Topic: Lesson #

5th Build a House/STADIUM STEAM Challenge 15-17

Date:__________
Standard:
S5P3. Students will investigate the electricity, magnetism, and their relationship.
b. Determine the necessary components for completing an electric circuit.
c. Investigate common materials to determine if they are insulators or conductors of electricity.

Essential Question:
How can I use what I know about circuits to light a house?
Vocabulary: Materials:
--circuit building materials (specifics are up to the teacher)
Circuit conductors insulators --all additional building materials are up to the teacher

Instruction:
Day 1:
1. Students will begin by using Lino to describe everything they know about circuits. Students should include any
previously learned information from class.

2. Show students the STEM Challenge. Have students discuss what the problem is. Then students will use Show Me to

create and save their designs. Show students pictures from other 5th grade classes.
Option 2: Super Bowl Stadium Challenge
Hunt Construction company has hired you to build a model of a Super Bowl Stadium. Your stadium must look like a
football field, include stands, 2 scoreboards, and you must light up the score boards with at least 4 lights in all. Your
construction team may include to use LED lights or light bulbs within your design. Each group will be given the same
amount of power to power your stadium. Be creative and lets RISE UP to the Super Bowl Stadium challenge!

3. Allow groups to begin planning. Depending on your materials situation, students may have to be COMPLETELY
planned on day one and do ALL of their building on Day 2 so that the materials can be re-used by another class. If this is
the case, inform students early and take LOTS of pictures!

Day 2-3:
1. Groups should continue planning/construction.

2. Test student constructions. If time allows, send groups to make improvements/corrections.

Summarizer/Assessment: Lab Safety Precautions:

Allow finished groups to observe
other groups work. Facilitate
conversation about the different
ways that groups chose to build and
which ideas students like best, why?
Evaluate student construction based
on the given criteria/constraints.
Be sure students understand safety procedures BEFORE starting this activity:
1. Wires connected to batteries will get HOT- do not use your fingers to hold them together! (If possible,
use battery holders and alligator clips to reduce this risk)
2. Bulbs are made of glass and can be broken! Be careful not to pinch them between fingers or drop
them! If one gets broken, tell the teacher immediately.
3. It is dangerous to loop one wire from one end of a battery to the other without connecting it to
anything else!
4. If using wire with stripped ends, be careful with the sharp ends of the wire.
5. EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN TESTING LIQUIDS AS CONDUCTORS OR INSULATORS.
Classroom Teacher Connections:
Recommend the text Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary to teachers as a companion to this activity.
The character in the book tries to make an alarm to keep his lunchbox from being stolen.

Teacher Notes:
 Science Lab Lesson Plan
Build a Home STEM Challenge
5th Grade
Electrical Engineers and Architects are exploring new ways
of lighting up houses. They are looking for new and
economical ways to use less power to light a house. They
need you to create model of home that uses the least amount
of power to light up each room of your house!

Challenge: Design a model of house that has at least 4 rooms that is lit up with the
least amount of power.
Criteria:
1. The house must have 4 different rooms.
2. Each room must have a light bulb.
3. You must have a series circuit and a parallel circuit in your house.
4. Use the least amount of batteries to light up your house.
5. Create a switch that turns your lights on and off.

Constraints:
You only have 1-2 days during your STEM time for construction!
You may only use the provided materials
You cant take the materials home
You must work together as a group to finish the project!

Materials:
Cardboard, 24 inches of tape, glue sticks, light bulbs, wires, batteries

PLAN: Here is or groups ideas about how to build the house.

Build your house and draw a picture of what it looks like:

How is your finished home different from your plan?

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How could you make your home better?

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