http://teachers.egfi-k12.org Blog about the growing role of engineering in K-12 education. Sat, 20 Apr 2013 00:45:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/earth-day-resources/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/earth-day-resources/#comments Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:44:01 +0000 Mary Lord http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=28886 Kids love exploring the world around them, and Earth Day offers a great way to introduce them to environmental science and engineering. The following sampler includes activities, lessons, and resources that promote green engineering and science learning.]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/earth-day-resources/feed/ 0 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/environmental-education-week-2013/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/environmental-education-week-2013/#comments Tue, 16 Apr 2013 22:09:21 +0000 Mary Lord http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=33604 As mobile devices become increasingly embedded in daily life, they can enhance children's experience of nature. This year’s National Environmental Education Week, which falls on April 14-20, 2013, reflects that idea in its theme – Greening STEM: Taking Technology Outdoors.]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/environmental-education-week-2013/feed/ 0 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/math-awareness-month/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/math-awareness-month/#comments Tue, 16 Apr 2013 20:53:02 +0000 Mary Lord http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=33615 Sustainability is the theme of this year's Mathematics Awareness Month. Teachers will find plenty of activities, contests, and other free educational resources that link math with environmental applications, including the Energy Challenge, which teaches students the mathematics of their school's energy use and then has them develop and implement an action plan to reduce energy consumption.]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/math-awareness-month/feed/ 0 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/plagiarism-education-week/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/plagiarism-education-week/#comments Tue, 16 Apr 2013 19:54:42 +0000 Mary Lord http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=33591 Launched to help educators help their students understand that originality matters, Plagiarism Education Week offers free webinars with tips for teachers, new resources for students on conducting better online research and proper citations, and a student poster contest.]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/plagiarism-education-week/feed/ 0 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/what-a-dump/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/what-a-dump/#comments Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:35:17 +0000 Mary Lord http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=33550 In this activity, teams of students in grades 5 to 7 learn about environmental, civil, and sanitation engineering by designing and building model landfills that hold the most garbage, minimize costs, and prevent trash and contaminated "rainwater" from polluting the nearby "city." Teams test their landfills, and graph and compare designs for capacity, cost, and performance. ]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/what-a-dump/feed/ 0 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/edible-green-screen/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/edible-green-screen/#comments Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:15:25 +0000 Mary Lord http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=33548 Have you ever thought about those bare, exterior walls of your home or school? If so, you would be current with one of the hottest trends in civil and environmental engineering: Redesigning buildings to take full advantage of solar energy, like this "edible green screen" created by students at the University of Washington's College of Built Environments. The idea behind green walls, or vertical gardens, can be traced back to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. In Babylon, plants were said to have been cultivated at a height above ground level. In modern times, the idea of similar gardens has become a way to bring more greenery to cityscapes while also making urban areas more environmentally friendly. ]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/edible-green-screen/feed/ 0 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/next-gen-science-standards/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/next-gen-science-standards/#comments Sat, 13 Apr 2013 00:03:48 +0000 Mary Lord http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=33536 Three years, two drafts, and many comments later, the much-anticipated final set of Next Generation Science Standards was released on April 9. They emphasize cross-cutting concepts and "storylines" such as energy or Earth's systems over specific content, and include engineering design and practices. If adopted by states, many of which helped develop the common standards, the NGSS could mark a sea change in the way science is taught across disciplines and grades. ]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/next-gen-science-standards/feed/ 0 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/environmental-photo-contest/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/environmental-photo-contest/#comments Thu, 11 Apr 2013 20:12:34 +0000 Mary Lord http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=33528 Upload inspiring photos that show how you and your school are engaging students in environmental education by May 31 and maybe win a prize in the 2013 National Environmental Education Week Photo Contest. ]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/environmental-photo-contest/feed/ 0 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/national-robotics-week-2013/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/national-robotics-week-2013/#comments Fri, 22 Mar 2013 02:56:35 +0000 Mary Lord http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=33464 From regional FIRST Robotics competitions to a day of special events at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., the country will mark National Robotics Week April 6 - 14 with a host of engaging, hands-on activities. Find activities in your area.]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/national-robotics-week-2013/feed/ 0 http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/corrosion-exhibit/ http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/corrosion-exhibit/#comments Fri, 22 Mar 2013 02:29:33 +0000 Mary Lord http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/?p=33455 Rust is a big problem for bridges, ships, and other metal structures. It's also a fascinating challenge for engineers and scientists, as middle and high school visitors to "Corrosion: The Silent Menace," a new exhibit at the Orlando Science Center in Florida, will discover.]]> http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/corrosion-exhibit/feed/ 0