Kindergarten Engineering PBL

Essential Question: If there are no bricks to be used, can we build a house for the little pigs that
will withstand the force of the wolf?

The Design Process: ASK--> IMAGINE -->PLAN--> CREATE--> IMPROVE

Standards Covered:
Literacy:
Reading Informational Text and Literature-Ask and answer questions as who, what, where, when, why
and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text. With prompting and support, ask and
answer questions about key details in a text.

Speaking and Listening 1-Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about
kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
NGSS:
1-1 Engineering Design-Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation
people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or
improved object or tool.
1-2 Develop a simple sketch, drawing or physical model to illustrate the shape of an object helps it
function as needed to solve a given problem.
1-3 Analyze data and compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs.


Day 1: (ASK) Chart with students to confirm and address the understanding of the following
ideas.
What is a problem?
What is a solution?
What is a question?

Read The Three Little Pigs, stopping before the third pig uses brick to build his house.
Discuss with students the problem in the story and possible solutions. You can finish the story or
leave it for another day-knowing they probably know what materials the last pig uses. Introduce
the idea of the essential question and see if the students can help to construct the question with
you. Let them know they are going to try to answer the question by being engineers and
constructing a house for the third little pig.

Day 2 (IMAGINE and PLAN): Brainstorm materials they can use for the third house and the
reasoning behind their choices. Vocabulary--FORCE, DESIGN, ENGINEER
Students independently draw and try to label pictures/designs of a house they think would work.
Students share their plan with a small group and explain their drawings.

Day 3: (PLAN-CREATE) Students work in small groups with students who had like ideas to
begin to build their houses.

Day 4: Students continue to create. At this time students should test their house against the force
of the wolf. (large floor fan)

If need be, students should begin to make changes to their design and IMPROVE upon their
original plan.

---continue process---

Final Days:
Students present their final structure and use the fan to see if it withstands the wolf.
Students reflect upon work by completing a rubric about team work that is written in student
friendly language and uses :( and :) (will be in folder)