WV State Standards: Math: M.S.A.1.2, CM.2.1 National Standards:  Math: 1, 2, 6 Blooms Taxonomy: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, Evaluation 21st Century Skills: Learning and Innovation Skills  Creativity and Innovation Skills Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills Communication and Collaboration Skills Life and Career Skills Flexibility & Adaptability Leadership & Responsibility

Overview:

After a thought-provoking conversation about what happened in the preceding lesson to the housing structures, students will come together as a class and determine how to make the Ultimate Hurricane Proof House and construct it as a team

Objective(s):

Students will work as a team for a common goal

Students will take the knowledge they have gained from this unit and use it to develop a better and stronger house.

Time Required:

One 45 minute class period to develop and test final house using criteria from Lesson 2.

Pre-Requisite Skills:

Critical thinking skills, Team work

Leaf Blower, Camera (to take pictures of the project)

1. Two sheets of construction paper will be used for the main construction. (You may purchase any extra sheet of paper for 5 points to be deducted from your final grade)

2. Four straws, glue stick and 6 cellophane tape pieces will be provided. A Styrofoam tray (turned upside down) will be used for the base only.

3. Leaf Blower

4. Camera (to take pictures of the project)

1.      Allow the class to lead a discussion about their results and the research they have conducted.

2.      Direct students to brainstorm ideas to improve their structure

3.      Give students the proper materials to construct one more house, following all rules established in Lesson 2 (students may purchase additional paper for a penalty)

4.      Test the unit!

5.      Remember: To test the house - a leaf blower will be turned on at 10 feet away from the house (a tropical storm) then up close (a category 1 Hurricane). The house is then exposed to the leaf blower from all sides. This is done because hurricane winds eventually hit every side of the house as it passes over.

If this is not working as a whole group activity for some reason, then allow new larger teams to form by combining 2 or 3 of the original teams rather then making one class model.  Have interested students write up an article to submit to the school newspaper about this activity.

Please enjoy this fun hands-on unit.  Allow for creativity and failure because without both, people can never grow intellectually. 

Have students write up a mock article about Protecting Homes from hurricanes and use the information they researched in Lesson One as their fact basis for the article.  They need to be persuasive in their ability to communicate the importance of new building requirements as well as state their personal experience with Hurricane Force Winds from Lesson Two.  This will allow all three lessons to be closely tied and relevant to each other.