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Tsunami (3rd)

Minimizing Weather Damage with Engineering Solutions (3rd)

3rd Grade

The Mission

43 min

Storyline

A tsunami is headed toward populated islands on Viper I and it's up to the crew to design engineering solutions that will help protect the islands from damage.

A deep-ocean earthquake has trigged a massive tsunami on Viper I and three populated islands are in its path of destruction. The crew is tasked with designing an improv...

3-Dimensional Science

Phenomenon

Natural disasters occur on Earth's surface. Humans cannot prevent these events from occurring, but can design solutions to reduce the resulting damage.

Science and Engineering Practices

Asking Questions and Defining Problems

Ask questions that can be investigated and predict reasonable outcomes based on patterns such as cause and effect relationships.
Define a simple design problem that can be solved through the development of an object, tool, process, or system and includes several criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.

Developing and Using Models

Collaboratively develop and/or revise a model based on evidence that shows the relationships among variables for frequent and regular occurring events.
Develop a model using an analogy, example, or abstract representation to describe a scientific principle or design solution.

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Use data to evaluate and refine design solutions.

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

Use evidence (e.g., measurements, observations, patterns) to construct or support an explanation or design a solution to a problem.
Identify the evidence that supports particular points in an explanation.
Generate and compare multiple solutions to a problem based on how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the design solution.

Engaging in Argument from Evidence

Respectfuly provide and receive critiques from peers about a proposed procedure, explanation, or model by citing relevant evidence and posing specific questions.
Construct and/or support an argument with evidence, data, and/or a model.
Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem by citing relevant evidence about how it meets the criteria and constraints of the problem.

Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Obtain and combine information from books and/or other reliable media to explain phenomena or solutions to a design problem.
Communicate scientific and/or technical information orally and/or in written formats, including various forms of media as well as tables, diagrams, and charts.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems

Possible solutions to a problem are limited by available materials and resources (constraints). The success of a designed solution is determined by considering the desired features of a solution (criteria). Different proposals for solutions can be compared on the basis of how well each one meets the specified criteria for success or how well each takes the constraints into account.

ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution

Different solutions need to be tested in order to determine which of them best solves the problem, given the criteria and the constraints.