Challenge 1

Welcome to the high school challenge page for Challenge 1 of the Fairchild Challenge! Read below to find challenge information, entry requirements, resources and more for the challenge.

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Challenge 1: Biologic Sculpture

Title: The Wonders of Wings
For groups | Maximum points: 200
Due Date: Fri., Oct. 18, 2024 by 5 p.m. 

Download the Challenge 1 Rubric Here

Your Challenge:

Unlock the secrets of flight and explore the diversity of avian life by crafting your very own bird sculptures from reused materials! Your challenge is to create a set of 3 – 10 sculptures made entirely out of “found objects” and recycled materials that each represent a unique species. As you construct your sculptures, pay close attention to the intricate details of their wing structures and consider how these features influence their flight patterns. Your artistic creations should not only capture the beauty of these feathered creatures but also highlight the incredible adaptations that allow them to soar, glide and maneuver through the skies.

Alongside your sculptures, you'll write a 1 – 2 page paper for each bird, describing its specific flight pattern and the distinctive aspects of its wings. Investigate how different wing shapes and sizes contribute to various types of flight, such as hovering, diving or long-distance migration. Consider why certain birds have evolved to have different wing structures and how these adaptations benefit them in their natural habitats. Through this project, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the fascinating world of birds and the remarkable adaptations that make each species unique. Let your creativity and curiosity take flight as you delve into the world of avian wonders!

Finished sculpture should be no larger than 5” x 5” x 5” and should weigh no more than two pounds. Sculptures should not contain any food or edible ingredients (including wheat, seeds or pinecones). Select sculptures from this challenge will be featured in Phipps’ Winter Flower Show. Therefore, each sculpture must have a securely fastened string or wire so that it can be hung on display. A limited number of sculptures will be displayed.

Entry Requirements: Deliver to the science education coordinator at Phipps in person or via certified mail (electronic submission is not accepted):

• Challenge Entry Form
• Each sculpture MUST be labeled with the participating school and students’ names
• Create a bird sculpture using found or recycled materials
• Each finished sculpture should be no larger than 5” x 5” x 5” and should weigh no more than two pounds, and should have a securely-fastened string or wire to be hung on display.
• For each bird you sculpt, write a short paper describing its specific flight pattern, distinctive aspects of its wings, investigate how different wing shapes and sizes contribute to various types of flight and discuss these adaptations with respect to their natural habitat (form and function). The paper should be 1 – 2 pages with 12 point font and 1-inch margins, and it should include a Works Cited with at least 3 sources

School Submits: Challenge Entry Form, 3 – 10 sculptures (Please note: submitting fewer than 3 sculptures will result in a lower score on this project.)

Address:
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
The Fairchild Challenge c/o Alyssa Mulé
One Schenley Park
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Resources: The following list of online resources may be used when preparing your entry.

• How birds fly — Science Learning Hub
• Bird Flight | Ask A Biologist (asu.edu)
• Search, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• A-Flutter Over Bird Wings: Basic Info, Wing Types, and More | ABC (abcbirds.org)
• Staying airborne: How bird wings are built for aerodynamic and efficient flight | Biomechanics in the Wild
• Bird-Wing-Types-Handout.pdf (cornell.edu)
• Everything You Need To Know About Feathers | Bird Academy • The Cornell Lab (allaboutbirds.org)

Standards: 

Read below to find the standards for Challenge 1 of the High School Fairchild Challenge

• Grades 9 – 10
• Grades 11 – 12

Grades 9 – 10

• CC.3.5.9-10.A Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations or descriptions.
• CC.3.5.9-10.J By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend science/technical texts in the grades 9–10 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
• CC.3.6.9-10.C Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
• CC.3.6.9-10.D Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.
• CC.3.6.9-10.E Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.
• CC.3.6.9-10.I Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
• 4.1.10.D Research practices that impact biodiversity in specific ecosystems.
  • Analyze the relationship between habitat changes to plant and animal population fluctuations.
• 4.3.10.C
  • Compare and contrast scientific theories.
  • Know that both direct and indirect observations are used by scientists to study the natural world and universe.
  • Identify questions and concepts that guide scientific investigations.
  • Formulate and revise explanations and models using logic and evidence.
  • Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and models.
• 3.1.10.A1 Explain the characteristics of life common to all organisms.
• 3.1.10.A8 Investigate the spatial relationships of organisms’ anatomical features using specimens, models, or computer programs.
• 3.1.10.B1 Describe how genetic information is inherited and expressed.
• 3.1.10.C1 Explain the mechanisms of biological evolution.

Grades 11 – 12

• CC.3.5.11-12.B Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.
• CC.3.5.11-12.D Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 11–12 texts and topics.
• CC.3.5.11-12.H Evaluate the hypotheses, data, analysis, and conclusions in a science or technical text, verifying the data when possible and corroborating or challenging conclusions with other sources of information.
• CC.3.5.11-12.J By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend science/technical texts in the grades 11–12 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
• CC.3.6.11-12.C Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
• CC.3.6.11-12.H Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
• 4.2.12.D
  • Examine the status of existing theories.
  • Evaluate experimental information for relevance and adherence to science processes.
  • Judge that conclusions are consistent and logical with experimental conditions.
  • Interpret results of experimental research to predict new information, propose additional investigable questions, or advance a solution.
  • Communicate and defend a scientific argument.
• 3.1.12.A5 Analyze how structure is related to function at all levels of biological organization from molecules to organisms.
• 3.1.12.C1 Analyze how natural selection leads to speciation.
• 3.1.12.C2 Analyze how genotypic and phenotypic variation can result in adaptations that influence an organism’s success in an environment.

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