What is Engineering?What is Engineering?Day 1: 6-12 STEM IntegrationMSTA Region 11 Teacher Center

Goals for Day 1 – What is Goals for Day 1 – What is Engineering?Engineering?

“To investigate and experience what engineering is” through:

Defining engineering and designDifferentiating between engineering

and mathematics and scienceParticipating in engineering

activitiesArticulating the need for

engineering in the classroom

Morning session◦Working with Mike Lindstrom ◦Concept mapping◦Hands-on engineering

Afternoon session◦Preparing students for post-secondary education

◦A talk with an engineer◦Wrap-Up and PLC information

Agenda for Day 1 – What is Agenda for Day 1 – What is

Engineering?Engineering?

IntroductionsIntroductions

What is Engineering? What is Engineering? In your teams create a concept

map that portrays your ideas about “What is Engineering?”

Be as detailed as possibleYou will have about 20 minutes

to work.

Gallery WalkGallery WalkDecide how your team is going to

present your concept map for the gallery walk.

Post your poster on a wall on the room’s perimeter where everyone will be able to see it. Keep it manned.

Walk around the room to view other groups’ concept maps.

Reflection QuestionsReflection QuestionsWere there aspects of

engineering that your team did not think about?

Are there things you saw that you do not think are engineering-related?

How do you think your students’ would describe engineering?

Wind EnergyWind EnergyHow can we use wind energy?Where should wind turbines be

built?What are the positive and

negative effects of wind turbines?

Brainstorm: Wind EnergyBrainstorm: Wind EnergyWhat factors influence the power

output of a wind turbine?

The Design CycleThe Design Cycle

Engineering ChallengeEngineering Challenge You are working for a power company that

harnesses alternative forms of energy. Your boss has asked your team to design the wind turbine blade unit to get high power output.

However, there are costs involved in testing, so you must plan carefully! (Next slide has costs)

You must keep track of your expenses in a way that is easily understandable and explainable.

Engineering ConstraintsEngineering ConstraintsBudget: $10,000 for today’s testingeach test you run (turning on the fan and using

multimeter) costs $800, initial costs for each white plastic blade is $200initial costs for each balsa blade is $400 to change the shape of a set of blades costs

◦$100 for 1-3 blades in the set◦$200 for 4-6 blades in the set◦$300 for 7-9 blades in the set◦$400 for 10-12 blades in the set

Engineering Challenge Engineering Challenge Gallery WalkGallery WalkOn a post-it poster:

◦Summarize what you have learned so far about blade unit design.

◦What would be your next steps?Post on the wall

◦Walk around to get ideas about how other teams addressed this engineering challenge

The Design CycleThe Design Cycle

Please Help Us!Please Help Us!Please break-down your wind

turbine and carefully place it in the box.

Put blades in grocery bag and label them for next time.

LunchMeet in Biological Sciences Room

64◦Be ready to go at 1:30.

Preparing Students for Post-Secondary Preparing Students for Post-Secondary EducationEducation

How are these educational experiences different from your experiences as a college student?

How can you help to prepare students for academic experiences in college?

What technological aspects of instruction have you learned about that could potentially benefit your current teaching? 

What are other educational “take aways”?

A Discussion with an A Discussion with an EngineerEngineer

What is engineering?◦What do engineers do?◦What separates engineering from

science and mathematics?◦What is engineering design? Redesign?

Reverse engineering?◦What are historical elements of

engineering?◦What are other elements of

engineering?

Professional Learning Professional Learning CommunityCommunity4 PLC Meetings before November

workshop◦Conduct a “what is engineering”

concept mapping activity in your class

◦Plan to implement an engineering activity in your classroom (before January meeting)

◦Plan for the re-design phase of the wind turbine activity

Exit SlipExit Slip“To investigate and experience what engineering is”

Write down what happened today that brought you closer to meeting this objective. Also, write down any questions that you have about the day’s objective.

On a separate piece of paper, write one thing from this reflection that you would like to share with Gillian, Tamara, & Sean.

Turn this in as you leave.