Kids see signs everywhere. Some signs show businesses, others advertise a product or service, and other help us find our destination. The latter are road signs, and while they may look ordinary, there is some amazing science and engineering that goes into them.
Released just in time for the 2018-19 school year, the retroreflectivity curriculum follows NGSS and TEKS standards for grades 4-6.
New Grades 4-6 Curriculum: Connecting the Classroom to the Road
Safe-D researchers have developed a hands-on classroom curriculum with support materials to help students use discovery techniques to explore the science of retroreflectivity and its applications to transportation. This curriculum focuses on how traffic signs and pavement markings use reflection and refraction to direct light from a vehicle’s headlights back to the driver, allowing drivers to see these traffic control devices at night.
Through these guided lessons, students will better understand the characteristics of light as they navigate the activities and challenges that follow the history of road safety and innovations. Come along for the ride that guarantees to have your students looking out the windows with a new perspective as they travel!
Hands-on activities keep kids engaged while introducing engineering principles.
STEM with Emphasis on the E!
Elements of the curriculum can easily be adapted for use in after-school programs, clubs, science nights, Engineering Day activities and career fairs.
Lessons in this curriculum were specifically developed to spark kids’ natural curiosity about engineering. The curriculum is molded to fit the standards of engineering design of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for grades 4-6. Specific NGSS and Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) skills are incorporated into each lesson, with enrichment and modifications included for time allowances and informal education opportunities.
Each lesson provides background information, activity plans, a supplies list, a timetable and teacher preparation information. The curriculum is built out to the 5E model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate) with at least on student activity or lesson per section. Each lesson builds on the previous lesson; the curriculum can be used in its entirety or broken apart to meet learning and time constraints.
Download the Curriculum
Educators may access the the following curriculum components:
- Teacher lesson plans (revised July 2019)
- Presentation slides (21.8 MB)
- Student lab worksheets
- Student lab worksheets answer key
- Teacher training videos (YouTube links)
- Materials kit – list of contents
How to Get Your Materials Kit
Educators can request a materials kit. In your request, please specify the number of students, as kit contents adjust accordingly. We will then work with you to reserve a kit for your teaching timeframe. Kits are available for checkout two weeks in advance of classroom use and can either be mailed to you, or you may pick up locally. The kit includes most materials you need to present the lessons and complete the student activities. We ask that you return requested items from the kit in the postage-paid packaging within one week of completing the curriculum.
For More Information
Safe-D UTC
Texas A&M Transportation Institute
[email protected]
History
Since 2010, the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) has partnered with teachers, school districts and other organizations to encourage interest in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields to raise student awareness of transportation and engineering careers. TTI researchers have hosted field trips to TTI research labs and facilities, visited classrooms to give presentations and demonstrations, developed transportation curricula for K-12 teachers, and participated in school science nights, career fairs and Engineering Day and many other STEM-focused events.
