All of us have felt sick at some point in our lives. …
All of us have felt sick at some point in our lives. Many times, we find ourselves asking, "What is the quickest way that I can start to feel better?" During this two-lesson unit, students study that question and determine which form of medicine delivery (pill, liquid, injection/shot) offers the fastest relief. This challenge question serves as a real-world context for learning all about flow rates. Students study how long various prescription methods take to introduce chemicals into our blood streams, as well as use flow rate to determine how increasing a person's heart rate can theoretically make medicines work more quickly. Students are introduced to engineering devices that simulate what occurs during the distribution of antibiotic cells in the body.
Working individually or in groups, students explore the concept of stress (compression) …
Working individually or in groups, students explore the concept of stress (compression) through physical experience and math. They discover why it hurts more to poke themselves with mechanical pencil lead than with an eraser. Then they prove why this is so by using the basic equation for stress and applying the concepts to real engineering problems.
Are you a dreamer, risk-taker, and experimental mess-maker? Are you interested in …
Are you a dreamer, risk-taker, and experimental mess-maker? Are you interested in new media and how technology can transform learning experiences? If so, we want to talk with you! Visit our website to learn more about the workshops, free educational tools, and teacher fellowships we provide.
This is an activity about cause and effect. Learners will investigate various …
This is an activity about cause and effect. Learners will investigate various online sources to find data and other pertinent information regarding reported effects on Earth for the solar events they identified in the previous activities in this curriculum set. Then, they will summarize their findings for this activity as part of the overall Space Weather project. This is Activity 13 of the Space Weather Forecast curriculum.
This is an activity about searching online data archives for solar wind …
This is an activity about searching online data archives for solar wind events. Learners will find at least three episodes of increased solar wind activity impacting Earth using direct measurements of solar wind velocity and density. Then, they will characterize each events by its rise time, the time it takes for the solar wind speed to rise from normal levels to the peak speed of the event, and the percentage increase in solar wind velocity. This is Activity 11 of the Space Weather Forecast curriculum.
This activity is an investigative introduction to class 1 levers. Students create …
This activity is an investigative introduction to class 1 levers. Students create levers and record observations to determine the use and components of a lever.
This is an exploratory activity where students in small groups discover the …
This is an exploratory activity where students in small groups discover the relationship between the force of resistance, the force of effort, and placement of the fulcrum in a first class lever.
This activity will provide the students with an opportunity to use inquiry. …
This activity will provide the students with an opportunity to use inquiry. This activity will also help them to begin to understand friction and inertia,.
To become familiar with the transfer of energy in the form of …
To become familiar with the transfer of energy in the form of quantum, students perform flame tests, which is one way chemical engineers identify elements by observing the color emitted when placed in a flame. After calculating and then preparing specific molarity solutions of strontium chloride, copper II chloride and potassium chloride (good practice!), students observe the distinct colors each solution produces when placed in a flame, determine the visible light wavelength, and apply that data to identify the metal in a mystery solution. They also calculate the frequency of energy for the solutions.
Students are introduced to the important concept of density with a focus …
Students are introduced to the important concept of density with a focus is on the more easily understood densities of solids. Students use different methods to determine the densities of solid objects, including water displacement to determine volumes of irregularly-shaped objects. By comparing densities of various solids to the density of water, and by considering the behavior of different solids when placed in water, students conclude that ordinarily, objects with densities greater than water sink, while those with densities less than water float. Then they explore the principle of buoyancy, and through further experimentation arrive at Archimedes' principle that a floating object displaces a mass of water equal to its own mass. Students may be surprised to discover that a floating object displaces more water than a sinking object of the same volume.
This lesson introduces students to the important concept of density. The focus …
This lesson introduces students to the important concept of density. The focus is on the more easily understood densities of solids, but students can also explore the densities of liquids and gases. Students devise methods to determine the densities of solid objects, including the method of water displacement to determine volumes of irregularly-shaped objects. By comparing densities of various solids to the density of water, and by considering the behavior of different solids when placed in water, students conclude that ordinarily, objects with densities greater than water will sink, while those with densities less than water will float. Density is an important material property for engineers to understand.
This activity is a guided inquiry on surface tension where students design …
This activity is a guided inquiry on surface tension where students design their own lab experiment based on a focus question, make predictions, collect data and compare the outcome with their predictions.
Students discover fluid dynamics related to buoyancy through experimentation and optional photography. …
Students discover fluid dynamics related to buoyancy through experimentation and optional photography. Using one set of fluids, they make light fluids rise through denser fluids. Using another set, they make dense fluids sink through a lighter fluid. In both cases, they see and record beautiful fluid motion. Activities are also suitable as class demonstrations. The natural beauty of fluid flow opens the door to seeing the beauty of physics in general.
Students learn about the fundamental concepts important to fluid power, which includes …
Students learn about the fundamental concepts important to fluid power, which includes both pneumatic (gas) and hydraulic (liquid) systems. Both systems contain four basic components: reservoir/receiver, pump/compressor, valve, cylinder. Students learn background information about fluid power—both pneumatic and hydraulic systems—including everyday applications in our world (bulldozers, front-end loaders, excavators, chair height lever adjustors, door closer dampers, dental drills, vehicle brakes) and related natural laws. After a few simple teacher demos, they learn about the four components in all fluid power systems, watch two 26-minute online videos about fluid power, complete a crossword puzzle of fluid power terms, and conduct a task card exercise. This prepares them to conduct the associated hands-on activity, using the Portable Fluid Power Demonstrator (teacher-prepared kits) to learn more about the properties of gases and liquids in addition to how forces are transmitted and multiplied within these systems.
Explore pressure in the atmosphere and underwater. Reshape a pipe to see …
Explore pressure in the atmosphere and underwater. Reshape a pipe to see how it changes fluid flow speed. Experiment with a leaky water tower to see how the height and water level determine the water trajectory.
This is an in-class activity that helps introduce the idea of Bernoulli's …
This is an in-class activity that helps introduce the idea of Bernoulli's Principle and fluid of motion. Based on original activity from Adrienne Evans.
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