Collaborative Science Challenges

Overview

This engaging 50-minute lesson will immerse Year 5 students in a STEAM-based, team-building science activity aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum: Science – Nature of Science strand, Level 3. Students will develop their understanding of scientific investigation and collaboration by working in teams to complete a bridge-building challenge using everyday materials.

The lesson promotes problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork while fostering curiosity about physical forces and engineering principles.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

• Understand the importance of teamwork in scientific investigations (Participating and Contributing – Nature of Science)
• Apply basic engineering and physics principles to build a sturdy bridge (Physical World – Science)
• Engage in planning, testing, and refining their designs through hands-on experimentation (Investigating in Science – Nature of Science)

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Lesson Breakdown

Time	Activity	Details
5 mins	Introduction & Hook	Begin with an engaging question: "What makes a strong bridge?" Show students pictures of famous bridges in Aotearoa (e.g., Auckland Harbour Bridge) and have them brainstorm aloud what makes these bridges stable.
10 mins	Team Formation & Planning	Divide the class into teams of 4. Each team gets a materials pack (e.g., ice block sticks, straws, tape, rubber bands, string). Explain the challenge: Build a bridge that can hold a small toy car across a 30cm gap. Teams discuss, sketch, and plan their bridge for 5 minutes before construction begins.
20 mins	Building & Testing Phase	Students begin constructing their bridges. After 10 minutes of building, they will test their designs (Does the bridge hold different weights?). If it collapses, they revise and improve their designs.
10 mins	Reflection & Discussion	Each group presents their bridge and discusses what worked and what didn’t. Use guided questions: How did teamwork help? What changes made the bridge stronger?
5 mins	Wrap-up & Connection to Real Life	Discuss how engineers test and improve structures in the real world. Tie the lesson back to New Zealand’s bridges and structures.

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Resources & Materials

• Ice block sticks
• Straws
• String
• Tape
• Rubber bands
• Small toy cars (for testing load capacity)
• Paper and pencils for planning

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Teaching Strategies

✅ Inquiry-Based Approach – Encourages students to ask questions and experiment
✅ Collaborative Learning – Focus on teamwork skills for scientific inquiry
✅ Hands-On Exploration – Active engagement with materials for deep learning
✅ Real-World Application – Making connections to engineering in Aotearoa

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Assessment & Reflection

✔ Observe teamwork and collaboration
✔ Evaluate students’ ability to explain their design choices using science concepts
✔ Use quick self-assessment: Students rate how well their team worked together on a thumbs scale (👎 = difficult, 👍 = worked well)

Extension Idea: For higher-level learners, introduce constraints (e.g., limited materials, weight requirements).

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Teacher’s Note

🌟 This STEAM lesson develops key Science and Technology skills while reinforcing essential teamwork and problem-solving strategies—a great cross-curricular opportunity!