicate findings through word processing documents and presentations. Students read and interpret informational texts about engineering design and natural systems.
Students measure and record data, create bar graphs and pictographs, calculate area and perimeter, apply multiplication and division to solve engineering problems, and analyze patterns in test results. Students use measurement tools and represent data visually.
Formative Assessments
- Observation of boat design and construction process
- Data collection through bar graphs of weight held
- Class discussion of design choices and improvements
- Sketches and written explanations of design thinking
Summative Assessment
Completed tin foil boat that demonstrates understanding of buoyancy and stability; PowerPoint or digital presentation explaining design choices
Benchmark Assessment
— not configured —
Alternative Assessment
Students may demonstrate understanding through a teacher-guided interview about their boat design and testing process, with the teacher recording responses. Visual supports such as labeled diagrams of boat parts or a sequence chart of the engineering steps may be provided to help organize thinking.
IEP (Individualized Education Program)
During the design and building phases, provide visual step-by-step supports such as labeled diagrams of the engineering design process and graphic organizers for recording predictions and observations. Allow students to demonstrate understanding through oral explanations or dictated responses rather than relying solely on written work, particularly for design reflections and presentation components. Scaffolded data collection tools with pre-labeled axes or partially completed graphs can reduce barriers to recording quantitative results. Break multi-step tasks into smaller sequential checkpoints, offering frequent check-ins and feedback to support sustained engagement and task completion.
Section 504
Provide extended time during the building, testing, and data recording phases to ensure students can fully participate without the pressure of pacing. Preferential seating near instructional modeling and reduced-distraction workspaces can support focus during measurement and graphing tasks. Ensure all verbal directions are also provided in a simple written or visual format so students can reference instructions independently throughout the challenge.
ELL / MLL
Support understanding of key STEM vocabulary central to this unit — such as buoyancy, weight, stability, prediction, and iteration — through picture-supported word walls, visual anchor charts, and physical demonstration before students are expected to use the terms. Directions for each phase of the design challenge should be delivered in short, clear steps accompanied by visual models or teacher demonstration. Where possible, allow students to discuss their design thinking with a partner in their home language before sharing with the class, and offer drawing or labeled sketching as an accepted mode for communicating design choices.
At Risk (RTI)
Connect the challenge to familiar, concrete experiences with water and floating objects to activate prior knowledge and lower the entry barrier to the engineering design process. Provide simplified graphic organizers that guide students through each phase of the process with visual prompts, reducing the cognitive load of open-ended planning. Emphasize that testing, failing, and redesigning are expected and valued parts of the process, framing early unsuccessful attempts as important data rather than mistakes, which can help build confidence and encourage continued participation.
Gifted & Talented
Challenge students to go beyond basic functionality by introducing additional design constraints, such as minimizing the amount of tin foil used while maximizing weight capacity, requiring them to think about efficiency and optimization. Encourage deeper quantitative analysis by prompting students to identify patterns across multiple test trials, develop their own hypotheses about what structural variables affect performance, and connect their findings to real-world engineering applications such as cargo ship design. Students may also be invited to extend their presentations by proposing a next-generation design based on their data, incorporating persuasive reasoning and evidence to support their recommendations.