Science Rocks Student teams engineer a computer program that sorts rocks based on properties in order to identify a specific rock within a Rock Family. Teams identify properties of rocks, then utilize a dichotomous key to sort them by the properties. Students collaboratively engineer a PowerPoint with guiding questions to identify each rock type; thereby,…
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Battery Design Challenge Batteries are important form of technology for society. Batteries serve as a stored energy source. You can quickly think of multiple instances in where you are dependent on a battery (some examples are: car (electric started), calculator, iPod, hand held video game, smoke detector, or key fob). For engineers at the Air…
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Electric Vehicle: Body Design This lesson is designed to be done independently, consecutively, or concurrently with the Rolling Resistance, Transmission, Electric Power Source, and Electric Motor Lessons for the Electric Vehicle (EV) Unit. Power efficiency is the goal of all good environmentally conscious designs. As you will see throughout the EV unit, there are many…
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Compressed Air Vehicle This activity will introduce students to the use of compressed air as a means of propulsion. The goal is to allow students to discover the relationship between the amount of compressed air and the distance a vehicle is able to travel to determine the viability of compressed air for propulsion.Jet engines, also…
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Let It Shine This investigation is to introduce/solidify students’ working knowledge of sorting and classification. Through this process students will investigate light transmittance through everyday objects. The students will perform a simple flashlight test to classify objects into three predetermined groups; that of transparent, translucent, and opaque. Students will create class graphs to represent the…
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Is the Sun Toxic? Although the sun is the primary source of energy for all life, it can also be considered a toxin. The essence of this lesson is to have students understand that a toxin is a poisonous substance and that the sun is an example of a toxin. Students will be introduced to…
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Wind Speed Students will explore wind and its ability to do work. Over the course of several short lessons, students will observe wind in nature using a self-constructed anemometer and Beaufort scale. Through the use of these tools, students will measure the wind speed. Students will also design or use a prefabricated kite to test…
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As industries transition from assembly lines to advanced manufacturing, there are more machines being utilized in the manufacturing and assembly process. These machines, as all machines do, require lubricants to run smoothly and efficiently. Owners also use chemical liquids to clean the machines periodically to maintain their performance. Once these lubricants and industrial cleaners are…
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Students inquire how to stop an oil leak in a model of the BP oil leak in the Gulf by simulating the situation in a 10 gallon aquarium. Students generate potential solutions, which are then tested and redesigned. Students learn about natural factors involved in this real life situation and scenario including ocean depth, properties of…
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This activity will explore heat transfer and temperature conversion. Students will conduct Internet based inquiries on conduction, convection, and radiation to understand a thermal sensor lab. Use of the data collected from this lab will be implemented in the investigation, design, and testing of solar cooker. Through a provided scenario students employ their knowledge to…
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