Itsy Bitsy STEAM Project
In this provocation, students create a water spout for Itsy Bitsy Spider while building their retelling skills.
Objective:
-
Students will work collaboratively to design and build a model of a water spout using various materials, showcasing their understanding of how the Itsy Bitsy Spider persevered and climbed up the water spout despite challenges.
Problem-solving and strategic thinking:
-
Students will investigate different ways to represent the Itsy Bitsy Spider's journey through a STEAM activity.
-
Through collaboration students will work together to create a final project that combines their individual strengths.
Standards/Objectives addressed:
-
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.2: With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details.
-
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.A.2: Correctly name shapes regardless of their orientations or overall size.
-
NGSS.K-PS2-2: Analyze data to determine if a design solution works as intended to change the speed or direction of an object with a push or a pull.
Background knowledge needed:
-
Familiarity with the Itsy Bitsy Spider nursery rhyme: Students should have prior exposure to the nursery rhyme and understand the basic storyline of the spider climbing up the water spout.
-
Basic understanding of shapes and structures: Some knowledge of basic shapes like circles, triangles, and rectangles, as well as how structures are built and interconnected, would be helpful for designing and building the water spout model.
-
Teamwork and collaboration skills: Students should have some experience working in small groups, sharing ideas, and collaborating with peers to achieve a common goal.
-
Spider Webs:
-
Discuss the purpose of spider webs and how spiders use them to catch prey or protect themselves.
-
Explore the different types of spider webs and the materials spiders use to build them.
-
Demonstrate the structural integrity of spider webs and how they are designed to withstand various weather conditions.
-
Discuss how weather can affect the stability of structures like the water spout and how the Itsy Bitsy Spider's journey might be influenced by weather conditions.
Materials:
-
Cardboard tubes, plastic cups, straws, pipe cleaners, construction paper, cotton balls, blue tissue paper or cellophane, tape, glue, scissors
Prompts – questions or statements to elicit engagement:
-
How do you think the Itsy Bitsy Spider felt when it kept climbing up the water spout despite the rain?
-
What materials would you use to build a strong and sturdy water spout for the Itsy Bitsy Spider?
-
Can you describe a time when you had to persevere like the Itsy Bitsy Spider? What kept you going?
-
Let's work together to design a water spout model that can withstand different weather conditions, just like the Itsy Bitsy Spider's journey.
-
I'm excited to see how each group will interpret and represent the Itsy Bitsy Spider's story through their unique water spout designs.
-
Remember, just like the Itsy Bitsy Spider, we can overcome challenges by staying determined and never giving up.
Vocabulary:
-
Perseverance, obstacle, structure, collaboration, web, sturdy
Reflection prompts:
-
How did you feel when working on the project?
-
Did you face any challenges, and how did you overcome them?
-
What new skills or knowledge did you acquire throughout the project?
-
How did your group work together to design and build the water spout model?
-
What were the strengths of your group collaboration, and what could be improved for future projects?
-
Did you try any new ideas or approaches during the project?
-
How can the skills and knowledge gained from this project be applied to other challenges or projects in the future?
-
Can you think of any real-world situations where the concepts explored in this project might be relevant?
Extension:
-
Create artistic representations of spider webs using various materials like yarn, glue, and beads to explore patterns and symmetry in nature.
-
Have students retell the Itsy Bitsy Spider nursery rhyme through a creative storytelling performance, incorporating elements of drama, music, or dance.