PORT-Able Learning Lab What to Expect

What to Expect At Your School Visit

The PORT-Able Learning Lab offers immersive learning and classroom experiences for grades K-12.

Grades 9-12

Co-developed with educators and Port of Corpus Christi employees, the first-of-its-kind game-changing, game-based learning Breakout Box Environmental Mission debuted in Spring 2023 onboard the PORT-Able Learning Lab!

Inside the lab, students will embark on an immersive adventure using computational thinking and the practices of science and engineering to crack a series of puzzles to help the Port of Corpus Christi prepare for a new client site. From the moment they step inside this custom-built shipping container, students experiment with augmented reality, game-based learning, and touchscreen walls, building their critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills – all without leaving the school parking lot.

This year we will also be heading inside the classroom, as we offer an engineering design challenge that will further the students’ knowledge of what they learned inside our lab’s Breakout Box: Environmental Mission. In the classroom, students can complete our ‘Acoustic Shields’ activity where they will design, build, and test a bubble curtain.

Grades K-8

The two-part PORT-Able Learning Lab student experience uses game-based learning to teach new content and continues the learning in the classroom with extension activities that allow students to continue exploring the topic and related content through hands-on laboratory investigations. This program is composed of two parts: onboard the lab and in the classroom. The PORT-Able Learning Lab is available to visit qualified schools at no cost, thanks to the Port of Corpus Christi!

Breakout Box Environmental Mission (grades 9-12)

Students enter the Port of Corpus Christi’s intern headquarters where they will need to work together to solve puzzles using a project file that was left behind by their supervisor. Can they plan the project and meet their deadline in time? Time starts as soon as they arrive.

The Port of Corpus Christi’s Environmental Mission takes high school students on an immersive adventure using computational thinking and the practices of science and engineering to crack a series of puzzles to help the Environmental Team decide on mitigations for a new client site. From the moment they step inside this custom-built 22-foot shipping container, students experiment with augmented reality, game-based learning, and touchscreen walls, building their critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.

Through progressive gameplay, students will focus on measures to protect wildlife in the area, diminish nuisances for residents, and reduce emissions. Participants will explore the different mitigation strategies for each and assess the strategy’s ability to meet the goal while also meeting certain criteria (cost, species population, and emissions). Puzzles include a planning simulation, and selecting from different materials, seasons, and environmental mitigation options to evaluate the effectiveness of the plan to meet the goals provided. Students also analyze and interpret data as they learn about emissions using graphs and migration patterns using augmented reality. Each 30-minute mission session accommodates up to 10 participants.

Onboard Game Experience Specifications

Student Capacity: up to 10 participants
Grade Levels: 9-12
Experience Runtime: 25 min
Average length of visit: one to two weeks per school
Led by Learning Undefeated educators

Experience Goals

For participants to become familiar with using practices of science and engineering, including asking questions and defining problems, analyzing, and interpreting data, using mathematics and computational thinking, creative problem solving, obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
For participants to understand critical thinking strategies such as divergent thinking, logic, reasoning, and to learn how to effectively work as a team

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to analyze and interpret data
Students will be able to use basic math operations to solve a puzzle
Students will be able to solve puzzles using computational thinking
Students will be able to manipulate a model to understand
Students will be able to make a conclusion and form an argument supported by evidence

Part One: Onboard the PORT-Able Learning Lab (grades K-8)

Learning Undefeated’s onboard game experiences* take place inside the shipping container and use immersive reality, light, sound, touchscreen walls, and interactive gameplay to build understanding of relevant classroom concepts. Learning Undefeated currently offers two experiences as part of this program.

Onboard Game Experience Specifications

Student Capacity: up to 12 participants (may be fewer depending on health restrictions at the time)
Grade Levels: K – 8
Experience Runtime: 30 min
Average length of visit: one to two weeks per school
Led by Learning Undefeated educators

Engineering in Agriculture (Grades K-3)

Students explore topics from seasons, weather, and ecosystem management through the lens of the engineering design process. Through interactive gameplay and team collaboration, students help a farmer to solve a few of the problems they’ve encountered. As a group, students decide on which solution(s) to implement, keeping in mind their constraint (budget) and their criteria (goal). The experience uses projection mapping and interactive screens to provide students with an immersive game experience.

Chemical and Physical Changes (Grades 4-8)

Students view and collect information via video of a reaction. As a group, students make claims and use evidence to form arguments as to whether a presented reaction was a physical or chemical change. The experience uses projection mapping and interactive screens to provide students with an immersive game experience.

Part Two: In the Classroom (grades K-8)

The onboard experience is accompanied activities to support grades K-8 classroom instruction These activities provide authentic, real-world learning co-developed with teachers and STEM industry subject matter experts. The in-classroom program provides instructors, plus all necessary supplies, equipment, and technology. All activity handouts and materials will be provided at the teacher pre-visit.

In Classroom Experience Specifications

Student Capacity: 40
Grade levels: K – 8
Activity Runtime : 45-60 min
Led by Learning Undefeated staff

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs (Grades K-2)

In this design challenge, students will receive a problem from the story The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka. In the story, the wolf tells his side of the story of the The Three Little Pigs. The wolf was planning to bake a birthday cake for his grandma and needed to get a cup of sugar. However, on his journey he sneezes and blows down the homes of the three little pigs. The students will be presented with the following problem, “The eldest brother of the three little pigs is looking to rebuild the destroyed homes in his community after the sneezing wind disaster caused by the wolf.” Students will put on their engineering hats to help the eldest brother rebuild homes in the community. Students will engage in a STEM challenge to build a home in 25 minutes that can withstand the wolf’s sneeze for 5 seconds. Teams will receive bonus points if their home can withstand the wolf’s super sneeze for 5 seconds while protecting the pig inside.

Jack & the Beanstalk (Grades K-2)

In this design challenge, students will receive a problem inspired by the story Jack and the Beanstalk by Carol Ottolenghi. In the story, Jack climbs a magical beanstalk where he finds a castle that he steals several items from before returning home. The students will be presented with the following problem: “Jack wants to go back to the castle in the sky to return the hen and the harp he stole, but he is out of magic beans. He does not know how he will get back to the castle. Today, you are going to put on your engineering hat to help Jack build a “beanstalk” that can reach all the way to the giant’s castle in the sky so he can return the stolen items.” Students will engage in a STEM challenge to build the tallest structure in 25 minutes that can hold a toy figure (Jack) for one minute. Teams will receive bonus points if their structure can withstand a 30-second windstorm before Jack safely returns to his home on the ground.

Floating Zoo (Grades K-2)

In this design challenge, students will receive a problem from the story Who Sank the Boat? by Pamela Allen. Beside the sea, there once lived a cow, a donkey, a sheep, a pig, and a tiny little mouse. They were good friends, and one warm, sunny morning, they decided to go for a row in the bay. Students will put on their engineering hats to build a boat that can hold a cow, donkey, sheep, pig, and mouse without sinking. Students will engage in a STEM challenge to build a boat in 25 minutes that can float while holding the animal figures for a set amount of time without sinking. Teams will receive bonus points if their boat can hold a horse in addition to all the other animals for an additional 10 seconds.

Coast to Coast: Maintaining Healthy Habits (Grades 3-5)

In this design challenge, students will discuss ecosystems and take part in a species survival demonstration. This demonstration will challenge students to remove as many species from the environment as possible within one minute and discuss their results. The students will then be presented with the following problem: “Our ecosystem’s population balance has gone out of control. We need to fix our ecosystem to make sure there is equilibrium amongst the species.” The students will put on their engineering hats to assist in maintaining species populations within an ecosystem. The teams will have an opportunity to design a tool to remove the invasive species and restore balance to the ecosystem.

Forces in Action: Crane Design (Grades 6-8)

In this design challenge, students will be tasked with developing a crane used for loading and unloading payloads from vessels at a port. They will explore the relationship between force and motion by applying the engineering design process and Newton’s Three Laws of Motion. Students will be presented with the following scenario: “A port’s crane has broken down! This broken dockside crane is essential for loading and unloading payloads from vessels. Today, you will take on the role of engineer to create an initial design for a new crane.”

Acoustic Shields (Grades 9-12)

In this design challenge, students will innovate the design of a bubble curtain for the Port of LU, which will be able to reduce underwater construction noises as the port builds its new dock. Students will learn about Avogadro’s, Boyle’s, and Charles’ gas laws and how these laws are used by engineers in real-world applications. The students will be presented with the following problem: “The Port of LU wants to invest in a bubble curtain to help reduce underwater noise while constructing a new dock. They are very concerned with reducing their environmental impact while keeping their tight construction timeline. The Port of LU needs an engineering team that can design and manufacture one before construction begins.” Students will engage in a STEM challenge to design an innovative bubble curtain and pitch that idea to their classmates (or a panel) to win the bid for the job with the Port of LU. Teams will be challenged to keep the cost low and consider other environmental mitigations for bonus points.

Questions?

Don’t hesitate to contact our team at portablelab@learningundefeated.org!