Scoring the Options
A 55-minute Grade 4 lesson on generating several solutions and scoring them honestly against criteria and constraints.
Scoring the Options is a free 55-minute Grade 3 to Grade 5 science lesson plan for Common Core standard 3-5-ETS1-2 — compare several possible solutions against the criteria and the constraints. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Grade 3 to Grade 5
- Length:
- 55 minutes
- Standard:
- 3-5-ETS1-2
Grade 3 to Grade 5 · Engineering Design
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.
Objective
Students will be able to score three solutions against a brief and justify the winner.
Students are successful when they can
- Generates at least three solutions.
- Scores every cell before totalling.
- Rules out any solution breaking a constraint.
What you need
- The brief from the previous lesson
- A scoring grid with criteria as columns
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up
5 min- Ask each group for its favourite design, then ask for two more.
- Note how much better the third idea often is.
Teach — score before you total
14 min- Set the grid up with three solutions and four criteria.
- Score the first row honestly, including where it is weak.
- Say the rule: score every cell before looking at any total.
- Add constraint columns and mark anything that breaks one.
- Rule out a strong-scoring solution that breaks a constraint, and say why.
- Read the winner from the grid and name the criterion that decided it.
“Score it as it is, not as you hope it will be.”
Investigate — score three
19 min- Groups generate three solutions to their brief.
- They score every cell in the grid.
- They rule out anything breaking a constraint.
- They write which criterion separated the remaining designs.
Independent practice
14 min- Students complete the 'Scoring the Options' page.
- Check the justification names criteria.
Close
3 min- Ask how many groups' winners were their first idea.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Scores their own design generously.
Why: They built it.
Fix: Swap grids and have another group score it.
Totals before scoring every cell.
Why: The winner seems clear.
Fix: Score all of them first. Totals can surprise you.
Keeps a design that breaks a constraint.
Why: It scored best.
Fix: A constraint is not a preference.
If they are not there yet
- Two solutions and three criteria.
- A grid with the first row scored.
If they finish early
- Combine two designs and score the hybrid.
- Say which criterion should carry more weight, and why.
- Find a criterion that would reverse the result.
Exit ticket
A design scores highest on every criterion but needs mains power, which the brief forbids. What happens to it?
What to look for: It is ruled out for breaking a constraint. Choosing it anyway means the constraint rule needs another run.
Printable practice for 3-5-ETS1-2
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Scoring the OptionsCircle the best answer.
Questions about Scoring the Options
How long does the Scoring the Options lesson take?
55 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 14 min, investigate 19 min, independent practice 14 min, close 3 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does Scoring the Options teach?
3-5-ETS1-2 — 3-5-ETS1-2, Engineering Design for Grade 3 to Grade 5: “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.” In plain terms, compare several possible solutions against the criteria and the constraints.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
The brief from the previous lesson, a scoring grid with criteria as columns and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: scores their own design generously; totals before scoring every cell and keeps a design that breaks a constraint. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “A design scores highest on every criterion but needs mains power, which the brief forbids. What happens to it?.” It is ruled out for breaking a constraint. Choosing it anyway means the constraint rule needs another run. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with Scoring the Options?
Yes — 1 printable 3-5-ETS1-2 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is Scoring the Options free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 8 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-08. Aligned to 3-5-ETS1-2 of the Next Generation Science Standards.