exploring engineering - tufts...

Types of Engineering

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Design-Based Activities

Across All Fields

Created by:

5th Grade Curriculum

August 2009


Unit 1 Types of Engineering


Copyright 2009 Tufts University Center for Engineering Education and Outreach

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Unit 1

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Curriculum Outline--------------------------------------------.//!

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Civil Engineering!

! Bridges-------------------------------------------------..010!

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Environmental Engineering!

! Water Filtration--------------------------------------------.210!

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Aeronautical Engineering!

! Parachutes-----------------------------------------------310!

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Mechanical Engineering!

! Ramp Roller----------------------------------------------.410!

!

Electrical Engineering!

! Insulators and Conductors------------------------------------..510!

!

Chemical Engineering!

! M&M Chromatography---------------------------------------610!

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Glossary------------------------------------------------!---.710!

!

Worksheets-----------------------------------------------..-.713!



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STOMP Curriculum Outline Unit 1: Types of Engineering These activities are intended for use in a STOMP 5th grade classroom, but can be modified at the instructor’s discretion for grades 3-7. This lesson focuses on exposing students to real-world examples of engineering in action, as many K-12 students are not familiar with the field of engineering. The first four activities in this unit focus on student-lead design, as this is the basis of most engineering. These activities incorporate creativity as they teach scientific concepts. The last two activities are more technical than the first four and must be more instruction-based for this age group of students. These activities can be treated more as a scientific experiment, focusing on hypotheses, following a procedure, and analyzing the results.

Activity 1:

Intro to Civil Engineering: Bridges Students will construct a bridge that spans the distance between two desks. They will then test its strength by hanging loads in the form of water bottles from the bridge.

Emphasized Engineering Skill(s): Building a Sturdy Structure that Supports a Load

Real World Importance: Before real-life bridges are built, performing tests on a model, or prototype to ensure that a design is safe. The 1940 Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse is one of the most notable civil engineering failures in history. Because the engineers did not account for some of the effects of the wind, 40 mph winds caused the bridge to undulate violently and collapse only four months after its construction. Extension(s): Redesign the bridge and test it. Test the bridge with different kinds of loads.

Activity 2: Intro to Environmental Engineering: Water Filtration Students will be given the materials to create a slow sand filter and a structure to hold it. They will then use a turbidity test using an RCX or NXT light sensor to analyze the effectiveness of their filter.

Emphasized Engineering Skill(s): Building a Water Filter, Performing a Turbidity Test Real World Importance: Water filters exist in all shapes and sizes. Large water treatment plants remove all toxins and visible particles from dirty water so that when it reaches the tap, it is clean enough to drink. This water is regulated by the government and must pass a series of tests to make sure that it won’t be harmful. Additional filtering can be performed using small in-home filters that exist in the form of activated carbon filters on sinks or in pitchers. Extension(s): Collect the class’ turbidity test data and create a graph.



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Activity 3

Introduction to Aeronautical Engineering: Parachutes Students will construct parachutes from various materials in an attempt to create the most effective (the slowest) parachute. They will also measure the time during which it falls a set distance and use these values to calculate velocity.

Emphasized Engineering Skill(s): Slowing a falling object, Calculating velocity Real World Importance: Today parachutes have many uses, such as deploying soldiers from airplanes and helping space capsules to land safely in the ocean. They are also used for recreation in the extreme sport of skydiving. The record for the longest parachute jump is held by Eugene Andreev who, in 1962, performed a freefall jump of 80,380 ft before deploying his parachute for the final 3000 ft of descent. Extension(s): Build and test a parachute using a new material. Redesign one of the parachutes with an already tested material to see how construction affects velocity.

Activity 4 Introduction to Mechanical Engineering: Ramp Roller Students will construct a device to roll as far as possible down a ramp.

Emphasized Engineering Skill(s): Using a Wheel and Axle, Minimizing Friction

Real World Importance: Mechanical engineers work in teams to design fast cars. As of 2007, the fastest car in the world is the SSC Ultimate Aero, which reaches a top speed of 237 mph and goes from 0-60 mph in just 2.7 seconds. Imagine what that kind of acceleration must feel like for the driver! The engineers that work on cars like this are very specialized because every detail needs to be carefully designed to contribute to the car’s maximum potential speed. For example, race car tires don’t have treads in order to reduce friction. Extension(s): Weigh the ramp roller and calculate its potential energy at the top of the ramp. Redesign the ramp rollers to see whose can travel the shortest distance.

Activity 5

Introduction to Electrical Engineering: Insulators and Conductors

Students will explore the qualities of insulators and conductors by constructing a simple circuit and testing various objects in it.

Emphasized Engineering Skill(s): Constructing a simple circuit, Identifying insulators and conductors

Real World Importance: As hybrid electric cars become more popular, electrical engineers are playing a more prominent role in the automobile industry. Combining electric circuits with traditional fuel engines allows hybrid cars to reach fuel efficiencies of up to 50 miles per gallon. Extension(s): Find more objects to test in the circuit. Discuss current and voltage in both a series and a parallel circuit. Discuss what is happening at an atomic level that differentiates insulators from conductors.



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Activity 6

Introduction to Chemical Engineering: M&M Chromatography

Students will explore the makeup of food dyes by performing chromatography on M&Ms.

Emphasized Engineering Skill(s): Performing chromatography

Real World Connection: There are types of chromatography other than the liquid chromatography performed in this activity. Gas chromatography moves helium through a column of adsorbent material in order to analyze chemical samples. It is commonly used in airports to detect illegal substances, and in forensics to compare hair or skin cell samples found on victims. Chromatography is also used by chemists and chemical engineers to separate a substance in order to analyze its components or to purify one for further use. Extension(s): Use a different source of dye (e.g. markers, other candies); Discuss salt water as a solvent and how polarity comes into play in chromatography.



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Type of Engineering: Lesson 1

Bridges

Civil Engineering

Overview Students will construct a LEGO bridge that will span a gap between two desks. The strength of the bridge will then be tested with loads in the form of water bottles. The concept of overlapping surface area should be kept in mind to create sturdy bridges.

Goals Expectations Evidence

Students will understand: • What makes a structure

sturdy. • The difference between a

dead load and a live load.

Students should be able to: • Construct bridges that can

support their own weight.

Evidence of learning found in: • Bridges that can support

some load. • Civil Engineering

worksheets.



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Suggested Time

!!!!!!!!!!!!

One 45-60 minute

session

Vocabulary

!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dead Load

Live Load

Surface Area

Materials

!!!!!!!!!!!!

For each student:

• Civil Engineering

Worksheet

For each student pair:

• LEGO kit with assorted LEGO

pieces (e.g. 10 each

of 2x4, 2x6, & 2x8

bricks)

For classroom:

• Meter Stick or

Measuring Tape

• 5 water bottles

• String

Preparation

!!!!!!!!!!!!

• Arrange students in

groups of 2-3. • Create a testing area

by setting a pair of

desks ~ 1ft apart. • Distribute

worksheets and

construction

materials.

Background

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Civil engineers deal with the construction of the non-moving parts of public. Examples of civil engineering projects include dams, roads, buildings, and bridges. Civil engineers must be very careful to build safe and sturdy structures because there is a large risk of injury to people if their design fails. There are many forces that must be taken into account when designing a safe structure. For example, engineers must consider both the dead load and the live load in the construction of a bridge. The dead load is the structure’s own weight while the live load includes all variable forces that are not a permanent part of the structure, such as traffic or wind. To overcome these forces, overlapping beams are used to make the bridge more stable. The more surface area that overlaps between beams, the sturdier the connection is.

Instructions

PART I: Introduction to Engineering Bridges 5 minutes

1. Brainstorm with the class what a civil engineer might do. Explain that that civil engineers design structures without moving parts.

2. One type of structure that civil engineers design is a bridge. Bridges often have to span great distances and support immense loads.

3. Explain the difference between a dead load and a live load. 4. Discuss how you might make a sturdy bridge using LEGOS:

• Pass out the LEGO kits to each group. • Talk about how more overlapping surface area between beams helps

to create a stronger connection. • Ask each student to take two 2x8 bricks out of their kit and to follow

you as you connect the bricks by overlapping only the first row of pegs. Show how easy it is to break the bricks apart. Now connect them by overlapping 6 rows of pegs. Show how much more difficult it is to break the bricks apart.

PART II: Bridge Construction 20 minutes

1. Explain to students that they will be constructing bridges using pieces from their LEGO kit. Write down the requirements: • The bridge must span the length of the designated desk gap. • The bridge must support a live load in the form of water bottles

hung from various points on their bridge.

Lesson 1

Bridges



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Note: In order to have

adequate support, the bridges should be at least 2 in longer than the gap that they have to span.

!!!!!!!!!!!!

Real World Connection

Real-life engineers have

to test their bridges too!

And even then, they still

fail sometimes. The 1940 Tacoma Narrows Bridge

collapse is one of the

most notable civil

engineering failures in

history. Because the

engineers did not account

for some of the effects of

the wind, 40 mph winds

caused the bridge to

undulate violently and

collapse only four

months after its construction.

2. Ask students to answer the first question on their worksheet and to design their bridge. Allow each student to begin constructing their bridge once an instructor has approved their design.

PART III: Testing the Bridges 15 minutes

1. When a group is ready to test, have students to place their bridge across the gap.

2. Test the bridges by adding water bottles to the bridges. Increase the weight by half a bottles worth of water each time. You may either add water to the bottles or have several half-filled and fully filled water bottles available for testing.

3. Once a group has completed their tests, have them fill out the rest of their worksheet and draw a redesign of their bridge that improves on their first design.

PART V: Discussion and Observation 5 minutes

1. Ask each group to briefly describe their bridge: Was it thin or wide? Short or tall?

2. Ask students to discuss the difficulties they encountered: Did the limited amount of materials make it difficult to complete their original design? What weak point caused their bridge to break?

3. Ask students to discuss how they would redesign their bridge.

Extensions and Modifications

1. Build a redesigned bridge and test it. 2. Test the bridge with different kinds of loads (e.g. more evenly

distributed loads, like books, etc).

Sample Projects and Photos

Examples of Bridges: Two very different bridge designs

http://web.iku.edu.tr/~gkiymaz/bridge%20bent.jpg http://tomburgess.net/images/Steel-Bridge-2.jpg

Lesson 1 Bridges


2 – 1 Copyright 2009 Tufts University Center for Engineering Education and Outreach

Types of Engineering: Lesson 2

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Water Filtration Environmental Engineering

Overview Students will construct a small slow sand water filter and evaluate its performance by conducting a turbidity test on the filtered water. Students will also have to build a LEGO structure to support their filter while holding it over a collection cup. A sample holder, filter and collection cup are shown below:


Students will understand: • What an environmental

engineer does. • Water filtration.

Students should be able to: • Build a sturdy water filter. • Explain how their filter

removed dirt particles.

Evidence of learning found in: • Water filters that result in

cleaner water. • A class discussion water

pollution and filtration. • Environmental

Engineering worksheet.


2 – 2


Suggested Time

!!!!!!!!!!!!

One 45-60 minute session

Vocabulary

!!!!!!!!!!!!

Light Sensor

Slow Sand Filter

Turbidity

Water Quality

Materials

!!!!!!!!!!!!

For each student:

• Environmental

Engineering

Worksheet


• Small LEGO kit

(~20 beams, friction pegs, bushings)

• 2 clear plastic cups

(one with the bottom

cut off for filter)

• 1 sq ft cheese cloth

• 2 rubber bands

• " c. gravel

• 2 coffee filters

• 10 cotton balls

For classroom:

• Dirty & Clean Water

(for testing) • RCX/NXT light

sensor

• RCX/NXT

Background

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Environmental engineers design water filters. In addition to designing systems that clean water, environmental engineers design systems that clean air and land so that the earth remains a habitable place for humans.

The type of water filter that students will construct in this lesson is known as a slow sand filter. In this type of filter dirty water is run through a column of gravel and sand and results in clean water. This kind of filter requires no chemicals or electricity; however, the filtration process is slow. Slow sand filters are designed so that the coarsest particles (e.g. rough gravel) are at the bottom of the filter while the smallest particles (e.g. fine sand) are at the top. See diagram below:

http://rael.berkeley.edu/old-site/workshops/disinf_SSF.bmp

Water quality is an assessment of how dirty or clean water is by the characteristics such as dissolved oxygen content or pH. In this activity, we will evaluate water quality based on turbidity: the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by small suspended particles that are generally, though not always, invisible to the naked eye.

Students will conduct a turbidity test by placing their filtered water sample in a clear cup and measuring it with an NXT/RCX light sensor. Since the light sensors can detect reflected light, this box will measure the amount of light that is allowed to pass through the water. The suspended particles reflect light and do not let light pass through the sample. The more reflected light the sensor detects, the dirtier the water.

Lesson 2

Water Filtration


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Preparation

!!!!!!!!!!!!


groups of 2-3. • Distribute

worksheets and

construction materials.

• Prepare a pitcher of

dirty water (e.g.

water w/dirt, mulch,

etc).

How do I use the RCX

light sensor?

Attach the light sensor to

Port 3 on the RCX and

turn the RCX on. Place

the cup about 1/8 inch

away from the light

sensor, and hit the

“View” button on the

RCX three times (i.e.

until the arrow is

pointing to Port 3). Read the value to the left of

the person on the RCX

screen.

!!!!!!!!!!!!

Note: The light sensor is

not very sensitive, therefore

the light sensors values will

not vary greatly. Dirty

water might have a value

around 40 while clean

water has a value around

48.

!!!!!!!!!!!!

Water Increasing in Turbidity:

http://www.fondriest.com/images/science_library/turbidity_sensors.jpg

Instructions

Preparation: Building a Turbidity Tester 5 Minutes

To build the turbidity tester, wire a light sensor to one of the ports on an NXT/RCX brick. On the RCX you can view light sensor values by pressing the view button until a small triangle is pointed at the port the light sensor is wired to. On the NXT use the key pad to scroll to the menu that shows sensor values. Select the light sensor and the port that it is wired to.

PART I: Introduction to Water Filtration 10 minutes

1. Ask students if they know what environmental engineer does. 2. After a brief discussion, explain that the job of an environmental

engineer is to design systems that clean air, land, and water. Give examples such as, cleaning an oil spill in the ocean, or figuring out what to do with nuclear waste.

3. Tell students that one way that environmental engineers design water filters to clean water.

4. Introduce the specific example of a slow sand filter as a means of improving water quality.

5. One way to test the quality of water is by measuring turbidity, the amount of suspended solid particles in the water.

6. Show students the turbidity tester they will be using for this activity. Explain that the light sensor is used to test for turbidity because it detects how much light is reflected from a surface. Place a clean water sample and a dirty water sample in the turbidity tester, run the NXT/RCX to read the light sensor reading and compare the results. This data should be the two extremes (i.e. the class’ values should lie between these two points).

PART II: Constructing the Filters 30 minutes

1. Explain to students that they will be constructing their own water filters and testing their filtered water using the RCX light sensor.

Lesson 2 Water Filtration


2-4

2. Tell students that they must also build a structure to support their filter so that water can be poured through the filter and be collected in a sample collection cup below.

3. Have students fill out the first question on their worksheets and design their filters. Have students label their designs

4. When an instructor has approved a design, allow students to begin building their filter and LEGO supportive structure.

PART III: Testing the Water 10 minutes

1. As students finish their construction, allow them to test their design: • Students should pour approx. 2/3 cup of dirty water through the

filter. • Students should test their clean water sample in the turbidity

tester and record their clean water value on their worksheets. 2. Keep track of each groups value on the board for comparison.

PART IV: Discussion and Observation 10 minutes

1. Ask students to share their filter designs. 2. Discuss differences in design and the resulting light sensor values. 3. Tell students about the typical design of slow sand filters in which the

largest filter particles (e.g. gravel) are on top and the finest filter particles (e.g. sand) are on the bottom. Why this might this make an effective filter?


Collect the class’ data and create a bar graph on the board. Plot the clean and dirty test values as well and see whether most of the filters are closer to the clean or the dirty water value.

Sample Projects and Photos The RCX light sensor (attached at Port 3) reads a value of 40 for the dirty water. A previously taken reading of 48 is displayed for the clean water.


You may have seen

water filters in your own

home in the form of

activated carbon filters on sinks or in pitchers in

your refrigerator.

However, even before

you filter the water

yourself, all tap water is

first treated in a very

large “water filter”.

Water treatment plants

remove all toxins and

visible particles from

dirty water so that when it reaches your tap, it is

clean enough for you to

drink.

Lesson 2 Water Filtration


3-1


Parachutes

Aeronautical Engineering Overview Students will create parachutes prototypes from different materials and time how long it takes the parachute to fall a set distance. Students will use the data they have collect to calculate the parachute’s velocity. The goal is to create a parachute with the slowest velocity. Shown below are several Sample Parachutes. Construction material from left to right: Paper Napkin, Platic Bag, and Coffee Filter.


Students will understand: • That the goal of a

parachute is to create a slower velocity.

• How surface area affects velocity.

Students should be able to: • Construct sturdy

parachutes. • Calculate velocity.

Evidence of learning found in: • Parachutes with a large

surface area. • Aeronautical Engineering

worksheet.


3-2

Suggested Time

!!!!!!!!!!!!

One 45-60 minute

session

Vocabulary

!!!!!!!!!!!!

Drag

Gravity

Surface Area

Velocity

Materials

!!!!!!!!!!!!

For each student:

• Aeronautical

Engineering

Worksheet


• 2 meters of string • 1 coffee filter

• 1 paper napkin

• 1 plastic bag

• 1 LEGO person

For classroom:

• Meter Stick or

Measuring Tape • Stopwatch

Background

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aeronautical engineers design objects that move above ground through the atmosphere such as airplanes, parachutes, helicopters, etc. They differ from aerospace engineers in that they only design crafts that stay within the earth’s atmosphere.

Aeronautical engineers design parachutes. Parachutes are designed to slow the fall of a person from the air to the ground to prevent death or injury. Parachutes are designed to use air resistance, or drag, to counteract the weight of the person being “pulled” toward the ground by gravity (shown below). Drag is the force opposite the motion of an object through a fluid (in this case air). The more exposed material the parachute has, the more air resistance will be created. By increasing the surface area of a parachute, one can decrease velocity by increasing drag.

http://www.learnersdictionary.com/art/ld/parachute.gif

PART I: Introduction to Aeronautical Engineering 5 minutes

1. Ask students what an aeronautical engineer does. 2. Explain that the job of an aeronautical engineer is to design aircrafts

that can move through the earth’s atmosphere. Brainstorm examples. 3. Discuss parachutes as an example.

• Talk about the forces acting on the parachute (gravity and drag) and how this effects a parachute’s velocity

• Discuss how surface area effects a parachutes velocity. • Discuss the pros and cons of different materials you could use to

construct a parachute. Tell students to consider that the intent is to slowly “float” someone to the ground.

Lesson 3

Parachutes

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3-3

Lesson 3 Parachutes

Preparation

!!!!!!!!!!!!


groups of 2-3. • Set up a testing area

with a drop point

that has a known distance to the

ground. • Distribute

worksheets and

construction materials.


Today parachutes have many uses, such as

deploying soldiers from

airplanes and helping

space capsules to land

safely in the ocean. They

are also used for

recreation in the extreme sport of skydiving. The

record for the longest

parachute jump is held

by Eugene Andreev who,

in 1962, performed a

freefall jump of 80,380 ft

before deploying his

parachute for the final

3000 ft of descent.

PART II: Discussion of Velocity 10 minutes

1. Ask students if they know what velocity is. 2. Explain velocity in specifics term as the speed of an object. Explain

that velocity can be measured by knowing the distance an object travels in a certain amount of time.

3. Write the equation for velocity on the board:

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PART III: Parachute Construction 10 minutes

1. Explain to students that they will choose two materials to construct prototypes of parachutes that they will compare.

2. Allow each group to choose the two materials they believe will make the best parachutes (i.e. have the slowest velocity).

3. Ask the students to fill out all questions on their worksheets except for the trial tables.

4. Once the worksheets are filled out, allow students to construct their parachutes

PART IV: Testing and Calculating Velocity 5 minutes

1. An instructor should test each groups parachute in a designated area. 2. Perform three trial drops from a given height while timing the

descent. The height should be the same for each trial. 3. Students should record the test values on their worksheet and use

them to calculate velocity.


1. Have each group share their data and completed parachutes with the class. For each group, write the following information on the board: • Names of the students • Their slowest velocity and what material was used.

2. Ask the class to evaluate the collective data on the board: • Which material was the most effective? • What other factors might have affected the parachutes’ velocity?

(Think about length of string, the cross sectional area of the chute, whether the parachute fell in straight or crooked path, etc.)


1. Build and test a third parachute with a different material. 2. Redesign one of the parachutes with an already tested material to see

how the construction affects velocity.


4-1


Ramp Roller

Mechanical Engineering Overview

Students will design and construct a device rolls far as possible when it is rolled down a ramp. Students should try to create a device that is sturdy so that it stays together, but is minimally hindered by friction. Students will experiment with different designs to discover what design features are effective. Shown below is an example of three-wheel ramp roller:


Students will understand: • How friction slows down

a car. • The difference between

kinetic and potential energy.

Students should be able to: • Construct a sturdy ramp

roller. • Work with their partner.

Evidence of learning found in: • Redesigned ramp rollers

that go farther than the original.

• Mechanical Engineering worksheets.


4-2

Suggested Time

!!!!!!!!!!!!

One 45-60 minute

session

Vocabulary

!!!!!!!!!!!!

Axle

Friction

Gravity

Kinetic Energy

Potential Energy

Wheel

Materials

!!!!!!!!!!!!

For each student:

• Mechanical

Engineering

Worksheet


• LEGO kit - 1 plate

- 6 wheels (3

different types)

- 6 axles

- 12 bushings

- 15 beams

For classroom:

• Ramp (e.g. flattened

cereal box)

• Measuring tape

Background

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The job of a mechanical engineer is to design machines with moving parts. These machines range from air conditioners to wind turbines. However, mechanical engineers are most commonly thought of as designing vessels of transportation: cars, boats, airplanes, etc. They must be familiar with physics concepts to create designs efficient and safe.

Two of the many forces that act on a car are gravity and friction. Gravity

keeps a car on the ground and causes cars to roll down hills without fuel. Friction is the force between the tires and the road. Friction is the reason that cars slow down when the brakes are not applied. Wheels and axles are used to make it easier for the body of the car to roll by lifting the body off the ground and reducing friction. Friction also acts between moving parts on the car – such as the axles rubbing against the body of the car.

http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/785/536622.JPG

A car has energy, even when it’s not moving. For instance, a non-moving car at the top of a hill has all of its energy stored as potential energy. This energy is equal to the kinetic energy, or energy of movement that the car would have at the bottom of the hill after it has rolled down.

http://www.petervaldivia.com/technology/energy/image/potencial-and-kinetic.bmp

Lesson 4

Ramp Roller

Wheel

Axle

Gravity# Friction $


4-3

Preparation

!!!!!!!!!!!!


groups of 2-3. • Set up a cardboard

ramp by taping it to

a desk and to the

floor. • Distribute

worksheets.


Mechanical engineers work in teams to design

fast cars. As of 2007, the

fastest car in the world is

the SSC Ultimate Aero,

which reaches a top

speed of 237 mph and goes from 0-60 mph in

just 2.7 seconds. Imagine

what that kind of

acceleration must feel

like for the driver! The

engineers that work on

cars like this are very

specialized because

every detail needs to be

carefully designed to

contribute to the car’s maximum potential

speed.

PART I: Introduction to Mechanics of Cars 10 minutes

1. Ask the class what they believe the job of a mechanical engineer is. Discuss the broad range of machines and machinery that mechanical engineers design.

2. Present a car as one example of what mechanical engineers build. Explain that the combination of a wheel and an axle allow a car to move. Demonstrate with a LEGO wheel and axle.

3. Discuss the external forces of friction and gravity that act on a car and affect its movement. Talk about how minimizing friction allows a car to go farther. Friction is present between the tires and the ground and between the axle and the body of the car.

4. Introduce potential and kinetic energy. For a car rolling down a hill, all of its energy is potential at the top and is converted to kinetic energy as it rolls down the hill, until it is finally all kinetic energy at the bottom.

PART II: Constructing the Ramp Rollers 20 minutes

1. Tell students that their design challenge is to build a “ramp roller” that will travel as far as possible when released from the top of a ramp. This does not restrict their design to a car. The only requirement is that the ramp roller must have at least three wheels and no more than six.

2. Ask students to answer the first two questions on their worksheet and to design and label their ramp roller.

3. Once an instructor has approved designs, hand students the LEGO kit and allow them to start building.

PART III: Testing the Ramp Rollers 15 minutes

1. Have students place their ramp roller at the top of the ramp and release it. Let it roll without interference until it stops. Measure the distance that it rolls and have students record this value on their worksheet.

2. If time allows, ask students to redesign their ramp roller and write down what they changed on their worksheet. Have students retest their redesigned ramp rollers.


3. Ask each group to briefly discuss their ramp roller. Whose went the furthest? Why? What would change if the ramp were steeper or shallower? Rougher or smoother? How did students redesign their ramp rollers and how did this affect their performance?

Lesson 4 Ramp Roller


4-4


1. Have students weigh their ramp roller and calculate how much potential energy it has at the top of the ramp.

2. Redesign the ramp rollers to see whose can travel the shortest distance.


Potential Models for a Ramp Roller:

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/three-wheel- http://www.antiquehelper.com/auctionimages/ car1.jpg 37870t.jpg

Note: Some students’ ramp

rollers will not travel in a straight line. Measure only the distance traveled in the same direction as the ramp; don’t count any sideways travel as part of the total distance traveled.

Lesson 4 Ramp Roller


5-1


Insulators and Conductors

Electrical Engineering Overview Students will explore the qualities of insulating and conductive materials. Students will hypothesize which materials are insulators and which are conductors. Students will construct a simple circuit using two batteries, wire, and an LED bulb. Students will test their hypotheses on the insulating properties of materials by inserting these materials into their circuits and testing whether or not the LED lights up. Shown below is an example of an insulator (the marker) and a conductor (scissors – which are metal):


Students will understand: • The components of an

electric circuit. • Properties and examples of

conductive materials • Properties and examples of

insulating materials.

Students should be able to: • Make hypotheses based on

physical properties. • Construct a complete

circuit.

Evidence of learning found in: • Circuits successfully

completed by a conductor (i.e. LED lights up).

• Class discussion about insulating and conductive properties.


5 - 2

Suggested Time

!!!!!!!!!!!!

One 45-60 minute

session

Vocabulary

!!!!!!!!!!!!

Conductor

Diode

Electric Circuit

Insulator

LED

Resistor

Voltage Source

Materials !!!!!!!!!!!!

For each student:

• Electrical

Engineering

Worksheet


• 2 D-Batteries

• 2 ft wire

• 1 3-Volt LED bulb

• Scissors

• Tape

• Assortment of Insulators and

Conductors (See

Worksheet)

For classroom:

• Sample circuit (2 D-batteries and a 3V

LED)

Background

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Electrical engineers are concerned with the design and application of electrical systems. These range from the very large (power supply systems) to the very small (microprocessors in computers). All electrical systems, whether simple or complex, are composed of circuits that follow the same basic rules.

An electric circuit is a closed loop that has, at the very least, a pathway between a voltage source and a resistor. A battery is a common voltage

source: it provides the work necessary to run electricity through a circuit. A simple circuit is shown below:

http://images.encarta.msn.com/xrefmedia/aencmed/targets/illus/ilt/000688e2.gif

A light bulb is a type of resistor that controls the flow of electricity through a circuit. An LED is a small, energy-efficient light bulb that is also a diode. In a diode, electricity can only flow in one direction, therefore, even if an LED appears to be correctly wired in a circuit, the bulb may not light up. To fix this, flip the LED’s connections.

The properties of a material that makes up a resistor affects how much resistance it provides. An insulator resists the flow of electricity, some even prevent the flow of electricity. Common insulators include glass, porcelain, and rubber. A conductor transmits electricity very well. The most common conductors are metallic, such as gold and copper.

Lesson 5

Insulators and Conductors


5-3

Preparation !!!!!!!!!!!!


groups of 2-3. • Assemble a simple

circuit with 2 D-

batteries and a 3-Volt LED with a gap

for inserting an

insulator/conductor.

What if my circuit

doesn’t work?

Don’t worry! Here are

some steps to help you

troubleshoot your

circuit:

1. Check to make sure that each component

is securely attached.

For example,

looping the wire

several times around

the LED terminal

helps to secure the connection.

2. Try switching the

wires on the LED

terminals.

3. Make sure that no

wires are touching

each other.

4. Check that one

battery’s positive

end is connected to

the other battery’s negative end.

5.

Instructions

PART I: Introduction to Electrical Circuits 10 minutes

1. Ask students if they know what the job of an electrical engineer is. 2. Tell students that electrical engineers design electrical circuits in

devices and give examples: GPS, electric power generation, household appliances, lighting in buildings.

3. Set up a sample circuit by connecting the components with wire and securing it with tape as shown below:

4. Explain to the class how a circuit works. Discuss the voltage source (battery), resistor (LED), and pathway (wire).

5. Explain how some materials slow down the flow of electricity, whereas others speed up the and are called insulators and conductors, respectively.

6. Ask the class for some examples of insulators and conductors. Complete the circuit with a conductor and show how the LED lights up. Change out the conductor for an insulator and show how the LED no longer lights up.

PART II: Circuit Construction 20 minutes

1. Tell students that they will construct a circuit in order to test whether various materials are insulators or conductors.

2. Distribute worksheets and ask students to consult with their groups and make a hypothesis as to how the materials will act in a circuit.

3. Once students have marked their guesses, distribute building materials and have students construct a circuit, following the model used in the demonstration.

PART III: Testing Materials 15 minutes

1. Have students test each object by connecting it to the gap in their circuit and record the results. If the LED lights up, the object is a conductor; if not, the object is an insulator.

Lesson 5 Insulators and Conductors


5 - 4


As hybrid electric cars become more popular,

electrical engineers are

playing a more

prominent role in the

automobile industry.

Combining electric

circuits with traditional fuel engines allows

hybrid cars to reach fuel

efficiencies of up to 50

miles per gallon!

Lesson 5 Insulators and Conductors


1. As a class, go down the list of objects and discuss your findings. What qualities did the conductors have in common? The insulators?


1. Find more objects to test in the circuit. 2. Discuss current and voltage. How are they measured in a series

circuit versus a parallel circuit? 3. Discuss what is happening at an atomic level that differentiates

insulators from conductors.


Examples of conductors and insulators:

Conductors Insulators


5-4


M&M Chromatography

Chemical Engineering

Overview Students will observe the makeup of various food dyes by performing a chromatography experiment on M&Ms. Chromatography is a method of separating dyes by taking advantage of the different rates of absorption of different chemicals. If they want, students can then compare these dyes to the dyes in other consumer products, such as Skittles or Gatorade.


Students will understand: • How to perform

chromatography. • The difference between

the mobile and the stationary phase.

Students should be able to: • Make hypotheses about

color separation based on common knowledge.

• Create a chromatogram.

Evidence of learning found in: • Chemical Engineering

worksheets • Chromatograms that show

differential migration. • Class discussion of error.


6-2

Suggested Time !!!!!!!!!!!!

One 45-60 minute session

Vocabulary !!!!!!!!!!!!

Capillary Action

Chromatography

Mobile Phase

Stationary Phase

Materials !!!!!!!!!!!!

For each student:

• Chemical

Engineering

Worksheet


• 4” x 4” coffee filter

paper cut into a square.

• 6” x 6” piece of

aluminum foil

• 6 differently colored

M&Ms

• Small cup of clean

water (for extracting

dye)

• 6 toothpicks

• 1 pie tin

• Ruler

• Pencil

For classroom:

• 1% Salt Solution (enough for 1 cup

per group)

Background

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The job of a chemical engineer is to use chemicals and chemical reactions to create products that improve quality of life. Some products that chemical engineers develop include plastics, explosives, fragrances and flavors, and fertilizers.

The chemicals that engineers work with must often be in a very pure form. One way to purify a chemical is to separate it from a mixture using a method called chromatography, which uses porous material to separate a solution into its chemical components by their absorbancies.

In liquid chromatography, chemicals are placed in small quantities on along the bottom of a porous paper, which is dipped in a solvent. Capillary action caused by surface tension in the solvent allows the solvent to travel up the paper. As the solvent moves up the paper, is in the mobile phase, while the paper is in the stationary phase. The chemicals in solution move to the stationary phase as they are deposted on the paper. Separation of the chemicals occurs because the smallest or most polar components travel the farthest up the paper and the largest or most non-polar components travel the shortest distance up the paper.

Instructions

PART I: Introduction to Chemical Engineering 10 minutes

1. Lead a class discussion about the possible products a chemical engineer designs. Chemical engineering, while similar to pure chemistry, often has more practical and large-scale applications whereas chemists more often focus on reactions at the atomic level.

2. Explain what chromatography is and how chemical engineers use it to separate components of a substance: • Chromatography allows engineers to either purify substances for

further use or to compare the contents of two or more substances. • Explain what capillary action is. • Discuss how capillary action is used in chromatography to move

chemicals through porous material. • Talk about why in chromatography you use a salt solution to

perform chromatography because it helps with capillary action. • Explain that small particles travel farther through porous

materials than large particles.

Lesson 6

M&M Chromatography


6-3

Preparation !!!!!!!!!!!!


groups of 2-3. • Cut a 6” x 6” piece

of aluminum foil

and a 4” x 4” piece of coffee filter for

each group. • Mix the salt solution

(1/8 tsp salt per 3 c.

water) • Distribute

worksheets.

Tips for a Successful

Chromatogram:

6. Only touch the edges of the paper so

that oils and dirt

from hands don’t

contaminate the

paths for the dye.

7. Hold the paper

steady; do not let the

dye sample dip into

the water. Students

can switch off

holding the paper so

that one student does not have to hold the

paper for the entire 5

minutes.

8. Place white paper

under the finished

product to see the

colors more clearly.

3. Draw a sketch on the board of how to set-up of a chromatography experiment (shown below):

4. Explain that the bottom % inch is dipped in a 1% salt solution that allows capillary action to disperse the substances up the paper.

5. Discuss how you place the samples on the baseline and then measure how far up the paper they eventually move.

PART II: Chromatography Preparation 15 minutes

1. Tell students that they will be performing a chromatography experiment on the dyes that color M&Ms.

2. Have students answer the pre-lab questions on their worksheet. 3. Pass out materials for the chromatography lab. 4. Have students prepare their chromatography paper:

• Have students measure " inch up from the bottom of the coffee filter paper on both sides and draw a horizontal line with pencil between the two points.

• Draw six evenly spaced dots on which to place the samples, leaving about " inch on each side from the edge of the paper.

• Designate which color will be on each dot by writing an “R’ for red, an “O” for orange, etc, beneath the dots.

5. Have students prepare the dyes by using the corner of the ruler to place six pea-sized drops of water on the aluminum foil. Make sure they are far enough apart so that they do not run together. Place a different colored M&M in each dot for one minute, then remove and eat or throw away. Prepared dye puddles are shown below:

Lesson 6 M&M Chromatography

" inch for water

Chemical

Samples

Base Line

1 2 3 4 5 6


6-4

6. Tell students to use a different tooth pick to pick up a small amount of each dye from the foil.

7. Have students place each color dye on the corresponding dot on the prepared filter paper. Tell students to keep the dots small so that the colors don’t run together.

8. Let the paper dry for ~2-3 minutes. Repeat steps 6 and 7 two more times so that there is an adequate amount of dye on each dot.

PART III: Chromatography 20 minutes

1. Pour approximately one cup of salt water into each group’s pie tin. 2. Once the dyes on the chromatography papers are reasonably dry,

have students submerge the bottom % inch of the paper into the salt water solution in the tin. Tell students not to let the dye touch the salt water. Tell student to hold the paper here for about five minutes - try to only touch the edges of the paper.

Capillary action pulls dyes up the paper when placed in salt water

3. Once the water line is ~1 inch below the top of the paper, remove the paper and lay it on a clean, flat surface to dry.

4. As the paper dries, have the students answer the post-lab questions on their worksheet. If students are having difficulty seeing their chromatogram, wait 5-10 minutes. The colors will become more pronounced as the paper dries.


1. Discuss as a class what happened with each color: • Which color traveled the farthest and the least distance? • Is there a color that appeared in multiple dyes? • What potential errors may have occurred that could affect results? • How would you change this experiment to produce more accurate

results?


There are types of

chromatography other

than the liquid chromatography

performed in this

activity. Gas

chromatography moves

helium through a column

of adsorbent material in

order to analyze

chemical samples. It is

commonly used in

airports to detect illegal

substances, and in

forensics to compare hair or skin cell samples

found on victims.



6-5


1. Try this experiment with markers, skittles, or food dye (see photo below).

2. How does salt water affect the rate at which the solvent travels up the filter paper? Because like attracts like, a polar solvent, like water, is able to move up the polar filter paper. Adding salt further increases the polarity of water, allowing it to travel even more quickly. Try adding more salt to the solvent and see how long it takes for it to travel up the filter paper. Try using other solvents, such as pure water or rubbing alcohol.


A chromatogram of magic markers compared to an M&M chromatogram:



A-1

Unit 1 !

Glossary

Lesson 1

Dead Load - A constant load on a structure (e.g. a bridge) due to the weight of the supported structure itself. Live Load – A variable load on a structure (e.g. a bridge) such as moving traffic. Surface Area – The measure of how much exposed area a solid object has, expressed in square units.

Lesson 2

Light Sensor – A device that measures the amount of light in front of it (e.g. how much light passes through a sample obscured by a certain amount of particles or dirt).

http://www.active-robots.com/products/mindstorms4schools/lego-spares/legosensor-500.jpg

Slow Sand Filter – A water purification system that does not require chemicals or electricity. Typically 1 to 2 meters deep, they contain sand and gravel to slowly filter the water using gravity. Turbidity – The cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by individual particles (suspended solids) that are generally invisible to the naked eye.

Water Quality – The physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water; a set of standards that define the level of purity.

Lesson 3

Drag – The phenomenon of resistance to motion through a fluid, such as water or air.

Gravity – The force of attraction between all objects in the universe, commonly thought of as the force that pulls objects towards the earth’s surface.

Surface Area – (see Lesson 1)

Velocity – speed: distance travelled per unit time.


A - 2

Lesson 4

Axle – A central shaft on which a wheel rotates.

Friction – A force that resists motion whenever the surfaces of two objects rub against each other.

Gravity – (see Lesson 3)

Kinetic Energy – The energy possessed by an object because of its motion.

Potential Energy – The energy stored in an object due to its position.

Wheel – A simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle.

Lesson 5

Conductor – A material which contains movable electric charges; it facilitates the flow of electricity.

Diode – An electronic device that allows current to flow in one direction only.

Electric Circuit – An electrical device that provides a path for electrical current to flow: contains at the bare minimum a voltage source and a resistor.

Insulator – A material, such as glass or porcelain, which resists the flow of electric current.

LED – Light-emitting diode: a small diode bulb that only supports a small voltage.

Resistor – An electrical device that resists the flow of electrical current.

Voltage Source – A device or system that produces an electric force, such as a battery.

Lesson 6

Capillary Action – The process by which liquid pulls itself against the force of gravity, thanks to the attraction between molecules. Chromatography – A method of separating a mixture of compounds by the use of a porous material. The compounds may separate based on size or polarity or both.

Mobile Phase – The liquid or gas that flows through a chromatography system (e.g. salt water). Stationary Phase – The solid phase of a chromatography system on which the materials to be separated are selectively adsorbed (e.g. filter paper).


A - 3

Unit 1

!

!

!

!

!

!

Worksheets


A - 4

Lesson 1 Worksheet: Civil Engineering

Name: _________________________ Give a few examples of structures that civil engineers design: Discuss the design for your bridge and draw it below:

How many water bottles did your bridge hold? __________________ What were the weak points in your bridge that caused it to fail? Draw how you will redesign your bridge to make it stronger in the box below:

If you rebuilt your bridge, How many water bottles did your bridge hold this time?


A - 5

Lesson 2 Worksheet: Environmental Engineering

Name: _________________________ Name the three areas of the environment where contamination can be found: Draw your filter design below and label the materials in the box below: What is your turbidity reading for your water filter? _________________


A - 6

Lesson 3 Worksheet: Aeronautical Engineering

Name: _________________________ Draw and label the forces acting on the parachute:

Which material do you think will make the best chute?

Directions

1. For each trial record the amount of time it took for your parachute to fall. 2. Divide the distance by the time to find the velocity (speed) that your parachute fell.

Chute Material: _______________________

Trial

Distance

Time

Velocity

1

2

3 Chute Material: _______________________

Trial

Distance Time Velocity

1

2

3 Will a good parachute take a long time to fall or a short time?

Circle one: More time Less time Will a good parachute have a fast or slow velocity?

Circle one: Faster velocity Slower velocity


A - 7

Lesson 4 Worksheet: Mechanical Engineering

Name: _________________________ Where does the ramp roller have the most potential energy? Where does the ramp roller have the most kinetic energy? Draw the design of your ramp roller below. Label the pieces you plan to use: How far did your ramp roller travel? ___________________ How far did your ramp roller travel? ___________ How did you redesign your ramp roller? How far did your ramp roller travel the second time? ____________


A - 8

Lesson 5 Worksheet: Electrical Engineering !

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Introduction to Design

Lesson 6 Worksheet: Chemical Engineering

Name: _________________________

Pre-Lab Questions Which phase is the salt water in? (circle one): Mobile Stationary Which phase is the filter paper in? (circle one): Mobile Stationary

Which color do you predict will travel farthest up the paper? Which colors do you predict will separate into many colors?

Post-Lab Questions Which color traveled the farthest? Which color separated into the greatest number of colors? What were they?


10

Unit 2 Introduction to Design


11

Unit 2

!

Table of Contents

Curriculum Outline---------------------------------------!----.iii!

!

Activity 1!! Engineering Drawings------------------.---------------------010!

!

Activity 2!! Materials Testing------------------------------------------..2-1!

!

Activity 3!! Egg Drop---------------------------------------------..--.3-1!

!

Activity 4!! Paper Towers---------------------------------------------4-1!

!

Activity 5!! Engineering and Conservation---------.------------------------5-1!

!

Activity 6!! Spoon Catapults----------------------------------------.!--..610!

!

Glossary-----------------------------------------------.! -..--J10!!

Appendix ! Engineering Design Process---------!--.-----------------------.K10!

!

Worksheets-------------------------------.-----------------..L10!

STOMP Curriculum Outline


12

Unit 2: Introduction to Design These activities are intended for use in a STOMP 5th grade classroom, but can be modified at the instructor’s discretion for grades 3 – 7. They are based on the idea of student-driven design, as this is a common idea to all engineering. As students work through the activities, they will develop both their design and their building skills as the challenges become more difficult. Central to these activities is the concept of the Engineering Design Process, which is an iterative design process that encourages creativity, teamwork, and improving designs.

Activity 1

Engineering Drawings

Students will learn about multiview and 3D drawings, create guided 3D and multiview drawings, and then create their own 3D drawing.

Featured Engineering Skill(s): Communicating design ideas. Real World Connection: Engineers and architects use multiview and 3D drawings to communicate their design ideas. These drawings must be very detailed so that other people work on a project know exactly what the engineer was thinking when he or she created the design. Sometimes these drawings are done by hand, but more often they are drawn with CAD (Computer Aided Design), which uses computers to create very accurate 3D images. Extension(s): Measure the object and add the dimensions to your drawing. Create a multiview drawing of a new object.

Activity 2 Materials Testing

Students will research materials and what material factors influence an engineer’s decision to choose a certain one. They will then test these factors on the materials handed out in the classroom to decide which material they might build a bike out of.

Featured Engineering Skill(s): Identifying appropriate materials for a specific a design task

Real World Connection: Engineers must take many factors into consideration when choosing a material for a product. Strength is not the only important factor. Cost, appearance, and durability are three factors that engineers must also consider. One example is choosing materials for a bicycle. Engineers must consider not only how the bike will stand on its own, but how it will support the weight of a person while moving over bumps and jumps. A sturdy and strong material is needed, but the material should also be slightly elastic to absorb shock. The weight of the material should be taken into account so that people can transport their bikes. Extension(s): Give limitations, such as cost or weight, and have students choose the best material. Talk about which material would be best for a different item (i.e. cars, computers, desks). Add a new material to the list.

Activity 3 Egg Drop

Students will build a device to protect an egg that is dropped from the instructor’s shoulder.

Featured Engineering Skill(s): Designing for safety, Engineering design process Real World Connection: Engineers design protective devices, such as helmets. There are many types of helmets, each designed for a specific purpose: bike helmets are light and aerodynamic for


13

speed, construction helmets have hard tops to protect from falling objects, and hockey helmets have face masks to protect players from flying pucks. Engineers must construct and test prototypes of these helmets to be sure that they will protect people before selling them to the pubic. Extension(s): Drop the egg helmet from a greater height. Redesign the egg helmet using fewer materials.

Activity 4 Paper Towers

Students will construct a tower out of paper that will support a weight (e.g. a stack of books).

Featured Engineering Skill(s): Building sturdy structures that can support a load. Real World Connection: Engineers design everything from chairs to bridges to skyscrapers, and it is important that these designs are sturdy and can support loads. A chair must be able to hold a person without collapsing, a bridge must be able to hold a lot of people and their cars, and a skyscraper has to hold people, office equipment, and its own weight, so it is essentially a load on itself! The taller a skyscraper is, the more difficult it is for it to keep itself standing upright. These structures are also designed to respond to the changing environment around them, such as wind, lightning, and earthquakes. Extension(s): Increase the load. Redesign the tower.

Activity 5 Engineering and Conservation

Students will build a house unaware that after the construction of their first house they will be asked to construct a second house with the remaining materials.

Featured Engineering Skill(s): Building with sturdy shapes, Conservation and engineering

Real World Connection: Engineers choose what material(s) and how much of a material they will use for the construction of their design. For example, houses can be made of many different materials (wood, brick, stone, etc). Planet earth only provides us with a limited amount of these materials, and therefore we must be careful about how much we use. For example, construction of a wood house requires that trees are cut down. Trees grow back, but it takes a lot of time. People need hosues to live in, but cutting down as few trees as possible to build these houses will allow forests to regenerate and will prevent the depletion of wood as a resource. Engineers must think about the sustainable use of resources when creating designs so that we do not run out of materials. Extension: Build as many houses as possible with given materials

Activity 6 Spoon Catapult Students will construct a lever from a spoon to launch a cotton ball as far as possible.

Featured Engineering Skill(s): Using levers to do work. Real World Connection: Greeks and Romans used catapults as early as 400 BC, though most of us probably associate catapults with fortified castles in the Middle Ages. They were used to fling heavy objects into cities under siege. Catapults are an example of third class levers. Catapults work by applying a strong force on the short arm of a lever. The long arm covers a greater distance than the short arm in the same amount of time. As a result, a catapult can launch a load from the long arm of the lever farther and faster. Other examples of third class levers include hockey sticks and staplers. Extension: Set up a target and see if students can adjust their catapult’s aim to hit it.


14

!

!


1 - 1

Introduction to Design: Lesson 1


M:&9:/&D! Guided by the teacher, students will create a three-dimensional drawing of a cube and multiview drawings of a simple everyday object. They will then create their own 3D drawings of the same object. They will need to focus on representing the object accurately and with detail so as to best communicate what the object actually looks like.


Students will understand: • The importance of

communicating designs through drawings.

Students should be able to: • Recognize different sides

of an object.

Evidence of learning found in: • Drawings that resemble

the shape.

Multiview (2D) Drawing

Real Object

3D Drawing


1 - 2

Suggested Time

One 60-minute session

Vocabulary

Drawing Template

Front View

Multiview (2D) Drawing

Top (Plan) View

Side View

Three-Dimensional (3D) Drawing

Materials

For each student:

• 4-grid drawing template (See

Appendix)

• 3 different colored

markers

• Ruler


• Object with a simple

shape to draw

For classroom:

• Simple object for

guided multiview (2D) drawing

Preparation

• Collect simple, everyday objects

(one for each pair).

• Practice your own

2D & 3D drawings.

• Distribute drawing

template

Background

A multiview drawing is a 2D representation of a 3D object. It shows the front, side, and top (“plan”) views with parallel lines as if it is being looked at straight on. It can be more descriptive than a 3D drawing.

http://www.tpub.com/blueprintreading/14040_files/image042.jpg

A three-dimensional (3D) drawing uses length, width, and height to create the illusion of depth. The most descriptive 3D drawings show the top, front, and side of an object. This can be accomplished by rotating the object so that the point closest to you is a corner. Draw this corner as the lowest point in your drawing with a vertical line. Make sure that all lines going in the same direction are parallel.

Instructions

PART I: Introduction to 2D and 3D drawings 10 minutes

1. Explain to students what they will be creating multiview drawings of objects found in the classroom.

2. Lead a class discussion on how engineers create drawings to communicate their design ideas.

Lesson 1



1-3

What object to draw?

Of the many objects in a

classroom, most are too

complicated for students

just learning to draw in

three dimensions.

Contoured or very

detailed objects are

difficult to draw, so try

selecting simpler ones with basic shapes. If

you’re worried about the

selections your students

might make, try

gathering a collection of

appropriate objects

beforehand that they can

choose from. These can

include tissue boxes,

erasers, chalk, a roll of

masking tape, etc.

!!!!!!!!!!!!

Note: Coloring the top,

side, and front view

surfaces of your object

different colors can help

students to distinguish the

different views (see

“Sample Objects and

Drawings”).

!!!!!!!!!!!!

3. Have students think of objects that an engineer would draw and who would use the drawing to create a final product (architectural drawings to build houses, toy/furniture assembly instructions, etc).

4. Choose a simple object in the classroom and use it to create a sample multiview (2D) and 3D

drawing on the blackboard. Alternatively, you may copy a drawing that you prepared to the blackboard:

• Carry the object around the classroom for students to examine.

• Show students what parts of the object are visible if you look a one side straight on. Show the top, side and front views.

• Draw each view out on the board for the students to see. • Show students how to create a 3D drawing of your object.

PART II: Guided 2D Multiview Drawing 10 minutes

1. Chose a new object to draw.

2. Starting with the side view of the shape, display this surface to the class and draw the outline of this side on the board.

3. Show that lines or circles are added where there are edges or holes in the object.

4. Have the students copy this drawing into the box labeled “side view”.

A:6?!B:?C!

5. Rotate the shape to display the front view and ask the students to first draw the outline of the surface themselves in the box labeled “front view”.

6. Have the students fill in the correct lines in their outlines.

7. Repeat steps 2 – 6 for the top view, and front view.

PART III: Guided 3D Cube Drawing 10 minutes

1. Next, introduce students to 3D drawing. Draw a cube on the board have students follow along in the box labeled “cube” on their drawing template.

2. As a class, draw a vertical line of equal length from the bottom corner using a straight edge (e.g. ruler). From there, follow the diagrams on the next page:

Lesson 1 Engineering Drawings


1-4

http://www.ider.herts.ac.uk/school/courseware/graphics/drawing_box_in_isometric.html

PART IV: Independent Drawing 20 minutes

1. Ask each student pair to choose an object to draw.

2. Have each student create their own 2D multiview drawings and then a 3D drawing of the object on their worksheets.

3. For the 2D drawing, remind students to look at the object straight on the view that they are trying to draw.

4. For the 3D drawing, remind students to draw parallel sides with parallel lines, and to position the object so that they are looking down at it – staring their drawing by drawing the bottom corner at the bottom of their drawing sheet.

5. Have the students color in the three different surfaces of their drawing with different colors.

6. Have partners should compare drawings once both are complete. Have them compare parts of their drawing to the physical object.


1. Let students who want to share their drawings. 2. Ask the class what they found difficult about this activity. 3. Emphasize that accuracy and detail are important in communicating

design ideas, and that drawing is an easy way to explain your idea.

!!!!!!!!!!!!

Note: Students’ drawing

abilities will vary greatly. If

a student is really

struggling, it is ok to help

them draw a few structural

lines to get them started.

!!!!!!!!!!!


All manufactured goods first have to be

envisioned and designed

by someone. Everything

from the shoes on your

feet to the chair you’re

sitting in to the car you

rode in this morning was first represented in a

technical drawing. These

can be fairly simple, or

very complex. Think

about the detail

necessary to create

a drawing of a

spaceship! Look

around the classroom

and think about how

everyday objects like

your desk or stapler first had to be carefully drawn

and dimensioned in order

to be manufactured.


2 1

4 3


A - 5



1. Measure the dimensions of the object and label the sides on the drawings.

2. Create a multiview (2D) or 3D drawing of a new object.


Real Object:

3D Drawing:

2D Multiview Drawing:


Do It Yourself!

This simple shape was created with a

cardboard box, a few

rolls of tape, and some

construction paper. The

blue represents the side

view, the yellow the

front view, and the red the plan view.


1-4

Material Testing

Overview Students will learn about different materials that bikes are made of. They will learn about the factors, such as weight, looks, cost, strength, etc, that influence an engineer’s decision to choose a certain material. Students will evaluate the bike materials based on a chart of information about them, and will then proceed to conduct their own research of materials handed out in the classroom. Students should think about the purpose of a bike and what kind of properties they would want their own bike to have.

http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/oap/images/atlas%20bike.gif


Students will understand: • Why researching materials is

important. • Important factors to consider

for choosing an appropriate material.

Students should be able to: • Evaluate various properties

of materials. • Determine and justify which

material is best to use for bike construction.

Evidence of learning found in: • Evaluation of material

properties. • Justification for which

material is the best.


1-4

Suggested Time


Vocabulary

(see glossary)

Elasticity

Friction

Load

Strength

Trade-off

Materials

For each student: • “Materials Testing”

worksheet (See

Appendix)


• Hot Glue Stick

• Popsicle Stick

• Plastic Spoon

• Wire (e.g. pipe

cleaner)

• Metal Rod (e.g.

thin nail)

• “Real Bike

Materials”

worksheet (See

Appendix)

Preparation

• Arrange students in pairs.

• Distribute

worksheets and

materials

Background

Engineers must consider many factors when choosing a material for their designs. Engineers must create strong, durable designs. Strength

quantifies an object’s ability to resist an applied force, whether that be the force of the object itself or an external force (the load).

Engineers must also consider friction, the force of resistance between two objects, in their designs. For example, on a bike, friction plays a role in tire design. Road bikes have thin, smooth tires to reduce friction for faster movement versus mountain bikes, which have wide, rough tread to increase friction in order to reduce falls when going over bumpy trails.

Finally, the engineer must consider the usability of their product. For a bike, engineers want to reduce the amount of shock the rider feels as he/she goes over bumps and jumps. Elasticity - the amount a material can be bent and come back to its original shape - helps reduce the shock felt by the rider. However, a material that is too elastic will not support a load.

Instructions

PART I: Introduction to Material Selection 10 minutes

1. Explain that part of an engineers job as the designer of a product is to choose the material that product will be made out of.

2. Using bicycles as an example, talk about the factors that engineers must keep in mind when choosing a material: • Discuss the different kinds of loads, or applied weights, a bike

might experience. • Talk about friction on tires and when you might want more

friction (mountain bikes) and when you might not (road bikes). • Talk about elasticity in relation to strength and how elasticity is

important so that a bike frame can give as it rides over bumps. Explain that too much elasticity can cause a bike frame to lose its shape.

• Brainstorm other factors that influence an engineer’s choice of materials. E.g. cost, looks, availability, durability, etc.

PART II: Discussion of Real Bike Materials 10 minutes

1. As a class go over the “Real Bike Materials” sheet and evaluate the pros and cons of aluminum, carbon, steel, and titanium.

Lesson 2

Materials Testing


1-4

What do students think

about elasticity?

Though students probably have an

intuitive sense of what

elasticity is, they most

likely have not heard it

used in a classroom

before. Help them think

of objects that are elastic,

like dodge balls or

rubber bands. In this activity the wire, though

bendy, is not elastic

because it does not return

to its original shape.


Every object has a purpose, and the material

that the object is made

out of must be chosen

with that purpose in

mind. If not, you could

end up with some

ineffective products, like

paper roller blades or a

spaghetti house. In

addition to choosing the

right basic material, engineers enhance many

materials to make them

more safe or durable. For

example, most clothing

is enhanced with flame-

retardant, and outdoor

furniture is often covered

with resin to help protect

from the weather.

2. Introduce the idea of a trade-off: One material may have some very desirable qualities, but it sacrifices others. For example, steel is the strongest material, but it is also very heavy.

3. Discuss which factors are most important in designing a bike and which materials the student would choose to build their bike.

PART III: Materials Research and Evaluation 15 minutes

1. Tell students that their challenge is to research materials and determine which to use to build a bike frame.

2. Pass out the “Materials Testing” worksheet and explain each category and the rating system to the class. The relative cost of materials has already been filled out.

3. Have the students discuss the materials in pairs while filling out their own worksheets.

4. Have each student decide which material he/she would choose for his/her own bike.


1. Lead a class discussion about each material. Hold each material up as you talk about it for the students to see in order to better remind them of its properties.

2. Discuss the pros and cons of all the materials: • Which material did the best overall? • What were some of the trade-offs? • What are some other factors we could have considered?


1. Give limitations, such as cost or weight. 2. Talk about which material would be best for a different item. 3. Add a new material to the list.

Lesson 2 Materials Testing


1-4

Lesson 2 Materials Testing


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N+&&%!NI'H&,!


1-4


Egg Drop

Overview Students will design and build a structure to protect and egg that is dropped from shoulder height. Students will be given a set of materials and asked to draw out their design. Students should consider the purpose of their structure when designing. This lesson includes an introduction to the entire engineering design process as a process that students can use to accomplish this design task.


Students will understand: • The steps of the engineering

design process. • What a prototype is.

Students should be able to: • Design their structure on

paper before constructing it. • Construct a protective

device.

Evidence of learning found in: • Worksheets • Structures that protect eggs

from breaking. • Attempts to redesign original

structures.

Suggested Time


Vocabulary

Background

The Engineering Design Process is an 8-step guideline that engineers follow to ensure that their product is designed efficiently and effectively. Engineers often have to repeat the process until they come up with a

Lesson 3

Egg Drop


1-4


Wonder how a real engineer thinks about

designing a helmet?

Most functional helmets

are comprised of a foam-

like liner and a shell. The

liner serves to absorb the

shock of the impact and

the shell prevents any foreign object from

penetrating the helmet.

Based on the activity,

some helmets have

additional protective

measures: a football

helmet has a caged front

for head-on collisions

and motorcycle helmet

has a visor for wind.

3. As a class, brainstorm other ideas of products that engineers design where safety is a concern (cars, toasters, dams, etc).

4. Present the students’ challenge of creating a “helmet” for an egg that will be dropped from shoulder height:

5. Show students the materials that will be available to them.

PART II: Using the Engineering Design Process 5 minutes

1. Introduce and briefly explain the eight steps of the EDP. Recall the previous two lessons and talk about what parts of the EDP were highlighted in them (Drawings – Step 3 Develop Possible Solutions, Materials – Step 2 Research the Need or Problem).

2. Highlight how the EDP will be followed in the lesson, especially the following steps:

• Step 5 – Construct a prototype: Student will build a egg helmet. • Step 6 – Test and Evaluate Solution(s): Students will perform a drop

test. • Step 8 – Redesign: Students will improve on their original design.

3. Explain the definition of a prototype – students constructions will be a prototype of a helmet.

4. Tell students that they will perform a drop test from the height of the instructors shoulder to evaluate their design.

5. The students will be able to take apart their helmet and redesign to improve on their design.

PART III: Building the Egg Helmet 20 minutes

1. Arrange students into pairs. Distribute kits and worksheets. 2. Have students discuss their design ideas with their partner and draw a

design of their helmet on their worksheets. 3. When an instructor has approved of a group’s design, allow students

to begin building. 4. Encourage groups to share ideas with each other.

PART V: Testing the Egg Helmet 15 minutes

5. Designate an area of the classroom for testing. You may want to lay down a trash bag or a plastic sheet to keep the floor clean.

6. As students complete their egg helmets, have them bring their prototype to the testing area and perform the test.

7. If a group’s egg breaks, give students another hard-boiled egg and allow them to redesign on a piece of paper, rebuild, and retest.

8. If a groups egg does not break, drop it from higher and higher until it does, then have students redesign and retest at that new height. You may also challenge the group to redesign their helmet using fewer materials.

PART VI: Discussion and Observation 10 minutes

Lesson 3 Egg Drop


1-4


What Questions Might

Students Ask During

This Lesson?

• Why won’t my partner let me build

anything? Some

students are more

prone to taking a

leadership role than

others. This can

manifest itself

through one student

completely

controlling the

project. Try letting

one student add one

material, then

passing it to the next

student to add the

next material.

• Isn’t it cheating to

ask another group

for ideas? No! In

some instances it

is ok to ask your

classmate for help

or answers.

Engineering is all

about teamwork and

collaboration. If you

are stuck, it is much

better to brainstorm

with your classmate

or a teacher than to

sit by yourself

feeling stumped.

• Can I use a different

material? While

creativity is

encouraged, limit

students to the

materials in the kits.

Engineers always

have constraints on

projects, and

material choice and

availability is one of

those constraints.

1. As students finish their retest, have them fill out the remainder of their worksheets.

2. Have each group to give a brief presentation on their egg helmet. • What happened on your first test? • How did you redesign? • What happened on the retest? • What materials did you use, how did you use them, and why?

3. Ask students how they used the Engineering Design Process in the designing of their egg helmets.


1. Drop the egg helmet from a greater height. 2. Restrict materials available to build the egg helmet by assigning costs

to each one (e.g. 1 cotton ball = $0.10). Set a budget for the materials that the egg helmet is not allowed to exceed.

3. Design the egg helmet to be as light as possible.


Lesson 3 Egg Drop


1-4

Paper Towers

Overview Students will construct towers to hold up a load (a stack of books) out of paper and other materials. Students will follow the steps of the engineering design process to completed this task. Students should consider using sturdy structures to construct their towers. Successful towers will most likely include, solid bases, the use of sturdy shapes, and the consideration of where the load is placed. The tower must be able to stand on its own before holding a weight.


Students will understand: • How to build a sturdy

structure. • How structures support a

load. • Compression and tension.

Students should be able to: • Use sturdy shapes in their

design.

Evidence of learning found in: • Towers that stand on their

own and can support a load. • Class discussion on sturdy

towers.

Suggested Time


Vocabulary

(see glossary)

Background

In this lesson students will learn about the previously mentioned “sturdy” structure in more depth. Qualities that make a structure sturdy include arches and triangles. A solid base is also necessary. Students will have to think about how to place their sturdy elements so that their

Lesson 4

Paper Towers


1-4

4. Introduce arches as another sturdy shape. Explain how arches distribute a load across the bridge. Either pass around pictures of arches (see Sample Pictures) or draw them on the board.

5. Explain the difference between compression and tension. 6. Show students a flat piece of paper and how it bends under

compression, but stays strong under tension. Ask students if they can think of a way to make the paper strong under compression. Help students come up with the idea of rolling up the paper into a tube.

7. Tell students that they will be designing and building a paper tower. • Show students the materials that they will be allowed to use. • Show the students the load that their towers will have to support. • Tell students the height requirement of their sky scraper

(suggested: between 4 – 12 inches)

PART II: Using the Engineering Design Process 10 minutes

1. Recall last week’s lesson and how students used the Engineering Design Process (EDP) to create an egg helmet.

2. Restate all steps of the EDP and draw a diagram on the board. 3. Emphasize the steps that will be used in this lesson:

• Step 3 – Develop Possible Solutions: Students will draw out their design on their worksheets before they begin building.

• Step 5 – Construct a Prototype: The paper tower that the students will build is their prototype.

• Step 6 – Test and Evaluate Solutions: Students will test their tower by placing a stack of books on it. They will then think about how to make it better or what caused it to fail.

PART III: Tower Building and Testing 25 minutes

1. Arrange students into pairs and distribute worksheets. 2. Have students plain their designs on their worksheets. 3. When an instructor has approved a group’s design, give students the

materials and allow them to construct their paper tower. 4. Test the towers by carefully stacking book on top of the towers. 5. Have students watch carefully to see which parts of their tower start

to buckle first to identify where their structure is weakest. 6. You may test all the towers at once in the front of the classroom so

that students can see the differences in design. 7. Have students fill out the remainder of their worksheet as they finish.

!!!!!!!!!!!!

Using the Engineering

Design Process

Researching a

Need/Problem is an

important step in the

Engineering Design

Process. Make sure students

have a clear picture of their

design with labeled

materials before they start

building.

!!!!!!!!!!!!


The Sears Tower, located in Chicago, is the tallest

skyscraper in the United

States. To withstand the

mighty winds of the

Windy City, the Sears

Tower has the right combination of rigidity

to keep it upright and

flexibility to make sure it

doesn’t snap like a stick.

Lesson 4 Paper Towers


1-4


Lesson 4 Paper Towers

What do Some

Students Think About

Sturdy Building?

• Stacking rectangles directly on top of

each other is the

sturdiest way to

build. Actually,

allowing rectangles

to overlap creates a

much sturdier

structure. Also, as

demonstrated with

the LEGO shapes,

triangles are an

even sturdier

structure. They can

support a greater

load and don’t

deform as easily.

• Leaving no empty space is the best

way to build a

tower. Leaving no

empty space may

create a sturdy

structure, but you

will run out of

materials before

your tower is tall

enough. Even if you

had infinite

materials, a

completely solid

tower will be very

heavy and won’t be

able to be as tall as

a tower with gaps.


1. After all towers have been tested, have students throw away/recycle all used materials

2. Have each group present and discuss their tower: • Which materials were the strongest? • Which sturdy shapes/structures did they use in their tower? • How did they build for the compression of the weight on the

tower? • What part of their tower gave way first?


1. Redesign and rebuild towers with a new set of materials. 2. Build the tower using fewer materials. 3. Build a sturdy tower out of LEGOs

Sample Projects and Photos Arches help bear the weight of this heavy, stone cathedral wall:

http://www.visitdunkeld.com/Tours%202001%20Album%201/images/

Dunkeld%20Cathedral%20Arches_jpg.jpg

A bridge over the Colorado River uses triangles to strengthen its structure:

http://psleow.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_archive.html


1-4

Engineering and Conservation

M:&9:/&D! Students will be asked to build a house. They should keep in mind the rules of sturdy building learned in the previous lesson. Students will not be aware that after the first house they will be asked to build a second house using the materials that they have left over. It should be much more difficult for the students to build the second house. This should lead to a discussion on resource use and engineering while being aware of conservation.

http://www.cityofmelrose.org/Interns%2007/Recycle.jpg


Students will understand: • The difference between

renewable and non-renewable resources.

• The need for conservation of resources

Students should be able to: • Use sturdy shapes in the

construction of their house. • Brainstorm how they can

personally conserve resources.

Evidence of learning found in: • Activity worksheets. • Sturdy houses that meet the

requirements. • Class discussion about

conservation.


1-4

Suggested Time


Vocabulary

(see glossary)

Conservation

Natural Resource

Non-Renewable

Renewable

Sustainable

Materials

For each student: • Engineer’s Journal


• 20 popsicle sticks

• 10 pipe cleaners

• 1 ft of tape

• 2 note cards

• 1 pair of scissors

• 1 LEGO person

Note: Other combinations

of building materials are

acceptable as well.

Preparation


pairs. • Distribute

worksheets and

materials

Background

In this lesson students will focus on constructing prototypes for a house and will, in the process, learn that they do not have to use all of the materials given to them. Sturdiness is a concept that should be reinforced while building. Students should attempt to incorporate triangles, arches, and sturdy bases into their structures.

Conservation of materials is a new concept that students will become aware of when asked to build their second house. Instead of unnecessarily using all materials on one large structure, students will learn that the careful management of materials allows them to build multiple structures.

Unprocessed materials that have value to humans are called natural

resources. We use natural resources to build our homes, fuel our cars, and grow our food. There are two types of natural resources: renewable and non-renewable. Non-renewable resources are ones that take millions of years to form, and therefore cannot be replenished at the rate that they are being consumed. These include oil, coal, and natural gas. Renewable resources, such as fresh water, timber, and food, are ones that can be replenished as fast as humans consume them. However, renewable resources must be managed sustainably so that we do not run out of them as well.

Instructions

PART I: Introduction to Activity 20 minutes

1. Recall sturdy shapes from the last lesson (triangles and arches) and how a sturdy base helps to keep a structure upright.

2. Discuss what made the students’ towers sturdy and what designs were not sturdy.

3. Distributing a kit to each student pair, tell students that they will be asked to build a house with the materials they have been given.

4. Each house must have at least two walls, a roof, and be large enough for a LEGO person to fit inside.

5. Ask each student to draw a design of their house in their Engineer’s Journal. Once the teacher has approved a groups’ design, have students start building.

6. As groups finish their houses, put them on display in front of the class and highlight the sturdy elements of each house.

Lesson 5

Engineering and Conservation


1-4

Note: Some groups may not

have enough materials to

build a second house. Allow

these groups to combine

their resources with another

group.


Oil is a non-renewable

natural resource that is used primarily for

gasoline, but is also used

to produce everyday

objects such as shoes,

plastic bottles, and toys.

Oil is being rapidly

depleted. In fact, experts

have estimated that it

will become too

expensive to produce oil

before the end of the

century. This means that we need to start looking

to alternative, more

sustainable forms of

energy and resources to

replace oil in the near

future. In the meantime,

we can try to conserve

our remaining oil by

driving less and drinking

from reusable water

bottles.

Part II: Surprise House Building 20 minutes

1. Keeping the finished houses on display in front of the classroom, return a LEGO person to each group.

2. Ask the students to build a second house that meets the previously mentioned requirements with their remaining materials.

3. If students still have plenty of materials left after building the second house, have them build a third house. Students should keep building until they are no longer able to build a house that meets the requirements.

4. When students finish building, have them fill out the remainder of their worksheets

PART III: Discussion and Observation 20 minutes

1. Have each group present both of their houses. Ask the students: • What sturdy structures did you use in your houses? • Did you run encounter problems with the limited materials?

2. Introduce the idea of conservation and relate it to this activity. If the students had conserved more of their resources, they would have been able to make more houses.

3. Explain that the requirements could be met using very few materials. The house did not need to be large or fancy, just big enough to house the LEGO person.

4. Ask students How many houses could they have built if they had better conserved their resources?

5. Related this to the real world: • What are a lot of resources that humans use? • Could we run out of these?

6. Compare the materials in the kits to natural resources: • Natural resources come from the environment around us. • Differentiate between non-renewable and renewable resources

as materials that can be regrown or regenerated and those that can’t

• Brainstorm examples of renewable and non-renewable resources. 7. Brainstorm with the class how they can conserve resources in their

day-to-day lives. This can include taking shorter showers, biking or walking instead of driving, and recycling.


1. Build as many houses that meet the requirements as possible with the given materials.

Lesson 5 Engineering and Conservation

5-3


1-4


The picture at left shows a sample house built from all of the materials (wooden dowels, rubber bands, tape, note cards) given to a student:

There is more than enough room to house this small LEGO man. The picture below shows three houses that were built from the exact same set of materials as the house above:

Lesson 5 Engineering and Conservation


1-4


!

NI''*!Catapults!!

Overview Students will design and construct a catapult to launch a cotton ball as far as possible using a plastic spoon and other material. A catapult is an example of a lever, which is a considered a simple machine. While constructing the frame for their catapult, students will need to recall elements of sturdy building so that the frame can withstand the force of the catapult as it moves. Students will learn about the three parts of a lever that can make a catapult more or less efficient at doing work.

http://acs.chem.ku.edu/carnival2000/Activities/spectrapult.asp


Students will understand: • The parts of a lever (fulcrum,

effort, load). • How the three parts of a lever

function in a catapult.

Students should be able to: • Build a sturdy frame for their

catapult. • Complete a catapult that can

launch a cotton ball.

Evidence of learning found in: • Activity worksheets. • Working catapults. • Discussion about how to

make catapults more efficient.


1-4

Suggested Time


Vocabulary

Catapult

Effort

Fulcrum

Lever

Load

Third-Class Lever

Materials

!!!!!!!!!!!! For each student:

• Engineer’s Journal


• 1 plastic spoon

• 4 rubber bands

• 20 interlocking

wooden craft sticks

(See Sample

Picture)and tape

OR

• LEGO kit (10 1x12

beams, 6 1x10 beams, 6 1x8 beams,

2 12-stud axles, 8

friction pins, 4

extended pins, 6

bushings)

For the classroom:

• Sample photo(s) of

spoon catapults and

levers.

Background

In this lesson students will construct a catapult using a plastic spoon. A catapult is a type of lever, or simple machine that allows a bar to freely pivot about a fixed point when a force is applied. The fixed point is called a fulcrum and the applied force is called the effort. The advantage of the lever is that it can use a relatively small effort to move a larger load. Specifically, a catapult is a third-class lever because the effort is applied between the fulcrum and the load.

Instructions

Part I: Introduction to Levers and Catapults 15 minutes

1. Tell the class that a lever is a simple machine, or a basic tool that helps us do work more easily.

2. Draw a picture of a third-class lever on the board. Tell the students that this is a third-class lever: • The fulcrum is the fixed position about which the bar, or lever,

rotates when an effort is applied. • Staplers, tweezers, and brooms are examples of third-class levers. • For a stapler, the connected end is the fulcrum and the hand

pressing down on it is the effort used to staple the paper, or load. 3. Ask the class if they are familiar catapults as a weapon from the

Middle Ages. 4. Tell students that they will be creating a catapult from a plastic

spoon. Pass around a picture of a spoon catapult and discuss how it acts as a third-class lever (see Sample Photo). • The rubber band provides the effort. • The fulcrum is where the end of the spoon is attached. • The load is whatever is being launched from the catapult.

PART II: Introduction to LEGO pieces (if necessary)

1. Hold up beams, pins, axles, and bushings for the class to see.

Lesson 6

Spoon Catapults

6-2


1-4

Preparation

!!!!!!!!!!!!


pairs.

• Print out pictures of

sample spoon

catapults.

• Distribute worksheets and

materials

Note: Feel free to use

LEGOs, craft sticks, or

whatever materials are

available for the

construction of the

catapult frame. If using

LEGOs, some students

may have a lot of prior

experience while others

may have none. Try to

create groups so that each

one has at least one strong

builder.


Catapults were first

invented in the Middle

Ages to fling heavy objects into cities under

siege. They were used

before the invention of

canons or guns because

they are a simple

machine, and were

therefore simple to

create. After the catapult

came the invention of the

trebuchet, which could

fire with more accuracy.

You might recognize catapults and trebuchets

from the movie The Lord

of the Rings: The Return

of the King.

2. Show students how the LEGO pieces can be connected on top of each other by pressing them together or side-by-side using friction pins.

3. Show how an axle inserted through a beam allows it to rotate and how the bean can be held in place by bushings.

4. Pass around a sample picture of a LEGO catapult and point out the locations of the fulcrum, effort (rubber band), and load (cotton ball).

PART III: Building and Testing the Catapult

1. Display the sample spoon catapult picture(s) in front of class. Remind students that this is only an example and that they are encouraged to create their own designs.

2. Split students into their groups and have them plain their designs on their worksheets.

3. When a group’s design has been approved, distribute materials and have students to build their catapults.

4. Designate one area for testing with a large area in front for measuring how far the cotton ball travels.

5. Have students test their designs one at a time in the test area. Allow students to hold their catapults down as they shot the ball.

6. Allow students to redesign and retest their catapults. Suggest that they adjust the length of their lever arm or the position of their rubber band.

PART IV: Discussion and Observation

1. When all groups have finished testing collect all cotton balls and catapults. Place them in front of the classroom.

2. Have each group present their catapult. • What made their structure sturdy and what parts were less sturdy? • Which position of their lever arm made their cotton ball go the

farthest? • Did their catapult always shoot in a straight line, or was its aim

inconsistent? 3. Discuss any observations students had on their catapults

• Observe how the effort and the load move in the same direction. • Discuss the movement of the cotton ball. How far did it go? What

was it’s trajectory? • Discuss lever arm creates a more affects the shot.


1. Set up a target and see if the students can adjust their catapult’s aim to hit it.

Lesson 6 Spoon Catapults


1-4


An example of a LEGO frame spoon catapult:

The arm of the catapult is extended by attaching the spoon to a longer LEGO beam. The arm rotates around the axle secured with bushings at the bottom of the frame. Note that this is only an example. Other materials may be used for the frame, such as in the sample picture at the beginning of this lesson.

Lesson 6 Spoon Catapults

Fulcrum

Load

Effort


1-4

Unit 2 !

Glossary

Lesson 1

Drawing Template – A standard sheet formatted for a particular kind of drawing. Front View – A two-dimensional perspective showing just the face of an object. Multiview Drawing - A 2D representation of a 3D object. It shows the front, side, and top (“plan”) views with parallel lines as if it is being looked at straight on.

http://www.technologystudent.com/designpro/ortho1.htm

Top (Plan) View – A 2D perspective showing just the top of an object. Side View – A 2D perspective showing just the side of an object. Three-Dimensional (3D) Drawing – A lifelike representation of an object that uses length, width, and height to create the illusion of depth. Here is a 3D image of the object represented by the above multiview drawing:

http://www.technologystudent.com/designpro/ortho1.htm

Lesson 2


1-4

Elasticity - The tendency of a body to return to its original shape after it has been stretched or compressed. A body is not elastic if it either does not bend or if, when it does bend, it does not

return to its original shape.

Friction - The resistance encountered when one body is moved in contact with another.

Load – A weight imposed on an object. Strength – A material’s ability to resist an applied force (i.e. doesn’t break). Trade-off – A situation that involves losing one quality of something in return for gaining another quality.

Lesson 3

Drop Test – A test of the sturdiness of a structure, where the structure is dropped from the teacher’s shoulder height. Engineering Design Process – An iterative 8-step process used by engineers to develop a product. It emphasizes testing prototypes and redesigning.

Prototype – A part of engineering design that allows the engineer to test a product or part of a product on a smaller scale or using cheaper materials before the final product is manufactured. Redesign – To make alterations to an original design in order to improve upon it. Teamwork – A cooperative or coordinated effort put forth by a group of people in the interest of a common goal.

Lesson 4

Arch – A curved shape in a vertical plane that spans an opening and supports a weight.


1-4

Compression - A force related to adding a load on two sides of an object.

Load – The weight supported by a structure or part. Sturdy – Firmly built or constructed. Elements that make a structure sturdy include a solid base and the use of triangles. Resistant to some loading and other external forces. Tension – A force related to the stretching of an object.

Triangle – A three-sided polygon. A triangle is the strongest shape because it cannot be deformed without changing the length of one of its sides or breaking one of its joints.

Lesson 5

Conservation – The careful utilization of a natural resource in order to prevent depletion. Natural Resource – Any source of wealth that occurs naturally, especially minerals, fossil fuels, timber, etc. Non-Renewable Resource – A natural resource that cannot be produced, re-grown, regenerated, or reused on a scale which can sustain its consumption rate. This includes coal, petroleum, oil, and natural gas.

Renewable Resource – A natural resource that is replaced by natural processes at a rate comparable or faster than its rate of consumption by humans. This includes fresh water, plants, and wood if managed sustainably. Sustainable – Remaining diverse and productive over time.

Lesson 6

Catapult – A non-handheld mechanical devices used to throw a projectile a great distance without the aid of an explosive substance.

Effort – The force applied to a machine. Fulcrum – The fixed point about which a lever turns. Lever – A simple machine where a bar is free to pivot about a fixed point when a force is applied. Load – The weight or object being acted on by the lever; the result of the effort. Third-Class Lever – A lever where the effort is applied between the fulcrum and the load.


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Step 7 Communicate the

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Step 8 Redesign

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Lesson 1 Worksheet: Engineering Drawings

Name:____________________________________ Drawing Template:

Front View

Side View


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Name: Date:

Drawing Template:

Plain View 3D View

Front View

Side View


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Name: Date:

Lesson 2 Worksheet: Material Testing

Name:____________________________________

REAL BIKE MATERIALS: Circle the material that you would most likely use to build a bike:

Looks Weight Cost Elasticity Strength Availability

Aluminum Must Paint

Pretty Light

$$$ Bends a lot Not as strong

Most plentiful material

Carbon Snazzy Very Light $$$$ Good shock absorption,

not too bendy

Can take lots of stress

Very popular

Steel Must Paint

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$$ Stiff Strongest Used for 50

years

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Titanium Very

Snazzy Ultra Light

$$$$$ Bends a lot Good Hard to work with, not very

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MATERIALS TESTING: Rate the materials on a scale of one to ten for each test: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

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compressed. Even if a body is bendy, it is not elastic unless it returns to its original shape after you bend it.!

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What material would you choose for your bike?______________________ Why?!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Lesson 3 Worksheet: Egg Drop! Name:__________________________________ !

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What was the result of your first test?

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Draw your redesign ideas below (label important features):

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What did you change from your first design?

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What was the result of your redesign test?

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Describe how your design will protect your egg from a drop:

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How much did your tower hold?__________________________________ Where did the structure break first?

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Lesson 5 Worksheet: Engineering and Conservation Name:______________________ Draw out a design for your house. Label the important features:


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Describe any important design features:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Did you have any difficulties with this activity?

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Lesson 6 Worksheet: Spoon Catapults Name:__________________________ Draw the design for your catapult. Label the effort, load, and fulcrum:

Catapult Testing:

Trial # Distance of Shot Redesign Ideas


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Trial 1

Trail 2

Trial 3

Trial 4

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