Lesson Plan

Class: ___________

Date: ____________________________________

Title: Dam Breach

Lesson Number ___4__ out of __4___ Total in Unit
Objective of Lesson (in own words):
Students will come to understand the complex process of resource management and
environmental impacts by engineering a live scientific model of a dam breach. This will help to
inform students on the different perspectives and values to environmental development projects,
as well as the role of climate and weather in their own lives.
Learner Outcomes (Program of Studies)
Plan for Differentiation / Inclusion
Science:
Differentiation Strategies: Provide visual
instructions for activity on Smartboard;
5-1 Design and carry out an investigation,
provide handouts for students to take with
using procedures that provide a fair test of
them; pick groups based on balance of
the question being investigated.
strengths/needs; Allow students to see and
compare what other groups/students are
5-4 Demonstrate positive attitudes for the
doing; Provide opportunities to ask questions
study of science and for the application of
prior, during, and after the activity.
science in responsible ways.
Preliminary Matters (Announcements, etc.)
5-8 Observe, describe and interpret weather Emphasize that the students should put away
phenomena; and relate weather to the
any phones, laptops or devices that may be
heating and cooling of Earths surface.
at risk of damage for this potentially wet and
dirty activity.
5-9 Investigate relationships between
weather phenomena and human activity.
Remind students the day before to bring
appropriate clothes.
Bring a number of towels from home.
Prerequisite Knowledge, Skills, Strategies
and Attitudes
Students will need to know information
about floods and flood mitigation.
Students will need to be able to collaborate
with each other.
Students will need to know what a dam is
and its

Resources

Introduction
Time
Teaching Strategy
(link to previous learning,
introduction of new concepts)

Student Activity

Resources

Assessment

8 minutes
The teacher will load and play the videos of actual and LEGO dam
constructions.
Following this the teacher will explain the activity and the goal of the
activity:
- Each group will build a dam within their Environment,
which protects a community from a coming flood.
- Each group will be provided materials to construct the dam
- After each group has constructed a dam, they will be tested
by pouring an equal amount of water into each dam.
- Each dam test will be recorded.
Teacher will put visual instructions on the SmartBoard.
Teacher will hand out written instructions to each group.
Students will watch a LEGO video of a dam breach followed by a
brief video of an actual dam breach
Lego Video Dam Breach https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=YdxS_dglPIU
Actual Dam Breach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6AvEZO34xI
(Formative) Teacher will ask if there are any questions
Activity Sequence

Time
Teaching Strategy
(Presentation, explanation,
practice, approach, etc.)

Student Activity

Resources

30 minutes
Teacher will divide the students up into groups of three, based on
balancing skill, knowledge, and ability.
Each group will be given a 3x2x1 tub that will hold materials and
act as the environment.
Each group will be given an assortment of materials (LEGO, Cut up
plastic containers, straws, tape, popsicle sticks, cups, rocks).
The teacher will assist students, provide students with guiding
questions, as well as pour the water for the dam check in the
culminating event of the activity.
Based on knowledge of floods from previous lessons, the students
will work as a team to engineer and design a dam with the goal of
protecting a nearby town from a coming flood.
Each group will have 30 minutes to build a dam from their materials.
10 tubs, sand, a large selection of LEGO, various maker space

Assessment

materials (plastic containers, scissors, popsicle sticks, tape, glue),

geometric blocks, rocks.
Formative: Assessment of and for learning:
The teacher will supervise each group and facilitate probing questions to
encourage the students to experiment and take safe risks. The teacher
will have an informal conversation with each group during the activity to
help gauge understanding and provide clarity.
Closure

Time
Teaching Strategy
(Summary of learning & link to
upcoming learning)

Student Activity

Resources
Assessment

25 minutes
The teacher will pour an equal amount of water into each groups
water basin and dam
The teacher will also appoint one student from each group to video
tape the dam test with a video recorder
After testing each groups dam, the teacher will direct a brief
discussion to elucidate some of the engineering and design strengths
and weaknesses that were witnessed.
After a brief discussion the teacher will hand out Exit Cards for
students to describe 1) the dam they thought was best, 2) the reason it
was so effective, 3) and one thing they learned about engineering.
Teacher will collect Exit Cards and Peer Assessments.
Students will watch each groups dam get tested by an equal amount
of water
Following the test students will gather for a brief discussion on the
results of the tests and the activity itself and then complete and
submit exit cards where each student describes the dam they thought
was best, the reason it was so effective, and one thing they learned
about engineering.
Students will complete a brief peer assessment Exit Card.
Video recorder, 4 litre container (for water pouring), Exit Cards, peer
assessment forms.
Formative: Assessment of and for learning:
The teacher will guide a brief discussion to ensure that the students have
considered some of the important point of the activity, such as
collaboration, construction & design, as well as environmental factors.
The teacher will use the students Exit Cards as a formative assessment
to refine the activity, but to also inform them on what understandings and
ideas may need to be addressed again.
Summative:
Students will not receive marks for this activity, because the opportunity
to learn from the various success and failures requires students to take
risks. Students will receive participation marks based on teacher
observation, as well as peer assessment.

Reflection