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Sugar Crystal Challenge
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on surface area and how the shape of sugar crystals may differ as they are grown from sugars of different grades of coarseness. Students explore surface area, nanostructures, and work in teams and participate in hands-on activities.
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Ages 8-14
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Shake it up with Seismographs!
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on exploring how the development of seismographs has helped save lives around the world. Students work in teams to design their own seismograph out of everyday items, and test its ability to record a simulated classroom earthquake. Students evaluate their own seismographs, those of classmate teams, and present findings to the class.
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Ages 8-18
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Working with Wind Energy
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how wind energy can be generated on both a large and small scale. Student teams design and build a working windmill out of everyday products and learn about anemometer and site testing. Student windmills must be able to sustain the wind generated by a fan or hairdryer at medium speed at 2 feet and rotate, lifting a small object upward. Students evaluate the effectiveness of their windmill and those of other teams, and present their findings to the class.
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Ages 8-18
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A Century of Plastics
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how plastics of all sorts have been engineered in to everyday products over the past century, with emphasis on materials selection and engineering.
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Ages 8-18
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Adaptive Device Design
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on the engineering of adaptive or assistive devices, such as prosthetic devices, wheelchairs, eyeglasses, grab bars, hearing aids, lifts, or braces.
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Ages 8-18
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Design and Build a Better Candy Bag
Lesson Focus: Demonstrate how product design differences can affect the success of a final product -- in this case a bag for holding candy. Students work in pairs to evaluate, design, and build a better candy bag.
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Ages 8-18
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Build Your Own Robot Arm
Lesson Focus: Develop a robot arm using common materials. Students will explore design, construction, teamwork, and materials selection and use.
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Ages 8-18
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Clipper Creations
Lesson Focus: Develop a working model of a nail clipper.
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Ages 8-18
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Cracking the Code
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how computerized barcodes have improved efficiency in product distribution; explores the barcoding process and engineering design.
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Ages 8-18
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Critical Load
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on issues civil engineers face, including critical load and how to reinforce the design of a structure to hold more weight.
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Ages 8-14
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EEEEK- A Mouse!
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on computer and mechanical engineering and explores how computer mice operate and how engineering provided an interface between man and machine.
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Ages 8-18
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Electric Switches
Lesson Focus: Demonstrate how electric circuits can be controlled with a simple switch. Note: This lesson plan is designed for classroom use only, with supervision by a teacher familiar with electrical and electronic concepts.
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Ages 8-11
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Electric Messages: Then and Now
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on exploring electric message systems, from light signals using International Morse Code to text messaging. Students construct a simple telegraph using a battery, wires, a switch, and bulb, and explore the impact of communications on society.
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Ages 8-14
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Flashlights and Batteries
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on the concept of electron flow through the demonstration of electrical circuits in a flashlight, and how batteries operate.
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Ages 8-11
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Getting Your Bearings
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on the concept of friction and the use of ball bearings to reduce friction.
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Ages 8-18
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Give Me a Brake
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on brakes, force, and friction, using bicycle rim brakes to demonstrate basic braking mechanisms to stop, slow, or prevent motion.
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Ages 8-18
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Heart of the Matter
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on the engineering and operation of artificial heart valves, and the interface between man and machine.
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Ages 8-18
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Here Comes the Sun
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on solar panel design, and its application in the standard calculator. It explores how both solar panels and calculators operate and explores simple circuits using solar power.
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Ages 8-18
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Insulators and Conductors
Lesson Focus: Demonstrating the concept of conducting or insulating electricity. Note: This lesson plan is designed for classroom use only, with supervision by a teacher familiar with electrical and electronic concepts.
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Ages 8-11
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Pulleys and Force
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on the concept of force and the use of pulleys to reduce required force.
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Ages 8-11
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Series and Parallel Circuits
Lesson Focus: Demonstrate and discuss simple circuits and the differences between parallel and serial circuit design and functions. Note: This lesson plan is designed for classroom use only, with supervision by a teacher familiar with electrical and electronic concepts.
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Ages 8-14
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Simple Machines
Lesson Focus: Simple machines: their principles and uses.
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Ages 8-11
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Two Button Buzzer Circuit
Lesson Focus: Demonstrate how two switches interact in an electrical circuit such as that used to sound a buzzer. Note: This lesson plan is designed for classroom use only, with supervision by a teacher familiar with electrical and electronic concepts.
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Ages 8-14
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Give Binary a Try!
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how binary codes function and binary applications for computer engineers. The lesson offers students an activity to learn to download software and read online binary clock, and advanced students an opportunity to build one from a kit.
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Ages 8-18
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Sticky Engineering Challenge
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how engineers work to solve problems and impact daily life through new and improved products. As engineers do, teams of students select adhesive options to help them meet a construction goal.
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Ages 8-18
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Build a Big Wheel
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on the engineering behind big wheels (sometimes called Ferris wheels). Teams of students explore the engineering behind the "London Eye," explore the history of big wheels, and construct a working wheel model using pasta, glue, and teabags.
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Ages 8-18
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Hand Biometrics Technology
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on engineering applications of biometric technologies for identification or security applications. After exploring hand geometry biometrics, students work in teams of "engineers" to evaluate pros and cons of incorporating a hand recognition biometric technology into a new security system for a museum.
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Ages 8-18
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Infrared Investigations
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how infrared technology is used by engineers creating equipment and system for a variety of industries. Teams of students explore the application of infrared in remote controls, test materials that encourage or prevent infrared transmission, and develop systems that allow transmission of infrared in restricted environments.
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Ages 8-18
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Move That Lighthouse!
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how engineers have to evaluate multiple structural, economic, and environmental factors when moving a building.
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Ages 8-18
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Pipeline Challenge
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how engineers develop pipeline systems to transport oil, water, gas, and other materials over very long distances. Students work in teams of "engineers" to develop a pipeline system to transport both a golf ball and ping pong ball across the classroom terrain.
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Ages 8-18
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Sail Away
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on watercraft engineering and sailing. Students work in teams to design a sailboat out of everyday objects that can catch a breeze from a fan, stay afloat with a set load, and sail four feet.
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Ages 8-18
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Ship the Chip
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on engineering package designs that meet the needs of safely shipping a product. Students work in teams of "engineers" to design a package using standard materials that will safely ship a single chip through the mail to the school address.
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Ages 8-18
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Sort it Out!
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on the engineering behind industrial sorting processes. Working as an engineering group, students then work in teams to design and build a system to sort different sized coins for packaging.
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Ages 8-18
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Simple Kitchen Machines
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on simple machines and how they can be found in many everyday items. Students explore the different types of simple machines, how they work, and how they are integrated into many items. Students explore common kitchen machines and identify how many simple machine types are incorporated into each item.
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Ages 8-11
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Engineered Memory
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on the engineering behind storage devices, and engineering improvements over time. Though exploring the operation of the "floppy" disk, students explore the mechanics underlying operation, and then test the disk under a variety of conditions.
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Ages 8-18
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Filtration Investigation
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how filtration systems solve many problems throughout the world such as improving drinking water. Through this lesson, students work in teams to design and build a filtration system to remove dirt from water. Students select from everyday items to build their filter, test the resulting system evaluate the effectiveness of their filters and those of other teams, and present their findings to the class.
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Ages 8-18
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Can You Canoe?
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how canoes, which have been hand built for centuries, have been impacted by engineered materials and manufacturing processes over the years. Student teams design and build a model canoe frame and then cover their frame with everyday materials and test their design in a basin. Student model canoes must be able to float, travel a distance of 4 feet, and support a load. Students then evaluate the effectiveness of their canoes and those of other teams, and present their findings to the class.
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Ages 8-18
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Cast Your Vote
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how technology and engineering impact society, and how poll-taking has been influenced by engineering over time. Students design and construct a voting or polling machine out of everyday items, then evaluate the effectiveness of the design.
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Ages 8-12
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Engineered Music
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on the engineering behind the design of musical instruments. Teams of students explore the engineering behind recorder manufacturing, and then design, construct, test, and evaluate a working musical instrument using easily found materials.
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Ages 8-18
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How the Rubber Meets the Road
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how engineers design tire treads to increase safety and reliability. Students are presented with the challenge of designing a new tire tread that will be safe when driving in rainy conditions. Student teams will design and construct a sample tread out of clay, then test and evaluate the effectiveness of the design, evaluate their results, and present their findings to the class.
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Ages 8-18
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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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Temperature Tactics
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how thermometers have been impacted by engineering over time, and also how materials engineering has developed temperature sensitive materials. Student teams design and build a temperature gauge out of everyday products and test a variety of materials for thermal properties. Students evaluate the effectiveness of their temperature gauge and those of other teams, and present their findings to the class.
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Ages 8-14
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Tinkering with Tops
Lesson Focus: In this lesson, students build spinning tops out of everyday materials. Their challenge is to design a spinning top that can spin for at least 10 seconds within a circle 30 cm in diameter.
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Ages 8-18
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What is a Nanometer?
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how to measure at the nano scale and provides students with an understanding of how small a nanometer really is."Students learn about electron microscopes, participate in hands-on activities to measure common classroom objects in the metric scale, and then convert the result to nanometers.
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Ages 8-12
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Playing with Parachutes
Lesson Focus: This lesson focuses on parachute design. Teams of students construct parachutes from everyday materials. They then test their parachutes to determine whether they can transport a metal washer to a target on the ground with the slowest possible rate of descent.
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Ages 8-18
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Assembly Line
Lesson Focus: This lesson demonstrates the power of mass production. Students work in teams to design, construct, test, and redesign an assembly line to manufacture a product as quickly and efficiently as possible to meet the quality control criteria.
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Ages 8-18
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Toxic Popcorn Design Challenge
Lesson Focus: This lesson introduces students to the engineering design process (EDP)—the process engineers use to solve design challenges. Students work in teams to solve the challenge by designing both a product and process to safely remove “toxic” popcorn and save the city.
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Ages 8-18
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Get Connected With Ohm's Law
Lesson Focus: Demonstrate Ohm's Law using digital multi-meters. Fun hands-on activities are presented that demonstrate Ohm's Law. Teachers use digital multi-meters to collect data that are plotted to show that voltage and current are related by linear functions for ordinary resistors and by power functions for light bulbs.
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Ages 10-18
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Robot Basketball
Lesson Focus: This lesson demonstrates the difference between precision and accuracy. Students design a device that can shoot a basketball free-throw shot accurately every time.
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Ages 10-18
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Statue Display Tower
Lesson Focus: Students design, build, test and redesign a display tower that will meet a specific set of criteria and constraints.
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Ages 10-18
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Water Fountain
Lesson Focus: This lesson demonstrates how a hydraulic pump works. Students work in teams to design and build a unique water fountain that employs a hydraulic pump.
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Ages 10-18
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Interactive Gumball Machine
Lesson Focus: Students explore potential and kinetic energy while working in teams to design and build an interactive gumball machine.
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Ages 10-18
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Engineering Air Traffic
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on the engineering behind air traffic control systems. Students work in teams to evaluate data generated for a virtual air traffic system, and determine a plan to bring three planes safely through a set airspace. They then recommend engineering enhancement to the current system.
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Ages 11-18
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Dispenser Designs
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how engineers have to design objects to meet the needs of users, while considering the limitations of materials, and the implications of cost.
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Ages 11-18
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Engineering Ups and Downs
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on the engineering behind elevators. Teams of students explore principles and requirements of vertical travel, then design and construct a working elevator to service a toy car garage using wheels, pulleys, string, cardboard and other materials.
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Ages 11-18
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Program Your Own Game
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how software engineers design computer games and other software. Student teams work together to develop a simple computer program using free software that is available in multiple languages.
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Ages 11-18
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A Question of Balance
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on the use of weight scales and measurement by manufacturing engineers. Teams of students are posed with the challenge of developing a system to fill jars with a specific weight or count of products such as marbles or paperclips.
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Ages 11-18
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Hull Engineering
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how the shape of ship's hull can impact its speed and stability potential in water. Teams of students design and test their own ship's hull on paper, and build it using foam and other everyday materials.
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Ages 11-18
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Engineered Sports
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on how the principles of aerospace engineering have impacted golf ball design, along with equipment used in other sports. Students analyze the use of dimples on golf balls, and work as a team of engineers to determine whether adding dimples to airplanes would increase fuel efficiency for the airline industry. They also explore the physics of bounce as it relates to several sports balls.
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Ages 11-18
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Wind Tunnel Testing
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses on wind tunnel tests that engineers in many industries use to when developing products such as airplanes, cars, and even buildings. Teams of students build their own model car out of everyday products and test their design in a wind tunnel made of a fan blowing through a long cardboard box.
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Ages 11-18
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Trebuchet Toss
Lesson Focus: This lesson focuses on trebuchet design. Teams of students construct trebuchets from everyday materials. They then test their trebuchets to determine the farthest distance they can hit a target with a marshmallow projectile.
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Ages 12-18
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Rotational Equilibrium
Lesson Focus: Demonstrate the concept of rotational equilibrium.
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Ages 14-18
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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.
