Anytime is TEE time: Technology, Engineering, and Electronic

Communication Renee Anderson and Nicole Hoffman

Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

Choose Our Adventure!

Electronic Communication

Activity PowerPoint

Hamster Hot Rod

Tillman Skates World’s Fastest Skateboarding Dog 123 Dog Treat Street Los Angeles, CA

Bow Wow Wow, Young Engineers! It’s me, Tillman! I hold the Guinness World Record for World's Fastest

Skateboarding Dog. Recently, I found myself lazing about in my doggy bed, when, *ring ring* my iBone started to ring. It was my friend Hampton the Hamster.

Hampton has a problem. He wants to keep up with me and my board at the parks. He needs you to build him a car. Could you help him out? He likes to go really fast!

Please design a car and test it for Hampton! Use your classroom materials to build a prototype for us. We can only afford to provide you with $700 for material costs.

Your furry friend, Tillman Skates

Our Electronic Communication

Hot Rod Hamster Candy Car Racers

An Engineering Design Challenge for your Middle School Classroom

Why Engineering? • With the exception of their goals,

the actual practices of both science and engineering are parallel and complementary (Bybee, 2011).

• The Framework places core ideas in TE at the same level as core ideas in traditional science (Bybee, 2012).

• Emphasizes 21st century learning and innovation skills including creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration (P21 Framework Definitions, 2009).

Definitions

Engineering Any engagement in a

systematic practice of design to achieve solutions to particular human problems (Sneider, 2012).

Technologies A result when engineers

apply their understanding of the natural world and of human behavior to design ways to satisfy human needs and wants (Sneider, 2012).

Jobs of innovators and entrepreneurs will be immune to outsourcing or automation ithe new global knowledge economy. (Friedman, Mandelbaum 2011)

Ask questions and define problems*

Develop and use models*

Plan and carry out

investigations*

Analyze and interpret

data*

Use mathematical and computational

thinking*

Construct explanations and design solutions*

Engage in argument from evidence

Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information*

Why Practices? • Doing something

repeatedly in order to become proficient,

• Learning some so thoroughly it becomes second nature, and

• Using one’s knowledge to meet an objective (Michaels, Shouse and Schweingruber, 2008)

Introducing the topic

• Take a “motion walk” around the school – Students might observe:

• Teachers pushing carts • Wheels on cart rolling • Balls dropping or bouncing

Setting the stage

• Challenge students with a story – Deliver the fictional story of Tillman and

Hampton. – Ask students to “clarify the problem,

determine criteria for a successful solution, and identify constraints” (Bybee, 2011).

– Consider using the activity sheet as a guide for student exploration

Design Process

What are the steps? 1. Identify the problem 2. Brainstorm 3. Design 4. Build the item 5. Test and Evaluate 6. Share Solution

Image from: http://pbskids.org/designsquad/pdf/parentseducators/workshop/designprocess_poster.pdf

Making connections • Students make connections by answering and

posing questions which in turn may create a shift in thinking. – Midpoint questions may include:

• After building your car, how does the actual car compare to your sketched design?

• What difficulties did you encounter when building the car? • What were the deciding factors in selecting parts to use to

build your car? – Notice conceptual change in student responses as

lesson progresses. • Initial comments: “The car didn’t move.” • Later comments: “If the car and wheels come into contact

with each other friction occurs and the car moves slowly.”

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

• Application of concepts – Student ownership

• Collecting data • Displaying data • Identifying and defining the problem • Designing and implementing a solution • Communicating findings

Communicating Information What happened during the lesson?

– Teacher proposes questions to elicit student responses.

• End Point: • What caused the car to

move? • What features of your

car worked well? • What was the most

challenging part of the design process?

Contact Us!

Renee Anderson Curriculum and Professional

Development Specialist (630) 907-5294 randerson@imsa.edu

Nicole Hoffman Rock Island Region Field

Officer (309) 373-3395 nhoffman@imsa.edu

References Bybee, R.W. 2011. Scientific and engineering practices in K-12 classrooms: Understanding A

Framework for K-12 Science Education. Science and Children. 49(3), p10-16. Friedman, T. and Mandelbaum, M. (2011). That use to be us: How American fell behind in the world it

invented and how we can come back. New York, NY: Picador Paperbacks. Michaels, S. A. Shouse, and H. Schweingruber. 2008. Read, set, science!: Putting research to work in

K-8 science classrooms. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2009). P21 Framework Definitions. Retrieved from www.p21.org. Sneider, C. (2012). Core ideas of engineering and technology: Understanding A Framework for K-12

Science Education. Science and Children 49(4), p8-12. Images from: http://pbskids.org/designsquad/pdf/parentseducators/workshop/designprocess_poster.pdf http://www.mrcrec.com/Play/Commercial-Playgrounds/ http://blog.ellusionist.com/practice-to-perfection/ http://www.copierbv.com/en/jobs/open-jobs/engineer.html