Page Title
Lesson 8 Science/Social Studies
Title: Covered Wagon Engineering Challenge!
Introduction: "In 1821 the Santa Fe Trail opened a commerce route between the United States and Mexico. The largest portion of the trail from Independence, Missouri, to Santa Fe, Mexico, passed through Kansas. The route closed in 1880 and was replaced by railroads. From the 1840s until 1861, thousands of families traveled through Kansas in covered wagons on the Oregon-California Trail. Most were heading west in search of land, gold, or a more healthful climate in which to settle" (2018). Retrieved from https://www.kshs.org.
Hook: Hi Pioneer! Imagine your living in Kansas in the 1800's. Do you have what it takes to survive on the Oregon Trail while traveling west with your family?
Objectives: Can you create a covered wagon with the supplies provided that can hold the most weight without collapsing?
Goals: Construct a covered wagon using the materials provided that will hold the most weight.
Do Learning Activities: Work together in small groups to construct a model of a covered wagon using only the materials provided-cardboard, straws, toothpicks, construction paper, scissors, tape, glue, and weights for testing. You must work together to analyze informational text. Also, you must collaborate, discuss, and organize your ideas to meet the projects demands. You and your group must also combine and organize your ideas to work together to build a covered wagon as well as evaluate your group's results. Did you meet the challenge, yes or no? If not, how can you and your group work together to improve your model? You will have an hour a day for five days to complete this activity.
Support resources:
Evaluation:
Summary of Learning: Did you and your group meet the challenge, why or why not? What did you learn about construction and engineering through completing this project? What was the most difficult part of the challenge for you and your group? What was the most successful part of the challenge for you and your group? How much weight did your group's wagon hold before collapsing?
