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Oil Spill Solutions
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how engineers use various techniques to provide speedy solutions to oil spills or other threats to natural water resources. Through this lesson, students 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.
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Ages 8-18
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Popsicle Bridge
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how bridges are engineered to withstand weight, while being durable, and in some cases aesthetically pleasing. Students work in teams to design and build their own bridge out of up to 200 popsicle sticks and glue. Bridges must have a span of at least 14 inches and be able to hold a five pound weight (younger students) or a twenty pound weight (older students). Students are encouraged to be frugal, and use the fewest number of popsicle sticks while still achieving their goals. Students then evaluate the effectiveness of their own bridge designs and those of other teams, and present their findings to the class.
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Ages 8-18
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Exploring at the Nanoscale
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how nanotechnology has impacted our society and how engineers have learned to explore the world at the nanoscale. Students participate in hands-on activities to understand exactly how small the nanoscale is, explore how surface area changes at the nano scale, and work in teams to develop futuristic applications of nanotechnology.
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Ages 8-14
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Irrigation Ideas
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how through the centuries man has had the need to move water from one place to another. Engineered irrigation has proved critical throughout the world. Through this lesson, students work in teams to design and build a system to move water from one source to two different delivery areas. The challenge is to move two cups of water for at least three feet and distribute it evenly in two separate containers. They work with everyday items, develop a plan, build their "irrigation" system, and test their system. Students then evaluate the effectiveness of their own irrigation systems and those of other teams, and present their findings to the class.
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Ages 8-18
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Making Sense of Sensors
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how sensors are used in many applications to gather information about our environment. This lesson focuses on the hygrometer, a sensor used to measure humidity. Through this lesson, students work in teams to design and build a hygrometer out of everyday items to measure humidity levels. The student hygrometers are not meant to be exact, but are expected to indicate a change. Students select from everyday items to build their hygrometer, test their machine using a spray bottle to increase humidity, evaluate the effectiveness of their system and those of other teams, and present their findings to the class.
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Ages 8-18
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Working with Watermills
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how watermills generate power. Student teams design and build a working watermill out of everyday products and test their design in a basin. Student watermills must be able to sustain three minutes of rotation. As an extension activity, older students may design a gear system that is powered by the watermill. Students then evaluate the effectiveness of their watermill and those of other teams, and present their findings to the class.
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Ages 8-18
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Find it with GPS!
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on exploring how the development of global positioning systems has revolutionized both defense and consumer product engineering. Students work in teams to understand the technology behind GPS, explore current applications, and brainstorm new applications for global use of GPS. They use both a simple GPS handheld device and online resources to understand the functioning and potential of this engineering technology.
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Ages 8-18
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Measuring the Wind
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how anemometers are engineered to measure the speed of wind, and how designs have changed over time. Student teams design and build a working anemometer out of everyday products and learn about how anemometers are used for feasibility tests on locations considering alternative energy from wind turbines. Student anemometers must be able to sustain the wind generated by a fan or hairdryer at varying speed and students must develop a way to measure and chart rotations at different wind speeds. Students evaluate the effectiveness of their anemometer and those of other teams, and present their findings to the class.
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Ages 8-18
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Nano Waterproofing
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how nanotechnology has impacted the design and engineering of many everyday items, from paint to fabrics. Students learn about the hydrophobic effect and how similar properties can be introduced by reengineering products at the nano level. Students work in teams to develop a waterproof material and compare their results with nano waterproof materials developed recently by engineers and scientists.
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Ages 8-18
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Rubber Band Racers
Lesson Focus: The focus of this lesson is on rubber band powered car design. Teams of students construct rubber band powered cars from everyday materials. Students must design their cars to travel in a straight line for a distance of at least 3 meters within a 1 meter wide track.
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Ages 8-18
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TryEngineering offers a variety of lesson plans that align with education standards to allow teachers and students to apply engineering principles in the classroom.
