Tiger Escape!

In Jackie Fego and Debra Elk’s third grade class, students are working on Stability and Motion: Forces and Interactions. But the science lesson, which is part of Project Lead the Way (PLTW), is part of a bigger adventure. Students are introduced to a story where a tiger is stuck in a moat on a field trip to the zoo. Students are tasked with creating something that can safely lift the tiger from the moat and move it to a secure location. Throughout the course of the module, they learn about simple machines, compound machines, magnets, the engineering design process, and forces. 

There are three activities and a project that lead up to the final problem-building a compound machine that can save the tiger. Students work collaboratively, reflect on their successes and failures, engage in class discussions, and ultimately use all the resources they learned about throughout the module to complete the final problem.

Student groups are at tables, each with their own Vex kits which include beams, plates, connectors, pins, wheels, gears, shafts and collars. Each student is assigned a job: builder, parts person, previewer and quality control and reporter or compliance. 

One group has made significant progress on their lever; their ability to collaborate is clear. 

“We just work well together. Leah reads out the design from the computer, Emilio is our parts person, I am our builder and Andrew is quality control and reporter. I love science, because I love to build and think about problems,” explained Hailey Sandoval Sola.

While they build, students are also thinking about the tiger.

“The tiger is a dangerous species,” said Mackenzie Jackson, “we have to be careful getting him out of the moat. An incline plane can definitely work, but we will need a cage at the other end.”

“We can also push food to the tiger using the inclined plane,” said Travis Guante.

Emilio Parrales Mendoza has even built the tiger a solar panel to keep warm.

Once the groups have successfully built their levers they are tasked with drawing and labeling the level arm and fulcrum and answering questions in their Launch Log.

“PLTW is great because students engage in critical and creative thinking, build teamwork skills, and develop a passion for and confidence in STEM subjects at an early age,” said Fego.

C.V. Starr Intermediate School has been recognized as a Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Distinguished School. This honor is given to a select number of elementary schools across the U.S. for providing broad access to transformative learning experiences for students through PLTW Launch, an elementary STEM curriculum. This is not a surprise, given C.V. Starr students’ level of knowledge and enthusiasm.