The engineering design process involves many steps. Not only must an engineer …
The engineering design process involves many steps. Not only must an engineer be able to devise a solution to a problem, he or she must also be ready to test and evaluate that solution to reach the best result. To successfully complete the design process, an engineer must be able to identify design flaws and learn from his or her mistakes. In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, learn about the design process as cast members create automatic door openers that enable them to open their bedroom doors while lying on their beds. For grades 3-8.
The impact of natural disasters is made vivid in this video segment …
The impact of natural disasters is made vivid in this video segment adapted from NOVA. A small town in Iceland, prepared for recurrent avalanches, is devastated when one takes a new and damaging path.
This professional development article describes approaches to using social media in harnessing …
This professional development article describes approaches to using social media in harnessing the power of Web 2.0 technologies to reinforce the connection between multimedia literacy and powerful content-area learning in grades K-5. The emphasis is on collaboration with the school librarian. The article appears in the free online magazine Beyond Weather and the Water Cycle, which is structured around the seven essential principles of the climate sciences.
Students use their senses to describe what the weather is doing and …
Students use their senses to describe what the weather is doing and predict what it might do next. After gaining a basic understanding of weather patterns, students act as state park engineers and design/build "backyard weather stations" to gather data to make actual weather forecasts.
In this inquiry activity, students generate investigable questions to explore the link …
In this inquiry activity, students generate investigable questions to explore the link between hygiene/cleanliness and bacteria growth/population. The students will present their conclusions, and video clips containing additional information will be discussed.
This task provides a real world context for interpreting and solving exponential …
This task provides a real world context for interpreting and solving exponential equations. There are two solutions provided for part (a). The first solution demonstrates how to deduce the conclusion by thinking in terms of the functions and their rates of change. The second approach illustrates a rigorous algebraic demonstration that the two populations can never be equal.
Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum module. Students tabulate and graph data on bacteria …
Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum module. Students tabulate and graph data on bacteria density vs. time for a culture. Data start with innoculation and progress through the peak and decline.
This lecture/activity on force will further a students' understanding of forces on …
This lecture/activity on force will further a students' understanding of forces on an object, as well as the difference between a balanced and unbalanced forces.
In this structured inquiry activity students will work in groups/ teams to …
In this structured inquiry activity students will work in groups/ teams to build a balloon rocket of their own design. The rocket will race in one dimension and require that they apply their knowledge of position, time, and velocity.
The purpose of this activity is to bring together the students' knowledge …
The purpose of this activity is to bring together the students' knowledge of engineering and airplanes and the creation of a glider model to determine how each modification affects the flight. The students will use a design procedure whereby one variable is changed and all the others are kept constant.
The purpose of this task is to provide students with a multi-step …
The purpose of this task is to provide students with a multi-step problem involving volume and to give them a chance to discuss the difference between exact calculations and their meaning in a context.
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