Middle School

ENGINEERING DESIGN

OVERVIEW

Participants will work as an individual or part of a team to solve a design problem. Through use of a model/prototype, display and design notebook, the individual or the team will explain in detail how it has solved the problem and demonstrate the problem in a presentation.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

How may I protect a raw egg from cracking (or smashing) from a 21.5’ drop?

COMPETENCIES (MS)

1.02 Apply management, leadership and communication skills through classroom experiences and student activities.

4.00 Apply problem solving and design methods.

8.02 Produce a communication product using one of the following: technical drawings, graphic communication, and electronic communication.

CONTENT

To achieve the above the students will:

  1. be able to discuss the creative process as it pertains to Inventions and Innovation.
  2. be able to participate in a group problem solving process.
  3. be able to discuss the design/problem-solving model.
  4. be able to apply the problem solving/design model.
  5. be abletoevaluate designs against specified criteria and constraints.
  6. be able to modify their designs based on the results of modeling, testing, and experimentation.
  7. be able to discuss the role of troubleshooting in defining a problem or evaluating a solution.

CONSTRAINTS

The following formula will be used to determine the score of an individual based on the target drop zone.

Initial Round

Final Round

Where:

W = Weight of the device in grams

N = Number of parts(Not counted in the Initial Round of Judging)

DZ = Drop Zone Target points

EIF = Egg Integrity Factor (1 if not cracked or 0 if cracked)

DETAILS

Protectan egg from a second story drop to keep it from SMASHING when it hits the ground! Increasing the accuracy of the drop, minimizing the weight of the protective device and minimizing the number of components in the protective device are all factors in determining the success of the project.

TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS:

Students may work individually or as teams. Students should use the DEAL problem solving method to address the design problem. Evaluate performance using the assessment criteria below:

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

Statement of Problem20 Points

(Includes criteria and constants)

Solution Development20 Points

(brainstorming notes, research, and

sketches)

Design Specifications Met20 Points

(Meets appropriate criteria and

constraints)

Artisanship and Aesthetics20 Points

(Well made and attractive)

Performance20 Points

(Performs well as intended)

Total Possible Points 100

During your follow-up discussion with the class, be sure to emphasize that this is a learning activity that the students had fun with, because learning can be fun.

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