Unit Overview
In A Work in Process: Improving a Play Dough Process, students investigate mixtures and chemical engineering. The unit begins with the storybook Michelle’s MVP Award, in which a girl named Michelle living in Canada explores the field of Chemical Engineering to turn her play dough “recipe” into a complete play dough making process that others can easily follow. Over the course of the unit, students explore solids, liquids, and possible outcomes of mixing the two; conduct product research; and develop a process for others to follow. Like Michelle, students then follow the steps of the Engineering Design Process to imagine, plan, create, and improve their own process for producing play dough.
Core Program Unit Components
We recommend one Educator Guide per teacher, one Storybook per student, and one Materials Kit per 30 learners. Together, these components create a high-quality, hands-on STEM learning experience.
Program Components
Print + Digital:
- Printed copy of the Educator Guide containing instructions to facilitate the unit
- One (1) copy of the printed accompanying Storybook
- Digital access to the Educator Guide via yes.mos.org/curricula
- Digital PDF of the Storybook
Additional Program Components
- Storybook
- Available in print and digital for individual purchase to accommodate any class size
- Materials Kit
- Includes materials to support 30 learners
Ten Resources for Diverse Learners
As a set of high-impact resources, the Resources for Diverse Learners are designed to help remove distractions and decrease literacy demands so that all students can succeed in engineering and problem solving. They contain built-in vocabulary support, suggestions for objects to create context and background, multiple points of entry for different learning styles, and multiple ways for learners to express understanding meet the needs of today’s diverse classroom.
| Resource for Diverse Learners | Included in the Teacher Guide | Packaged with the Teacher Guide | Included in Digital Unit |
| Student Discussion Support | * | * | * |
| Teacher Discussion Support | * | * | * |
| English Learner Strategies | * | * | * |
| Differentiation Duplication Masters | * | * | * |
| Flip book StorybookEnglish and Spanish1 | * | * | |
| Character Cards1 | * | * | |
| Visual Vocabulary Cards1 | * | * | |
| Illustrated Engineering Design Poster - English | 8.5x11in. included (available for sale in 20x30 in.) |
* | |
| Illustrated Engineering Design Poster - Spanish | 8.5x11in. included (available for sale in 20x30 in.) |
* | |
| Materials Reference Sheet1 | * | * | |
| Alternative Lesson Progression | * |
1 Spanish version available in the Digital Unit only.
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Return Policy: Product in original condition may be returned within 30 days of receipt for refund or replacement. Customer is responsible for shipping charges.
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