A dog ramp for a local animal shelter runs through all three sections of this 9-page 5th grade engineering design assessment. The ramp must hold a 100-pound dog, cost under $150, be done by Sunday, and have a surface that prevents slipping. Students sort needs from wants and criteria from constraints, compare two prototypes in a data table, and plan a fair test of three surfaces. The 24 questions cover NGSS 3-5-ETS1-1 to 3-5-ETS1-3, with a score line for each section.
3-5-ETS1-1
“Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.”
Section 1, questions 1 to 9, where the shelter's list is sorted into needs, wants, criteria, and constraints.
3-5-ETS1-2
“Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.”
Section 2, questions 10 to 18, which compare Design A and Design B on cost, weight limit, build time, and surface.
3-5-ETS1-3
“Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.”
Section 3, questions 19 to 24, on the variables in the ramp slide test and the failure point of the peeling grass.
Scenario A lists the shelter's wishes. Students label three statements as a Need or a Want and four as a Criterion or a Constraint, then answer two multiple-choice items on why constraints matter.
A table compares Design A ($120, bends at 80 lbs) with Design B ($160, holds 150 lbs safely). Students answer five true-or-false items, name the unsafe design, and suggest how Design B could get under $150.
Engineers test plain wood, rubber matting, and artificial grass by lifting a ramp until a wooden block slides. Students name the independent, dependent, and controlled variables, then fix artificial grass that peels off when wet.
Unit test
Give all three sections in one sitting, or one per day. The score line after each section lets you report each standard on its own.
Review the day before
Use the Section 2 data table as a class warm-up. Design A is cheaper and ready sooner, which makes it a clear case for why a failed criterion rules a design out.
Hands-on follow-up
Build the Section 3 test with a board, a wooden block, and three surfaces. Students can check whether their planned controls hold up in practice.
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