Play Dough Materials Engineering Design Process Science 3rd 4th and 5th Grades

Looking for a way to introduce the engineering design process in a fun and hands-on way? This "perfect playdough" engineering challenge may be just what you are looking for!

Students will work in small groups and add different amounts of ingredients to try to make the perfect play dough recipe. They will try to find the right mix of ingredients to create a play dough that is strong, yet elastic and soft. Along the way, they will practice measuring, ratios, and vocabulary.

After they have tried three different combinations of ingredients, the small groups will use what they have learned to design a final batch of play dough. The class will then come together to discuss their findings! Students will have an instruction sheet and student response sheet to guide their lesson and help them take notes of their measurements and properties of their batches. The class will discuss their process and how their designs improved over time.

This resource includes:

• A note to the teacher about the lesson
• Full lesson plans including objectives, materials, time estimates, vocabulary, introduction, the challenge, group work description, testing, class discussion, and conclusion
• A student instruction sheet
• A student response sheet
• Extension activities such as similar activities and field trip ideas
• Resources such as videos and books that go with the lesson

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