The Tiger Rising
By: Kate DiCamillo
The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo follows 12-year-old Rob Horton, who hides his grief after his mother’s death until a mysterious caged tiger and a new friend, Sistine, help him begin to face his emotions and heal.
This interdisciplinary lesson invites 4th grade students to explore The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo through the lens of empathy, scientific problem-solving, and innovation as they identify a central problem faced by a character and apply the scientific method to develop a creative solution. Students deepen their learning by incorporating basic microelectronics—such as simple circuits, sensors, or LEDs—into their designs, working collaboratively to brainstorm, sketch, and optionally prototype ideas that connect storytelling with real-world problem solving. The lesson culminates in student presentations and reflections that highlight both academic understanding and social-emotional growth, while also introducing connections to microelectronics careers where empathy, design, and technology intersect.
Core Content: ELA, Science, and Technology
Grade Levels: Grade 4
Time Required: 7 Class Periods
ME Career Connection: Students use the engineering design process to complete hands-on activities while exploring real-world microelectronics careers, applying problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration to design solutions and see how these skills connect to ME professions.
Author: Emi Donato