The Beat Goes On
Posted on February 14th, 2019 by Mary Lord
Students in grades 3 to 5 learn about their heart rate and different ways it can be measured by constructing and using a simple device to measure their heart rate under different circumstances, such as sitting, standing, and jumping. They make predictions and record data on a worksheet.
Filed under: Class Activities, Grades K-5, Lesson Plans | Comments Off on The Beat Goes On
Tags: Biomedical Engineering, Class Activities, Grades K-5, Health, heart, Lesson Plan, NGSS aligned, pulse, stethoscope, teachengineering
In this activity, teams of students in grades 6 to 8 will learn about the engineering design process and how a one-way valve works by creating heart valves from tape, plastic tubing, and other materials. 
The Trustey Family STEM Teaching Fellows program at Notre Dame University provides top-tier professional development and continual feedback to teachers in grades 5 to 8 over the course of two years. The program, which covers travel, meals, and lodging for three summer institutes on campus and two winter summits, includes a $6,000 stipend. Apply by Feb. 28, 2019.
Science research competitions can spur confidence and open college doors, but many students – particularly those from underrepresented groups – don’t know about these opportunities. The Society for Science & the Public seeks to broaden participation through its Advocate Grant Program, which offers training, a $3,000 stipend, and paid trip to Washington, D.C., for individuals to help three to five underserved students navigate the transition from conducting to presenting their research at a competition. Apply by March 5, 2019. 
In this NGSS-aligned activity, high school students work as biomedical engineers to find liquid solutions that can clear away polyvinyl acetate polymer “blood clots” in model arteries made of clear, flexible tubing. Teams create samples of the “blood clot” polymer to discover the concentration of the model clot and then test a variety of liquids to determine which most effectively breaks it down. Students learn the importance of the testing phase in the engineering design process, because they are only given one chance to present the team’s solution and apply it to the model blood clot.
A major new consensus study from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, underscores the vital role of teachers in creating the hands-on, multidisciplinary STEM education for every student envisioned by the Next Generation Science Standards. The report also calls for more creation and sharing of free educational materials so teachers no longer have to spend hours each week searching for curriculum.
Spatial visualization – the ability to imagine objects from different angles – is a key STEM problem-solving skill that varies widely by gender, race, and cultural background. Yet it’s rarely taught. The University of Colorado-Boulder’s College of Engineering developed an inexpensive training program that closed STEM performance gaps so well it’s required of all incoming engineering students. The curriculum is now available for free online so any school can advance STEM equity. 
Middle school students address misconceptions and learn about thermal energy transfer while investigating the insulating properties of various materials. They then follow the engineering design process to create, test, and redesign a structure (igloo) to keep an ice cube (penguin) from melting. 
Middle and high school students learn about the importance of the polar regions by connecting with scientists and the data generated by their cutting-edge research on penguins and ocean environments.
