Students explore how different materials (sand, gravel, lava rock) with different water …
Students explore how different materials (sand, gravel, lava rock) with different water contents on different slopes result in landslides of different severity. They measure the severity by how far the landslide debris extends into model houses placed in the flood plain. This activity is a small-scale model of a debris chute currently being used by engineers and scientists to study landslide characteristics. Much of this activity setup is the same as for the Survive That Tsunami activity in Lesson 5 of the Natural Disasters unit.
As students learn about the creation of biodomes, they are introduced to …
As students learn about the creation of biodomes, they are introduced to the steps of the engineering design process, including guidelines for brainstorming. Students learn how engineers are involved in the design and construction of biodomes and use brainstorming to come up with ideas for possible biodome designs. This lesson is part of a series of six lessons in which students use their growing understanding of various environments and the engineering design process, to design and create their own model biodome ecosystems.
Students design, build and test model race cars made from simple materials …
Students design, build and test model race cars made from simple materials (lifesaver-shaped candies, plastic drinking straws, Popsicle sticks, index cards, tape) as a way to explore independent, dependent and control variables. They measure the changes in distance travelled with the addition of mass to the vehicles. Students also practice the steps of the engineering design process by brainstorming, planning, building, testing, and improving their "mint-mobiles."
Hands-on, project based learning for Grades 4 to 8. Students use design …
Hands-on, project based learning for Grades 4 to 8. Students use design thinking processes to solve engineering challenges. These space engineering themed lessons will engage students as they apply creative problem-solving skills. Resource includes a full downloadable guidebook. The guidebook includes a description of the design process, 5 design challenges, student handouts, and rubrics. It also includes links to other valuable resources and connection to standards (i.e. Next Generation Science, National Standards).
The Mission to Mars curricular unit introduces students to Mars the Red …
The Mission to Mars curricular unit introduces students to Mars the Red Planet. Students discover why scientists are so interested in studying this mysterious planet. Many interesting facts about Mars are revealed, and the history of Martian exploration is reviewed. Students will learn about the development of robotics and how robots are beneficial to science, society and the exploration of space. Details on engineers' involvement in space exploration are presented. Furthermore, students will learn how orbits allow astronauts to move from planet to planet and what type of equipment is used by scientists and engineers to safely explore space. Lastly, the specific details on and human risks for a possible future manned mission to Mars (and back to Earth again!) are discussed.
This lesson plan introduces the properties of mixtures and solutions. A class …
This lesson plan introduces the properties of mixtures and solutions. A class demonstration gives the students the opportunity to compare and contrast the physical characteristics of a few simple mixtures and solutions. Students discuss the separation of mixtures and solutions back into their original components as well as different engineering applications of mixtures and solutions.
Through three lessons and their four associated activities, students are introduced to …
Through three lessons and their four associated activities, students are introduced to concepts related to mixtures and solutions. Students consider how mixtures and solutions and atoms and molecules can influence new technologies developed by engineers. To begin, students explore the fundamentals of atoms and their structures. The building blocks of matter (protons, electrons, neutrons) are covered in detail. The next lesson examines the properties of elements and the periodic table one method of organization for the elements. The concepts of physical and chemical properties are also reviewed. Finally, the last lesson introduces the properties of mixtures and solutions. A comparison of different mixtures and solutions, their properties and their separation qualities are explored.
The application of engineering principles is explored in the creation of mobiles. …
The application of engineering principles is explored in the creation of mobiles. As students create their own mobiles, they take into consideration the forces of gravity and convection air currents. They learn how an understanding of balancing forces is important in both art and engineering design.
Students learn about the advantages and disadvantages of the greenhouse effect. They …
Students learn about the advantages and disadvantages of the greenhouse effect. They construct their own miniature greenhouses and explore how their designs take advantage of heat transfer processes to create controlled environments. They record and graph measurements, comparing the greenhouse indoor and outdoor temperatures over time. Students are also introduced to global issues such as greenhouse gas emissions and their relationship to global warming.
Students use provided materials to design and build prototype artificial heart valves. …
Students use provided materials to design and build prototype artificial heart valves. Their functioning is demonstrated using water to simulate the flow of blood through the heart. Upon completion, teams demonstrate their fully functional prototypes to the rest of the class, along with a pamphlet that describes the device and how it works.
Students investigate the ways in which ancient technologies six types of simple …
Students investigate the ways in which ancient technologies six types of simple machines and combinations are used to construct modern buildings. As they work together to solve a design problem (designing and building a modern structure), they brainstorm ideas, decide on a design, and submit it to a design review before acquiring materials to create it (in this case, a mural depicting it). Emphasis is placed on cooperative, creative teamwork and the steps of the engineering design process.
Lectures, laboratory exercises, and projects in modern optics. Topics: polarization properties of …
Lectures, laboratory exercises, and projects in modern optics. Topics: polarization properties of light, reflection and refraction, coherence and interference, Fraunhofer and Fresnel diffraction, imaging and transforming properties of lenses, spatial filtering, coherent optical processors, holography, optical properties of materials, lasers, nonlinear optics, electro-optic and acousto-optic materials and devices, optical detectors, fiber optics, and optical communication.
Students make Moebius strips and use them to demonstrate the interconnectedness of …
Students make Moebius strips and use them to demonstrate the interconnectedness of an environment. They explore the natural cycles water, oxygen/carbon dioxide, carbon, nitrogen that exist within the environment.
This class covers molecular-level engineering and analysis of chemical processes. Use of …
This class covers molecular-level engineering and analysis of chemical processes. Use of chemical bonding, reactivity, and other key concepts in the design and tailoring of organic systems are discussed. Specific class topics include application and development of structure-property relationships, and descriptions of the chemical forces and structural factors that govern supramolecular and interfacial phenomena for molecular and polymeric systems.
Molecular Workbench is a FREE and OPEN SOURCE, downloadable software utilizing Visual, …
Molecular Workbench is a FREE and OPEN SOURCE, downloadable software utilizing Visual, Interactive Simulations for Teaching & Learning Science. A typical MW module is a comprehensive learning package consisting of a series of scaffolded pages that contain text, simulations, tools, controls, graphs, navigation links, and embedded assessments. The user interfaces of simulations in MW can be customized for students of different levels (grades 6-16). This unique feature enables it to support a wide range of instructional strategies such as inquiry-based, discovery-based, and problem-based learning. (For Windows, OSX. Must have Java)
Students work as engineers to learn about the properties of molecules and …
Students work as engineers to learn about the properties of molecules and how they move in 3D space through the use of LEGO MINDSTORMS(TM) NXT robotics. They design and build molecular models and use different robotic sensors to control the movement of the molecular simulations. Students learn about the size of atoms, Newman projections, and the relationship of energy and strain on atoms. This unique modular modeling activity is especially helpful in providing students with a spatial and tactile understanding of how molecules behave.
In this online, interactive module, students learn how enhanced Earth remote-sensing capabilities …
In this online, interactive module, students learn how enhanced Earth remote-sensing capabilities are used by dozens of satellites that are continuously collecting data from multiple vantage points. This allows scientists from different countries to transcend political and geographical boundaries by sharing data and ideas towards the common mission of caring for planet Earth. The module is part of an online course for grades 7-12 in satellite meteorology, which includes 10 interactive modules. The site also includes lesson plans developed by teachers and links to related resources. Each module is designed to serve as a stand-alone lesson, however, a sequential approach is recommended. Designed to challenge students through the end of 12th grade, middle school teachers and students may choose to skim or skip a few sections.
Students learn about the Earth's only natural satellite, the Moon. They discuss …
Students learn about the Earth's only natural satellite, the Moon. They discuss the Moon's surface features and human exploration. They also learn about how engineers develop technologies to study and explore the Moon, which also helps us learn more about the Earth.
In 1965, Gordon Moore observed that the number of transistors on a …
In 1965, Gordon Moore observed that the number of transistors on a silicon chip doubled every technology generation (12 months at that time, currently 18-24 months). He predicted that this trend would continue for a while. Forty years later, Moore's Law continues to hold. Since the number of transistors in a circuit is a measure of the circuit's computational power, the doubling of transistor counts compounded over a 40 year period has led to an enormous increase in the performance of electronic devices and a corresponding decrease in their cost per function. The result has shaped our modern world by making computers, personal computers, cell phones, portable music players, personal digital assistants, etc. pervasive. This talk is an overview of a technology that shaped the 20th Century and that may have a similarly profound impact on the 21st Century. I'll explain how engineers double the number of transistors per chip, the challenges they face as they strive to continue Moore's Law, and take a brief look at some new technologies that researchers are examining.
Students learn why and how motion occurs and what governs changes in …
Students learn why and how motion occurs and what governs changes in motion, as described by Newton's three laws of motion. They gain hands-on experience with the concepts of forces, changes in motion, and action and reaction. In an associated literacy activity, students design a behavioral survey and learn basic protocol for primary research, survey design and report writing.
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