beyond the egg drop - umb.edu
TRANSCRIPT
Beyond The Egg Drop: Infusing engineering design into
physics/science classrooms Arthur Eisenkraft, University of Massachusetts Boston, MA
Shu-Yee Chen Freake, Newton North High School, MA
Julie Mills, Apponequet Regional High School, MA
www.umb.edu/cosmic
Project Overview
Engineering Infusion vs. Engineering Course
Project Infuse
Anchor Activity: The Pasta Cantilever
Goal: To design a pasta cantilever that holds
the most number of pennies the greatest
distance from the table.
Score = distance2 (in cm) x # nickels
Material:
Pasta (x g)
1 m tape
1 m string
1 paper cup
nickels
Constraints: You have 20 mins to complete this challenge
using the materials provided.
Pasta Cantilever Questions to Consider
What kind of the concept are we addressing
here? (physics? Engineering?)
What kind of process are we addressing here?
(Physics? Engineering?)
Why do we do this activity? Have you done
something similar in your classroom?
Wrap-Up Cantilever
We know this was a “design” activity, but was this “engineering”? Why? What
makes this “engineering” and not “trial and error”?
Trial and Error:
● Is focused on just finding a solution, not optimizing the solution
● Does not attempt to discover “why” something works or doesn’t work
● Needs little or no knowledge of subject area to create solution
Engineering Design Infused Lessons aim to avoid a Trial and Error Solution.
Science vs. Engineering in the Cantilever Challenge
Science Engineering
Design
Analysis
Model
System
Scientific and Engineering Practices
1.Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
2.Developing and using models
3.Planning and carrying out investigations
4.Analyzing and interpreting data
5.Using mathematics and computational thinking
6.Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)
7.Engaging in argument from evidence
8.Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Crosscutting Concepts
1.Patterns
2.Cause and effect: Mechanism and explanation
3.Scale, proportion, and quality
4.Systems and system models
5.Energy and matter: Flows, cycles, and conservation
6.Structure and function
7.Stability and change
The Core Concepts: design, analysis, model, system
Design Analysis Model System
Science Classroom:
Inquiry-Based Activities
Example: Watt’s Up Lab in
Electricity Unit
Q: Have you done something like
this in your classroom?
Q: How can we change these
activities to engineering-infusion
that addresses engineering
concepts and skills?
Engineering-Infused Classroom:
Design-Centered Thinking
Example: Watt’s Up Lab -Engineering?
Q: Is engineering design design like the
process of inquiry?
Our strategy for infusing engineering.
Table of Contents of our NSTA book.
Some examples of activities from the
book.
Concept-Focused Engineering Infusion:
Implementation
Shorter Activities vs. Longer Projects
Emphasis on Engineering Concepts
and Skills while applying/learning
relevant science concepts
Engineering Infusion--No Materials Needed
Paper Projects and Case Studies Enter a Room Project
Challenge: Design a light system that turns on
when a person enters a room
Materials: Large sheets of paper
Engineering Concepts: Brainstorming, Design,
Analysis, Synthesis of ideas, Optimization of
solutions
Physics Concepts: Circuits, circuit design, type of
circuits, circuit schematics,
Engineering Infusion--Short Activities (1-2 days in
class)
Speaker Project
Challenge: Build a working speaker from recycled
materials/household objects
Materials: rare-earth magnets, speaker wire, straws,
various household items/recycled materials, amplifier with
sound input
Engineering Concepts: design, iteration, optimization,
analysis, systems
Physics Concepts: electromagnetism, sound waves
Engineering Infusion-Short Activities (1-2 days)
Pendulum Project
Challenge: Create a pendulum that keeps the
beat to a song
Materials: Device to play song, string, weights,
stands to hold pendulum, stopwatches
Engineering Concepts: analysis, optimization
Physics Concepts: SHM, frequency and period
Engineering Infusion--Short Activities (1-2 day) Bungee Bear Activity
Challenge: To design a bungee cord, static
and elastic cords together, that will meet the
determined success criteria (% stretch and
max acceleration)
Materials: rubber bands, string, large
dropping distance, weights
Engineering Concepts: Mathematical
modeling, optimization, analysis, design
Physics Concepts: transfer of energy
Engineering Infusion--Longer Projects (3+ days)
Thermos Design Project
Challenge: Create a device that keeps cold water cold
over a period of time and one that allows cold water to
heat up the most over a period of time
Materials: various household items, thermometers,
timers
Engineering Concepts: iteration, analysis, design,
optimization
Physics Concepts: Heat, temperature, heat transfer
Engineering Infusion--Longer Projects (3+ days)
Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse
Challenge: Design a flashlight that
could be used to escape zombies
during the zombie apocalypse
Materials: bulb, battery, wires,
assorted materials
Engineering Concepts: design,
analysis, model, systems
Physics Concepts: circuits, Ohm’s
Laws, series and parallel
Engineering Infusion--Longer Projects (3+ days)
Build a Guitar
Challenge: To design and build a
working guitar out of recycled materials
Materials: Recycled materials, strings
Engineering Concepts: design, systems,
iteration, optimization
Physics Concepts: waves, sound,
resonance, standing waves, frequency
Concept-Focused Engineering Infusion:
Assessments
Engineering notebook and
alternatives
What if someone completely
failed during the
challenge/project?
Summarizing report /panel
presentation
Why Is Engineering-Infusion A Good Model?
Save time from student schedule from taking another engineering course
Total time model - infusing engineering. Do we lose physics time? What do we
gain? Does the engineering add relevance? Why is engineering now a part
of NGSS?
Acknowledgement: www.umb.edu/cosmic
Project Infuse Physics Leadership Teams, Teachers
Cohort 1 & 2
Project Infuse PI’s: Dr. Rodney Custer, Dr. Jenny
Daugherty, and Dr. Julie Ross
The National Science Foundation