Learning Activity

Pipeline Challenge

Subject Area

Digital Literacy and Computer Science
Physical Education
Science

Grade(s)

3, 4

Overview

Students will test their problem-solving skills in this NASA Pipeline Challenge. In this activity, students will work in groups of ten to test their ability to use communication positively to contribute collaboratively to a team goal. Give each participant one short length of half pipe and challenge the group to deliver a ball down the pipeline from the starting point to the finish line. A successful pipeline team-building activity requires participating groups to exercise excellent communication, creativity, and teamwork. This activity can be used as a culminating lesson to assess students’ understanding of the relationship between the speed of an object to the energy of that object or as a team-building exercise. 

This learning activity was created as a result of the Girls Engaged in Math and Science (GEMS) Resource Development Project, in partnership with Dothan City Schools.

Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 3

DLCS18.3.13

Communicate key ideas and details collaboratively in a way that informs, persuades, and/or entertains, using digital tools.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.3.13

Vocabulary

  • key ideas
  • informs
  • persuades
  • entertains
  • communicate
  • digital tools
  • collaborate
  • online environment
  • tutorial
  • artifact

Knowledge

Students know:
  • that digital tools are available that enable them to inform others.
  • that digital tools are available that enable them to persuade others.
  • that digital tools are available that enable them to entertain others.
  • how to locate directions or tutorials for working in digitial tools.
  • that communication has a specific purpose and audience.
  • that collaboration in digital tools can occur 24/7 in various locations.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • design communications using various digital tools that informs, persuades, and/or entertains.
  • locate and follow directions or tutorials for working with digital tools.
  • explain the purpose of an artifact they create.
  • collaborate with peers in an online environment.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • various digital tools are available to communicate key ideas and details.
  • directions or tutorials can be located online to assist with creation.
  • all communication has a purpose.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 4

DLCS18.4.12

Use basic features of digital tools to communicate key ideas and details in a way that informs and/or persuades.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.4.12

Vocabulary

  • digital tools
  • communicate
  • key ideas
  • informs
  • persuades

Knowledge

Students know:
  • digital tools are available that enable them to inform others.
  • digital tools are available that enable them to persuade others.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • use basic features such as headings, text, and images to communicate key ideas that inform and/or persuade.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • digital tools can be used to communicate by informing and/or persuade others.
Science (2015) Grade(s): 3

SC15.3.3

Explore objects that can be manipulated in order to determine cause-and-effect relationships (e.g., distance between objects affecting strength of a force, orientation of magnets affecting direction of a magnetic force) of electric interactions between two objects not in contact with one another (e.g., force on hair from an electrically charged balloon, electrical forces between a charged rod and pieces of paper) or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with one another (e.g., force between two permanent magnets or between an electromagnet and steel paperclips, force exerted by one magnet versus the force exerted by two magnets).

Unpacked Content

UP:SC15.3.3

Vocabulary

  • Explore
  • Manipulate
  • Cause and Effect
  • Electrical Interactions
  • Magnetic Interactions
  • Magnet
  • Repel
  • Attract

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The size of the force can affect the electrical and magnetic interaction of two objects not in contact with one another.
  • The orientation of magnets can affect the magnetic interaction of two objects not in contact with one another.
  • The repulsion or attraction of magnets can affect the magnetic interaction of two objects not in contact with one another.
  • The presence of a magnet and the force the magnet exerts on other objects affects the magnetic force of two objects not in contact with one another.
  • The electrical charge of an object can affect the electrical force of two objects not in contact with one another.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Explore electrical interactions between two objects not in contact with one another.
  • Explore magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with one another.
  • Determine cause-and-effect relationships of electrical interactions between two objects not in contact with one another.
  • Determine cause-and-effect relationships of magnetic interactions not in contact with one another.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified, tested, and used to explain change.
  • Magnetic and electrical forces affect the way objects interact.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Asking Questions and Defining Problems

Crosscutting Concepts

Cause and Effect
Science (2015) Grade(s): 4

SC15.4.1

Use evidence to explain the relationship of the speed of an object to the energy of that object.

Unpacked Content

UP:SC15.4.1

Vocabulary

  • Construct
  • Evidence
  • Energy
  • Explanation
  • Relative speed
  • Phenomenon

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Motion can indicate the energy of an object.
  • The observable impact of a moving object interacting with its surroundings reflects how much energy can be transferred between objects and therefore relates to the energy of the moving object.
  • The faster a given object is moving the more observable the impact it can have on another object.
  • The speed of an object is related to the energy of the object.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Articulate from evidence to explain the observable impact of the speed of an object and the energy of an object.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Energy can be transferred in various ways and between objects.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

Crosscutting Concepts

Energy and Matter
Physical Education (2019) Grade(s): 4

PE19.4.2.3

Combine concepts of speed, direction, and force with skills in small group activities.

Phase

During/Explore/Explain
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

The learner will work collaboratively with a group to build a pipeline that will carry a ball over a specific distance to demonstrate the relationship between the speed of an object to the energy of that object.

The learner will collaborate with classmates to communicate key ideas regarding the relationships between speed, direction, and force using the selected digital tool.

 

Activity Details

Students will work in groups of ten during the Pipeline Challenge. 

Optional: Teachers can show the Pipeline Challenge Video to introduce the activity and provide students with an example of how it will run. For additional instructions, the teacher can view the full NASA lesson here (NASA Pipeline Lesson: https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/esfl_es_pipeline.pdf) 

Pipeline Challenge

Location for activity: Indoors or outdoors, open space adequate for the group to move around and establish a path to achieve their team goal. 

  1. The teacher will determine a starting point and an ending point that are 30 to 40 feet apart. The start and end points do not need to be in a straight line. 
  2. The teacher will explain that the students will have to work together as a team to get the marble from the starting line to the ending line. Each child should receive one-half pipe. The group (or each team if using multiple small groups) receives one marble. 
  3. Review the rules and provide five minutes for the team to plan how they will accomplish this goal.                

 Rules: 

  • You may not touch the marble. 
  • The marble may only touch the half pipe. 
  • If the marble falls or someone touches it, the team must return to the start line and begin again. 
  • When the marble is on your half-pipe, you can not step, walk, or move your feet.
  • Every student on the team must participate.

4.  After completing the challenge, the students will work collaboratively to record their answers to the following questions using the selected digital tool (Google Slides, Jamboard, Padlet, etc.). 

  1. How did you plan your action?
  2. What types of action worked to reach the goal? What types didn’t work?
  3. Did you change your initial plan? 
  4. If you did this activity again, what would you do differently? 
  5. How are speed, direction, and force related? (Think about how your team had to change the position of your pipes for the marble to reach the bucket.)
  6. Write an informational plan to help another team successfully complete this STEM challenge.
Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

Students will be assessed through teacher observations and discussions with group members. The teacher should evaluate student participation to determine if the student:

combined concepts of speed, direction, and force to work with their group to complete the challenge.

explored how the speed, direction, and force of objects can be manipulated.

The teacher will review each group’s questions to determine if:

  • The students were able to describe how speed, direction, and force were related in the activity. 
  • The students were able to effectively utilize the selected digital tool to inform another group about strategies to successfully complete the STEM challenge.

Acceleration

Once a team has accomplished their goal, have them use a different ball. If the team used a marble on their first attempt, give them a tennis ball to try on the second attempt. The different weights and sizes of the ball will change the speed it moves and how quickly it responds to changes in the slope of the half pipes.

Intervention

Allow multiple attempts and more time for teams struggling to complete the task. Extended time will allow for more discussion, resulting in positive team relationships and less frustration.

The following activity provides opportunities for girls to collaborate and communicate with one another during the Pipeline Challenge. 

Variation Tips

GEM-U Strategy:

It is vital in the Pipeline Challenge for girls to effectively communicate with each other to complete the task. This hands-on, minds-on activity will model the importance of teamwork. Participants will demonstrate their understanding of how speed, direction, and force relate to the STEM activity.

Approximate Duration

Total Duration

16 to 30 Minutes

Related Learning Activities

Learning Activity (Before)

The Power of Teamwork

Learning Activity (During)

Pipeline Challenge

Learning Activity (After)

The Power of Teamwork Assessment

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

The teacher can familiarize themself with the activity by watching the Pipeline Challenge Video. The teacher must prepare/cut the PVC pipe before beginning the lesson. The teacher should create small groups of ten students and select a location for the students to complete the challenge. The teacher should determine the start and end points for the challenge. The teacher should select the collaborative digital tool that students will use. Students should understand and be able to explain potential and kinetic energy. Students should be familiar with working cooperatively in a small group setting. This activity can be utilized as a culminating, end-of-energy unit activity or a team-building exercise.

Materials and Resources

Materials and Resources

Digital materials:

  • Pipeline Challenge Video
  • NASA Pipeline Lesson
  • Teacher computer and projector or interactive whiteboard with projector capabilities
  • Digital devices for students
  • Access to collaborative digital software/application, such as Google Slides, Jamboard, or Padlet

Materials needed for Pipeline Challenge (per group of students):

  • Lengths of half pipe - 1” PVC pipe cut in 12 to 18-inch lengths, then cut in half lengthwise. (16 half-pipe pieces may be cut from on 10’ length of PVC pipe costing less than $10 at most home improvement stores) 
  • Marbles and/or other small balls such as ping pong balls, tennis balls, or golf balls 
  • A small container (can, bucket, jar, bowl, etc.) to serve as the end goal to deposit the marble.

Digital Tools / Resources

Pipeline Challenge Video
https://youtu.be/0yAxp8H1yc0
NASA Pipeline Lesson
https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/esfl_es_pipeline.pdf

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

aubriemc
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