Three Little Pigs

Submitted by smileadmin on Fri, 08/13/2010 - 17:03

Source Institution

  • Oregon Museum of Science and Industry

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Description

In this activity, leaners explore building techniques by recreating the story of The Three Little Pigs. They build model houses out of plastic grass, popsicle sticks, and building blocks, and then test to see how strongly their houses stand up to the huffing and puffing of a hair dryer. The activity uses the story to explore the design process of building, testing and changing, as well as the scientific method of predicting, measuring and analyzing.

Quick Guide

  • Preparation Time: 5 to 10 minutes
  • Learning Time: 45 to 60 minutes
  • Estimated materials cost: $1 - $5 per group of students
  • Age Range: Ages 4 - 14
  • Resource Types:
  • Language: English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • Shredded green cellophane spring basket “grass” (or other straw-like material: yellow yarn, shredded paper, drinking straws, etc.)
  • Popsicle sticks or tongue depressors
  • Wooden blocks or LEGOs
  • Clay
  • Hair dryer
Subjects

Informal Categories

  • Literature
  • Model Building

Subjects

  • Engineering and Technology
    • Engineering
      • Architectural Engineering
      • Civil Engineering
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Asking Questions
      • Conducting Investigations
      • Gathering Data
      • Formulating Explanations
  • The Nature of Technology
    • The Design Process
      • Problem Solving
      • Troubleshooting and Maintenance
Audience

To use this activity learners need to

  • see
  • touch

Learning styles supported

  • Involves teamwork and communication skills
  • Links STEM to other topics of interest such as arts and humanities
  • Involves hands-on or lab activities
Other
Includes alignment to state and/or national standards:

This resource is part of

By

OMSI

Rights

All Rights Reserved, OMSI, ©2005

Funding sources

  • National Science Foundation ESI, 0206403

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Comments

Deborah Lee Rose
Three Little Pigs books
Submitted by Deborah Lee Rose on Tue, 10/18/2011 - 20:13.
0
5

The well known story of The Three Little Pigs is available in many published versions. Add to those the "fractured fairy tale" version by Jon Scieszka, titled The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs, where the big, bad wolf tells his version of what really happened.