LESSON PLANS
Water Fountain
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This lesson demonstrates how a hydraulic pump works. Students work in teams to design and build a unique water fountain that employs a hydraulic pump.
During this activity students will:
Age Levels: 10-18
Required Build Materials (Trading/Table of Possibilities)
Hydraulic Pump Build Materials
Testing Materials
Testing Process
Test each team’s design by having the students demonstrate how their water fountain works using water and the plastic tub.
Hydraulic Pump Build Materials
Hydraulic Pump Instructions
You will need to build a hydraulic pump for a classroom demonstration.
Design Challenge
You are a team of engineers given the challenge of designing and building a creative water fountain for a park in your city.
Criteria
Constraints
Student Reflection (engineering notebook)
The lesson can be done in as little as 1 class period for older students. However, to help students from feeling rushed and to ensure student success (especially for younger students), split the lesson into two periods giving students more time to brainstorm, test ideas and finalize their design. Conduct the testing and debrief in the next class period.
Internet Connections
Writing Activity
Note: Lesson plans in this series are aligned to one or more of the following sets of standards:
CONTENT STANDARD B: Physical Science
As a result of their activities, all students should develop an understanding of
CONTENT STANDARD E: Science and Technology
As a result of activities, all students should develop
CONTENT STANDARD B: Physical Science
As a result of their activities, all students should develop understanding of
CONTENT STANDARD E: Science and Technology
As a result of activities, all students should develop
Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
Students who demonstrate understanding can:
Engineering Design
Students who demonstrate understanding can:
Engineering Design
Students who demonstrate understanding can:
Design
Scenario
The city received a financial gift from a resident with specific instructions to use the money to build a water fountain for the local park. The city has asked all schools to design and build a prototype of a water fountain. The fountain that functions successfully and is the most interesting will be chosen to be built for the park.
Design Challenge
Design and build a creative water fountain.
Criteria
All designs must:
Constraints
All designs must:
Planning Stage
Meet as a team and discuss the problem you need to solve. Then develop and agree on a design for your water fountain. You’ll need to determine what materials you want to use.
Draw your design in the box below, and be sure to indicate the description and number of parts you plan to use.
Team members:___________________________________________________
Brainstorm designs for your water fountain:
Choose your best design and sketch it here:
Construction Phase
Build your water fountain. During construction you may decide you need additional materials or that your design needs to change. This is ok – just make a new sketch and revise your materials list.
Testing Phase
Each team will test their water fountain. If your design is unsuccessful, redesign and test again. Continue until you are happy with it. Be sure to watch the tests of the other teams and observe how their different designs worked.
Sketch your Final Design
Evaluation Phase
Evaluate your teams’ results, complete the evaluation worksheet, and present your findings to the class.
Use this worksheet to evaluate your team’s results in the Water Fountain Lesson: