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1st Grade Science (Next Generation Science Standards) • K-2.Engineering Design

Which Design Works Better?

Let's look at real test results to figure out which idea solves a problem the best!

Explore the lesson 5 min read
A microscope with leaf and experiment flask for elementary science discovery
Inside this lesson 9 sections 4 questions 4 figures

SECTION 1

What's Happening? 🔍

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🔍 LOOK AT THIS!

The flat raft tips over with just 3 pennies. But the boat with tall sides holds 10 pennies before it sinks! Why did one boat work so much better?

Flat Raft✗ 3 penniesBoat with Sides✓ 10 pennies
Two paper boats in water — the flat raft tips with 3 pennies while the boat with sides holds 10.
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💭 THINKING QUESTIONS
  • Why do you think the boat with tall sides held more pennies?
  • How can we use the number of pennies to pick the better boat?

SECTION 2

Big Ideas 💡

When we want to solve a problem, we can try different ideas. We call each idea a design. That means a plan for how to build something.

After we test each design, we get data. Data means the numbers or facts we collect. We use data to decide which design works better!

1

Test Your Designs

You try each design the same way. This is called a fair test. That means you only change one thing at a time.
2

Look at the Data

Count, measure, or observe what happens. The data tells you which design did the job better. The evidence (that means the facts from your test) helps you decide.

SECTION 3

Let's Try It! 🔬

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🧪 LET'S TRY THIS!

What you need:

  • A small ball (like a marble)
  • Two books (one thin, one thick) to make ramps
  • A flat board or piece of cardboard
  • A ruler or tape measure

Steps:

Step 1: Put the board on the thin book. Let the ball roll down. Measure how far it goes on the floor.

Step 2: Put the board on the thick book (taller ramp). Let the ball roll down. Measure how far it goes.

Step 3: Do each test 3 times. Write down all your numbers.

Step 4: Look at your data. Which ramp made the ball go farther?

Two Ramp DesignsDesign A: Short Rampthin book30 cmDesign B: Tall Rampthick book60 cm📊 Our Data Says:Design B made the ball roll 60 cm.Design A only made it roll 30 cm. Design B works better!

SECTION 4

What We Found Out 🔎

When we tested both ramps, the tall ramp made the ball roll much farther. The data showed us this! We did not just guess. We measured and compared.

The evidence from our test told us that the tall ramp is the better design. We can explain why too: a taller ramp gives the ball more speed before it hits the floor.

RAMP DESIGNHOW FAR THE BALL ROLLED
🔵 Design A (Short Ramp)30 cm
🟢 Design B (Tall Ramp)60 cm

Look at the table. Design B rolled twice as far! That is strong evidence. When we use data like this, we are thinking like engineers.

SECTION 5

Do You See the Pattern? 🔁

Scientists and engineers always look for patterns. A pattern is when something happens in a similar way again and again.

Here is a big pattern: when we compare two things, data helps us pick the better one. This pattern shows up everywhere!

The Same Pattern Everywhere!We use data to compare and pick the better one.🧻 Paper TowelsWhich soaks up more water?Brand A: 1 cupBrand B: 3 cups✓ Brand B wins!Data: cups of water soaked👟 ShoesWhich helps you run faster?Shoe A: 15 secShoe B: 10 sec✓ Shoe B wins!Data: seconds to run🥤 CupsWhich keeps a drink cold?Cup A: still coldCup B: warm✓ Cup A wins!Data: cold or warm🔁 The PatternEvery time, we test both options.Every time, the data tells us which is better!

SECTION 6

People Use This Every Day! 🌍

Real engineers use data to make things better all the time! Here are some examples:

🏠 Building Houses

Engineers test different materials to see which is the strongest. They use data to pick the best wood or bricks for a safe house.

🚗 Making Cars

Car makers test different shapes to see which one moves through the air the easiest. They look at the data and pick the shape that saves the most gas.

You can be an engineer too! Think of a problem you want to solve. Maybe you want to build the tallest tower with blocks. Try two different ways to stack them. Count how many blocks each tower holds. The data will tell you which way is better!

SECTION 7

Words to Know 📖

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📖 KEY VOCABULARY
  • Design — A plan for how to build or make something to solve a problem.
  • Data — The numbers or facts you collect when you test something.
  • Evidence — The information from your test that helps you explain what happened.
  • Fair test — A test where you only change one thing so the comparison is honest.
  • Compare — To look at two things side by side and see how they are different.

SECTION 8

Show What You Know! ✏️

Question 1: Starter

Two teams built bridges out of blocks. They tested how many toy cars each bridge could hold before falling down. Bridge A held 2 toy cars. Bridge B held 5 toy cars. Which bridge worked better at holding cars?
  • A. Bridge A, because it was built first
  • B. Bridge B, because the data shows it held more cars
  • C. Both bridges worked the same
Show answer
B is correct! The test showed that Bridge B held 5 toy cars and Bridge A only held 2. The data tells us Bridge B did a better job of holding cars. We use the numbers from our test — not guesses — to decide which design works better.

Question 2: Building On

Maya tested two paper airplanes. Plane A flew past the red line on the floor. Plane B only flew to the blue line, which was much closer. Maya says Plane B is better because it is prettier. Is Maya using evidence to pick the better design?
  • A. Yes, because prettier things always work better
  • B. Yes, because Maya watched both planes fly
  • C. No, because how a plane looks is not evidence about how far it flies
Show answer
C is correct! Evidence means information from the test. The test was about how far the planes flew, not how they looked. Plane A flew farther — past the red line — so the evidence shows Plane A is the better flyer. Being pretty is not data from the test!

Question 3: Deeper Thinking

Two groups built shade structures to keep a sunny spot cooler. After sitting under each one, the class said Structure A felt "a little cooler" and Structure B felt "much cooler" than standing in the sun. Which structure worked better at the job of keeping people cool, and why?
  • A. Structure A, because it was built with bigger materials
  • B. Structure B, because the class felt much cooler under it
  • C. We cannot tell because we did not count anything
Show answer
B is correct! The class tested both structures by sitting under them and describing how cool they felt. That is evidence! The evidence shows Structure B made people feel "much cooler," while Structure A only felt "a little cooler." Evidence does not always have to be numbers — what people observe and feel during a fair test counts too.

Question 4: Challenge

Sam's class wanted to keep an ice cube from melting too fast. Group 1 wrapped their ice cube in a cloth. Group 2 wrapped theirs in foil. After 10 minutes, Group 1's ice cube was still big, and Group 2's ice cube was mostly melted. Sam says: "Group 1's design worked better because their ice cube stayed bigger." What makes Sam's answer a good one?
  • A. Sam picked the design that used the softest material
  • B. Sam used what he saw in the test to explain which design worked better
  • C. Sam picked the design his friend was in
Show answer
B is correct! Sam's answer is a good one because he looked at the results of the test — which ice cube was still big and which had mostly melted — and used that evidence to explain his choice. He didn't pick based on what the material felt like or which group his friend was in. Good engineers always use evidence from tests to decide which design works better!

SECTION 9

What's Next? 🔮

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🔮 WHAT'S NEXT?

Varsity Tutors • 1st Grade Science (NGSS) • Engineering Design: Using Evidence to Compare Designs