http://teachers.egfi-k12.org Blog about the growing role of engineering in K-12 education. Sat, 31 Jul 2010 05:04:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/ballast-systems-in-submarines/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/ballast-systems-in-submarines/#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 10:00:19 +0000 ASEE http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=20530 This lesson helps students understand how a submarine controls its buoyancy through the use of ballasts. Students construct a model ballast system, and then learn to control its vent valves to make it submerge and surface.]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/ballast-systems-in-submarines/feed/ 1 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/lesson-egg-drop/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/lesson-egg-drop/#comments Mon, 05 Jul 2010 12:00:36 +0000 ASEE http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=19551 The egg drop is a fun and dramatic way to get students involved in engineering design. After a discussion of safety features, students experiment packaging an egg to produce a design that will allow it to fall from a considerable height without cracking.]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/lesson-egg-drop/feed/ 1 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/lesson-sand-and-water/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/lesson-sand-and-water/#comments Mon, 21 Jun 2010 10:00:03 +0000 ASEE http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=18960 If you're fortunate enough to live near a beach or sandy banks or dunes, this sand-castle construction lesson from the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve will both instruct and entertain, helping your students understand the cohesive force of water tension and the adhesive force of capillary action.]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/lesson-sand-and-water/feed/ 1 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/pollution-and-lung-health/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/pollution-and-lung-health/#comments Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:00:04 +0000 ASEE http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=17904 In this lesson from the California Academy of Sciences, students study the effects of pollution upon human health and consider how we can protect ourselves from the effects of carginogens. They build a lung model to learn how their lungs and diaphragm work to make them breathe. The lesson features a demonstration on how incomplete combustion of fossil fuels releases particles into the air that can harm humans.]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/pollution-and-lung-health/feed/ 0 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/lesson-the-works/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/lesson-the-works/#comments Mon, 07 Jun 2010 10:00:17 +0000 ASEE http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=17908 This simple lesson from The Works Museum in Minnesota consists of two activities that introduce elementary school students to the engineering design process. Students first work through a chart detailing the steps of the design process and then use the steps to consider ways to solve one of three problems: rescuing a trapped kitten, devising a way to water plants while on vacation, and rigging up a remote light switch.]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/lesson-the-works/feed/ 0 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/life-after-trash/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/life-after-trash/#comments Mon, 24 May 2010 12:00:57 +0000 ASEE http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=17481 Student teams use the engineering design process to create a useful product of their choice out of recyclable items and "trash." The class is given a "landfill" of reusable items and allowed a limited amount of bonding materials. The activity addresses the importance of reuse and encourages students to look at ways they can reuse items they would normally throw away. Students are further prompted to consider the problems with growing landfills, and efforts by engineers and others to reduce pollution, emissions, and trash production.]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/life-after-trash/feed/ 0 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/lesson-plan-oil-spill-solutions/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/lesson-plan-oil-spill-solutions/#comments Mon, 10 May 2010 10:00:20 +0000 ASEE http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=16013 In this lesson, students in grades 3-12 work in teams to analyze an "oil spill" in the classroom, then design, build, and test a system to first contain, and then remove the oil from the water. Students select from everyday items to build their oil containment and clean-up systems, evaluate the effectiveness of their solution and those of other teams, and present their findings to the class.]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/lesson-plan-oil-spill-solutions/feed/ 0 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/lesson-sound-wave-reflections/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/lesson-sound-wave-reflections/#comments Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:00:50 +0000 ASEE http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=14849 In this activity, students determine the path traveled by sound waves as they reflect from room surfaces and the time it takes to travel each path. Assuming the role of acoustic engineers, students gain an overview of sound mechanics that involves rate calculations, working with number systems, and a bit of geometry.]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/lesson-sound-wave-reflections/feed/ 2 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/lesson-package-design/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/lesson-package-design/#comments Mon, 05 Apr 2010 15:41:13 +0000 ASEE http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=14288 Who hasn’t been frustrated by hard-to-open, clumsy containers? Assuming the role of engineers, students learn about the design process and examine the packaging of everyday products. They then analyze a specific product and devise a better design, producing a written report that recommends helpful changes.]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/lesson-package-design/feed/ 0 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/package-those-foods/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/package-those-foods/#comments Sun, 04 Apr 2010 10:00:36 +0000 jxs http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=14621 This activity for grades 6-8 provides students with the opportunity to create a food package for a specific food. The students have three components to focus on in the design of their food package. The package will have to keep the food clean, protect or aid in the physical and chemical changes that can take place in the food, and identify the food appealingly.]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/package-those-foods/feed/ 2