Build-a-Bright Model City!

Learning Goals & Products

Learning Goals

Students will be able to explain how observations of growth, needs, and other visible characteristics distinguish living organisms from nonliving objects.

Students will be able to classify living organisms, nonliving objects, and building materials by attributes and represent the groups with picture models and simple data displays.

Students will be able to analyze circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, and three-dimensional figures and combine them to model larger city structures.

Students will be able to create a smaller, above-view city map that distinguishes land and water and describes feature locations with positional words.

Students will be able to test ramps, paths, and surfaces and compare observations of how model-city objects roll, slide, speed up, slow down, or stop.

Students will be able to refine a model-city design by using test results and peer suggestions to add details and justify one improvement that helps plants and people thrive.

Products

individual

Plant City Engineering Investigation Journal

Each student creates a picture-supported journal containing living/nonliving evidence, attribute sorts, shape and map tasks, two annotated city ideas, ramp-test observations, and an oral or dictated explanation of a revision made after feedback.

team

Tested Plant City Model and Overhead Map Showcase

Teams use members’ ideas to build, test, and revise a model city with living and nonliving features, combined-shape structures, land and water, and a working ramp or path, then present its smaller above-view map and evidence-based design choices.

Rubric

Competency Progression Rubric Competency-first rubric

Category	Learning Goal	Emerging	Developing	Proficient	Applying
Problem Solving	Using design techniques	I can describe the components, strengths, and primary uses of different problem-solving or design frameworks (such as design thinking and liberatory design). Project-specific: I can name simple parts of a design framework, such as asking, planning, creating, testing, and improving, and tell how these steps help us solve a city-building problem with living and nonliving features, shapes, and motion.	I can identify when a problem-solving or design framework would be useful in a given context or challenge, and describe how to start. Project-specific: I can notice when using a design process would help me plan a model city, and I can say how to begin by asking what plants and people need, what shapes and materials we can use, and what we want our city to do.	When appropriate, I initiate an explicit design process in collaboration with others and identify the most useful stage of the process to solve a problem or problems in a given situation. Project-specific: I can work with others to start the design process for our model city, choose the best step for the problem we are solving, and use observations about living things, shapes, materials, and motion to help us make and test our ideas.	In collaboration with others, I place affected groups at the center of conversations focused on pursuing solutions. Project-specific: I can work with my team to keep the needs of plants and people at the center of our model city choices, listen to peer ideas, and use our observations to change our design so it is stronger, useful, and helps living things thrive.
Scientific Investigation	Modeling systems	I can explain a system as composed of smaller parts and can identify some of those smaller parts (e.g., an object colliding with another object, an ecological environment, or a respiratory system). Project-specific: I can tell that a model city is made of smaller parts, and I can name some of those parts such as plants, rocks, cars, blocks, and shapes I can sort a few things into living and nonliving groups and explain my choice with what I observed.	I can investigate or analyze a system by defining its boundaries and initial conditions, as well as its inputs and outputs. Project-specific: I can investigate my model city by choosing what belongs inside it, telling where the parts go, and sorting living and nonliving things by their attributes I can use what I notice about shapes, materials, land, and water to plan a city with parts that work together.	I use models (e.g., physical, mathematical, computer models) to simulate the flow of energy, changes in matter, and other interactions within and between systems at different scales. Project-specific: I can use models, drawings, and built structures to show how living and nonliving parts, shapes, ramps, and paths work together in my city I can combine two or more shapes, label locations with positional words, and use observations from testing to improve how the parts move and fit.	I use models and simulations to predict the behavior of a system, and describe how these predictions have limited precision and reliability due to the assumptions and approximations inherent in the models. Project-specific: I can use my model city to predict how objects will move on ramps and paths and how the city will support plants and people I can explain that my model is not exact and that I may need to change it after testing because some parts work differently than I expected.
Mathematical Modeling	Using models	I can use a given model to provide partial solutions, or reasonable predictions, for some relevant quantities. Project-specific: I can use a given model to sort some city pieces or tell what a model shows, and I can use the model to make a simple prediction about where a plant, building, ramp, or road should go I can point to clues in the model, even if I need help explaining all of them.	I can use models to yield reasonable predictions or solutions and my calculations are justified by the model. Project-specific: I can use a model to sort living and nonliving parts of a city and to choose shapes or materials that fit a purpose I can use what the model shows to make a reasonable prediction or solution, and I can explain my thinking with the model as evidence.	I clearly state a model’s implications, and my predictions/conclusions make sense in the context the model is designed for. Project-specific: I can clearly tell what my model city shows about living things, nonliving things, shapes, and motion I can explain why my choices make sense in the city and use the model to make predictions that fit what the model is designed to do.	I use models to explain and justify a prediction or solution in a way that makes sense to an appropriate/specific audience or stakeholder. Project-specific: I can use my model city to explain and justify my ideas to classmates, using evidence from the model to show why my choices help plants and people thrive I can answer questions, describe how the model works, and tell how changes would make the city stronger, more useful, or better for movement.