This week we began our first Project Lead the Way science unit on structures and function.  We started by talking about thing that have been designed by people and the fact that they have a structure or shape, that matches their function, or what they are meant to be used for.  Children were invited to draw several specific items, including something that can hold water.  When we compared all of the different things that could hold water, from a bathtub to a water bottle to a pipe, we noticed they all have sides to hold the water in.  So their structure supports their function.

We followed this by listening to the story of Jack and the Beanstalk and talking about the structure and function of his beanstalk.  Children were then challenged to use 10 pipe cleaners to make their own free standing beanstalk (much harder than it may sound!)  We have spent a lot of time talking about perseverance this year (ask your child what perseverance is) and this was a task that required lots of perseverance.  Some student observations include:
"I had to twist pipe cleaners together to make them strong enough to stand up." 
"I had to make the beanstalk lower so it would stand up." 
"I had to make it wider on the bottom so it wouldn't fall." 
"I made a big circle base so it would stand up."
Once students made a freestanding beanstalk they had the option of changing their design to hold a golden egg.

For most students this took multiple tries and provided a great opportunity to manage frustration and practice perseverance, but also to feel the reward of success after sticking with a challenge and not giving up.