[Rowaa Mohamed]

I chose the video “An Eggstronaut Mission”:

This video introduces the engineering design process through a fun and engaging story where students are challenged to design a spacecraft to protect an “eggstronaut” (an egg) during a drop. It walks viewers step-by-step through the EDP: Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, Test, and Improve, using simple language and visuals that are easy for young learners to understand. The story-based approach makes the process memorable and shows how engineering is a real-world problem-solving method.

1. Why did you select this resource?
I selected the video “An Eggstronaut Mission, because it presents the engineering design process (EDP) in a highly engaging, relatable, and age-appropriate way. It simplifies complex concepts by using storytelling and a hands-on activity that connects directly with students’ everyday thinking. This makes it easier for young learners to understand, remember, and apply the steps of the EDP. The use of an egg-drop challenge makes the learning fun and interactive, while grounding it in a real-world context.

2. What made it stand out to you personally or professionally?
What stood out to me is how the video combines both education and entertainment. Personally, I appreciate that it brings creativity and curiosity into the learning process. Professionally, it aligns well with STEAM teaching goals by encouraging students to engage in problem-solving and hands-on experimentation. It’s not just telling students what the steps are; it shows them through a story, which is more memorable and meaningful, especially for younger students.

3. How does this resource support the teaching or understanding of the engineering design process?
The video supports understanding of the EDP by different approaches as Breaking down each step clearly: Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, Test, and Improve. Presenting the process through a real-world challenge (protecting an egg in a drop). Showing students how and why each step is important, rather than just naming them. Reinforcing note-taking and reflection, as students are encouraged to write down their thoughts, this supports students in understanding their own thinking and improves their ability to remember the steps. Additionally, the mission theme makes the EDP feel engaging and meaningful, not just an academic task.

4. How do you imagine using this in your classroom? How developmentally appropriate is this for your grade level or learners? What modifications would you make to suit your learners or context?
I would use this video to introduce or start a hands-on STEAM project, such as designing a protective structure for an egg. It serves as an excellent hook to capture student interest and model the thinking process, or using the same idea and come up with any other interesting problem to hook them and engage the to the learning process. The resource is very developmentally appropriate for elementary learners (especially grades 2–5), as it uses simple language, visuals, and humor that appeal to younger students.
I might modify by providing a graphic organizer for their notes and thoughts for each step, write or display poster for key vocabulary they got from the video as a visual aid, Give average students or low abilities the key words or questions they need to get from the video to guide them and keep them engage during the video. Give the groups time to discuss and brainstorm after the video before sharing with the class.

5. What questions or uncertainties do you still have about this resource?
One question I have is whether there is a shorter version of the video available. While the full 8-minute version is informative and engaging, some students—especially younger ones—might lose focus before it ends. A shorter version could help maintain attention and fit better within limited class time, especially when balancing other activities in a lesson.

6. How might your selected resource foster skills and habits of mind in students (creativity, iteration, communication, research, critical thinking, flexible thinking, problem solving, etc.)?
This resource fosters skills and habits of mind as Creativity: Students must design original solutions to a problem. Communication: Group work and presenting designs encourage sharing thoughts clearly. Research: Students can look into materials, gravity, and impact for stronger designs. Critical Thinking: They must evaluate what worked or didn’t work and why. Improving and redesign: If a design fails, students must rethink and try new approaches. Problem Solving: The entire project is based on addressing a challenge with real constraints.

[Rowaa Mohamed]

Dear Aya,
You did a great job explaining why this resource is meaningful to you and how it helps students understand the difference between the Scientific Method and the Engineering Design Process. I especially liked how you pointed out the importance of the visual format and how it supports students who are new to engineering concepts.
I can relate to your experience as my students also confuse the two methods and using clear visuals like this makes a big difference. Your idea to simplify the diagram for younger learners is very practical and shows your awareness of student needs.
Just an idea you might try is using a real-world example, like a simple science or engineering challenge, and asking students to match each step of the process to the diagram. That could help them see how the steps apply in real life.
Your question about adding examples or cultural aspects was thoughtful—it made me consider how we could bring in teamwork or global impact as part of the learning process.
It was great! personally, I really liked it.

[Rowaa Mohamed]

Dear Ms. Bothina,
I truly appreciated your insightful analysis and the way you clearly aligned each classroom step with the phases of the inquiry-based learning cycle.
Big Idea:
clearly explains how chemical reactions are responsible for the visual and sound effects in fireworks. It effectively connects science and art, helping students understand how these two areas work together to create exciting experiences.
the Big Questions
The questions you’ve posed are engaging and encourage students to think deeply about the science behind fireworks and how it relates to art and safety.

[Rowaa Mohamed]

Analysing an inquiry-based lesson
From Lesson: Patterns in the Universe (CONTENT Standard: 1-ESS1-1

1- Students begin by reading the book Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me with a specific task: during the reading, observe the different ways the moon appears. This connects to the Engage phase of the inquiry cycle.

2- The teacher explains that the sun and moon move in the sky in a pattern, then asks students to analyze this pattern and describe their observations. This aligns with the Explain phase of the inquiry cycle.

3- Students explore and demonstrate low, medium, and high body positions. This activity aligns with the Explore phase of the inquiry cycle, introducing new concepts and encouraging connections with prior knowledge through physical embodiment

4- Students are asked to draw what the sun or moon might look like in three stages: a) Rising; b) Mid-day or mid-night; c) Setting. This aligns with the Explore phase, as students actively investigate concepts through hands-on activities, observing and representing patterns in movements.

5- Students are asked to get into groups of three and put on their dancer shoes. This aligns with the Elaborate phase, encouraging students to apply their understanding in new contexts. Creating a movement dance allows students to express their knowledge of the sun or moon’s patterns creatively.

6- The teacher asks students to think about how they will show the pattern of the sun or moon using their bodies as dancers and different levels. This aligns with the Explain phase, as students decide how to represent the sun or moon’s positions (rising, mid-day/mid-night, setting) through body movements at different levels, interpreting and expressing their comprehension of the patterns.

7- Students are asked to pair up a sun and a moon group and then have the group combine their dances to show the pattern between the sun and the moon. This aligns with the Elaborate phase, encouraging students to apply their knowledge by collaborating to combine their sun and moon dances, integrating their individual understandings to model the relationship between the sun and moon.
Students perform their combined sun and moon dances for the class, which represents the Earth. This aligns with the Evaluate phase, as students demonstrate their understanding and skills, allowing both self-assessment and teacher assessment of their learning progress. Performing the dance requires students to apply their knowledge creatively, showcasing their grasp of concepts like movement levels and celestial patterns.

The enduring understanding
The big idea of the lesson is: To observe and describe the predictable patterns of the sun and moon in the sky.

Essential Questions
– In what ways can we represent the movements of the sun and moon to better understand their patterns?

– How does the change of the sun and moon positions throughout the day can be described in a pattern?

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