Engineering
Everywhere
Put a Lid On It:
Engineering Safety Helmets
Biomechanical Engineering for Out-of-School Time • Grades 6–8
Written by the Engineering is Elementary® Team
Illustrated by Ross Sullivan-Wiley
© 2013 by the Museum of Science. All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America.
This work may not be reproduced by mechanical or electronic means without the express written
permission of the Museum of Science, Boston. For permission to copy portions of this material for other
purposes, please write to:
Engineering is Elementary
Museum of Science
1 Science Park
Boston, MA 02114
Written by the Engineering is Elementary Team
Project Director:
Christine Cunningham
Research and Evaluation:
Christine Gentry
Jonathan Hertel
Cathy Lachapelle
Quinn Sallee
Christopher San Antonio-Tunis
Muhammad Shams
Sang Shin
Stephen Sullivan
Multimedia:
Elizabeth Mantey
Michelle Mizner
Jean Towns
Sales:
Emily Eppler
Laura Higgins
Kate Sokol
Curriculum Development:
Owen Berliner
Martha Davis
Michelle DiIeso
Melissa Higgins
Katy Laguzza
Julieann Massey
Natacha Meyer
Tania Tauer
Ian Burnette
Professional Development:
Chantal Balesdent
Valerie Costa
Erin Fitzgerald
Martha Hass
Elissa Jordan
Elise Morgan
Corey Niemann
Kristin Sargianis
Roger Skophammer
Partnership:
Max Siegel
Shannon McManus
Sharlene Yang
Interns and Consultants:
Carolyn DeCristofano
Amy Hachigian
Nia Gipson
Outreach:
Cynthia Berger
Support for this project has been generously provided by i2 Camp.
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Unit Map
Here’s an overview of the activities in this unit and how they all fit together.
Prep Activity 1: Humpty Dumpty
WEEK 1
WEEK 2
Youths are introduced to engineering and the Engineering
Design Process as they work in teams to engineer a wall
that will support Humpty-dumpty.
Activity 1: Pasta Package
Youths explore ways to protect fragile pasta from breaking
upon drop impact.
Activity 2: Brains
WEEK 3
WEEK 4
WEEK 5
WEEK 6
Youths learn about the lobes of the brain and the functions
they control, and think about helmets designed for different
activities.
Activity 3: Create Your Helmet
Engineering teams Plan, Create, and Test their first helmet
design.
Activity 4: Improve Your Helmet
Teams Improve their designs to better meet the criteria.
Activity 5: Engineering Showcase, Youths Communicate
their work to each other.
Activity 6: Technology Jeopardy : Techology Jeopardy guides students to think about the breadth or technology.
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Table of Contents
Activities
Prep Activity 1: Humpty Dumpty
1
Activity 1: Pasta Package
Activity 2: Brains
Activity 3: Create Your Helmet
Activity 4: Improve Your Helmet
Activity 5: Engineering Showcase
Activity 6: What is Technology? Technology Jeopardy
5
9
14
20
24
27
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About Engineering is Elementary
Engineering is Elementary® (EiE) fosters engineering and technological literacy among
children. Most humans spend over 95% of their time interacting with technology. Pencils,
chairs, water filters, cell phones, and buildings are all technologies—solutions designed
by engineers to fulfill human needs or wants. To understand the world we live in, it is
vital that we foster engineering and technological literacy among all people, even young
children! Fortunately, children are born engineers. They are fascinated with building,
taking things apart, and how things work. EiE harnesses children’s natural curiosity to
promote the learning of engineering and technology concepts.
The EiE program has four primary goals:
Goal 1: Increase children’s technological literacy.
Goal 2: Increase educators’ abilities to teach engineering and technology to elementary
students.
Goal 3: Increase the number of schools and out-of-school time programs in the U.S. that
include engineering at the elementary level.
Goal 4: Conduct research and assessment to further the first three goals and contribute
knowledge about engineering teaching and learning at the elementary level.
The first product developed by the EiE program was the Engineering is Elementary
curriculum series. This curriculum, designed specifically for use in elementary school
classrooms, is research-based, standards-driven, and classroom-tested. For more
information about EiE, visit: eie.org.
In 2011, EiE began development of Engineering Adventures (EA), a curriculum
specifically for use in out-of-school time settings. EA is tailored to youths in 3rd through
5th grade. More information about EA can be found at: engineeringadventures.org.
In 2012, EiE began developement of Engineering Everywhere (EE). Like EA, this
curriculum is also designed for use in out-of-school time settings, but targets 6th
through 8th graders. More information about EE can be found on the next page and at
engineeringeverywhere.org.
Engineering is Elementary is a part of The National Center for Technological Literacy
(NCTL) at the Museum of Science, Boston. The NCTL aims to enhance knowledge of
technology and inspire the next generation of engineers, inventors, and innovators.
Unique in recognizing that a 21st century curriculum must include today’s human-made
world, the NCTL’s goal is to introduce engineering as early as elementary school and
continue it through high school, college, and beyond. For more information about the
NCTL, visit: nctl.org.
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About Engineering Everywhere
The mission of Engineering Everywhere is to create engaging out-of-school time learning
experiences that positively impact youths’ attitudes about their abilities to engineer. Our
goal is to provide youth with personally meaningful and globally relevant challenges that
empower them to problem solve, think creatively, and learn from one another.
The main ideas that guide the developers of EE are listed below.
We believe youths will best learn engineering when they:
• engage in activities that are fun, exciting, and connect to the world in which they live.
• choose their path through open-ended challenges that have multiple solutions.
• have the opportunity to succeed in engineering challenges.
• communicate and collaborate in innovative, active, problem solving.
Through EE units, youths will learn that:
• they can use the Engineering Design Process to help solve problems.
• engineers design technologies to help people and solve problems.
• they have talent and potential for designing and improving technologies.
• they, too, are engineers.
As youths work through their engineering design challenges, they will have the
opportunity to build their problem solving, teamwork, communication, and creative
thinking skills. Most importantly, this curriculum is designed to provide a fun learning
opportunity!
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Each Activity Includes:
An Educator Preview with background
information, activity timing, key concepts,
materials list, and preparation.
An Activity Guide with step-by-step
instructions, including discussion
questions, extension ideas, and tips.
Engineering Notebook pages that
allow youths to record findings and
reflect on their learning.
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What You Need to Know Before Teaching an EE Unit
Engineering is fun.
The EE team hears this from many OST educators and youths alike. Engineering is
really a way of problem solving—a way of thinking about the world—that is often very
fun and creative. Any time you need to solve a problem in order to reach a goal, you are
engineering.
There are no right or wrong answers.
There are often many great ways to solve the same problem. Not only is this a good
engineering lesson for the youths in your program, it’s a good life lesson.
You are a guide.
As the educator, it is your role to guide youths through these activties by encouraging them
to pursue and communicate their own ideas, even if you think they might not work. Every
problem has many possible solutions and multiple ways to reach them.
Ask questions!
Throughout the activities, you can ask questions prompting youths to share their prior
knowledge, predict what they might find, or remind them of criteria that will help them
as they engineer. Asking questions like these sets your youths up to succeed and feel
confident in their ability to engineer.
It’s okay to try it out!
It can be very helpful to try out the engineering challenge yourself—either beforehand or
right alongside the youths in your program as they work through the adventures. This can
help you understand the challenges they might face.
Support reflection
Each activity includes five to ten minutes at the end for youths to communicate with their
peers by sharing their work. This gives youths the chance to discuss new ideas, think about
their own work and the work of others, and reflect on what was learned. Group reflection
can help reduce competition by encouraging youths to support each other as they move
through the Engineering Design Process.
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Engineering Notebooks
Youths will use the Engineering Notebook as directed in the
Activity Guide during every activity.
The Engineering Notebook is a central location for youths to
record their thoughts and ideas as they move through the unit.
Its pages guide youths through the Engineering Design Process,
pose questions, and prompts youths to reflect on their engineering
work. The time youths spend with their Notebooks during each
activity will allow them to create a personalized record of their
engineering learning.
Tips and Tricks for Teaching the Unit
Post a Daily Agenda
Giving youths a sense of the day’s activity will help them to plan ahead and manage their
time.
Facilitate Teamwork
Being able to work well in teams is an important skill for any engineer. You may want to
assign team roles to help youths if they struggle with teamwork. Possible roles include:
the notetaker, the materials gatherer, the tester, and the presenter.
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Background
Biomechanical Engineering
Biomechanical engineering is a field that involves combining mechanical engineering and
biology. Biomechanical engineers use what they know about physics and biology to better
understand how physical forces impact living organisms. Biomechanical engineers develop
solutions to a broad range of problems including the improvement of safety equipment like
helmets, life jackets, and bulletproof vests.
Helmets
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, head injuries are the leading
cause of death in young adults and children. The number one thing adults can do to protect
children from injury is to make sure that they wear helmets whenever engaging in sports
or other activities (like riding a bike, scooter, or skateboard) that might lead to their heads
being bumped.
Helmets are generally constructed in three layers. The outer layer is usually a hard shell
made of fiberglass, the middle layer a crushable foam that absorbs shock, and the inner
layer a soft and comfortable liner. In addition, most helmets have some kind of strap system
to keep them in place. Depending on what the helmet will be used for, they may have other
elements attached to them, such as visors, ear pads, and face masks, which each provide
additional protection to the wearer.
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Vocabulary
Biomechanical engineering: A field of engineering that involves the study of the
human body from a mechanical engineering perspective. Biomechanical engineers use
what they know about physics and biology to solve problems around health and safety.
Constraint: A factor that limit how you can solve a problem.
Criteria: Goals that must be satisfied to achieve the challenge.
Engineer: Someone who uses his or her creativity and knowledge of math and science
to design technologies that solve problems.
Engineering Design Process: The steps that engineers use to design technologies to
solve a problem.
Helmet: A protective hat or head covering worn to protect the head.
Model: A physical representation or copy of an object that is usually smaller in scale.
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Prep
Activity
1
What is Engineering?
Educator
Preview
Overview: Youths are introduced to the Engineering Design Process as they work
together to engineer a solution to a problem.
Note to Educator: The main goal of this activity is for everyone to engage in the
Engineering Design Process. In other words, the resulting walls are not the most important
part of the activity! They are simply a vehicle for getting everyone to work together and
participate in the Engineering Design Process.
Activity Timing:
Identify:
5 min
Create:
30 min
Test
15 min
Reflect:
5 min
Prep Activity 1 Materials
For the whole group
Engineering Design Process poster 1
timer
1 marker
6 plastic eggs (filled with jelly beans)
55 min
For each group of 2-3
21st Century Skill
Highlight:
40 index cards
1 pair of scissors
1 roll of masking tape
1 ruler
Collaboration
For each youth
Engineering Notebook
Prep Activity 1 Preparation (10 min)
1. Prepare the following items for each group: 40 index cards, one roll
of masking tape, one pair of scissors, and one ruler. Have a timer/
clock available.
2. Groups are welcome to add features (such as paper arms and legs to
make the eggs look more like the Humpty Dumpty character). Be sure
the egg is filled with jelly beans for weight.
3. Have the Engineering Design Process poster ready to post.
4. Prepare a Criteria and Constraints Chart as shown on the next
page.
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Engineering Everywhere
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Put a Lid on It
Chart for Prep Activity 1
Criteria and Constraints Chart
Criteria
Goals that must be achieved
Constraints
Limits on how you can solve the
problem
You are limited to 40 index cards and a
roll of tape.
Humpty (the egg) must be able to sit on
top of the wall for at least 10 seconds.
10 inches
The wall must be at least 10 inches high,
2 inches wide, and 4 inches long (see
below).
4 inches
You can’t tape your wall to the table.
You have 25 minutes.
2 inches
Notebook Pages for Prep Activity 1
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Engineering Everywhere
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Put a Lid on It
Prep
Activity
1
What is Engineering?
Activity
Guide
Youths will understand:
•
•
•
the Engineering Design Process is an intuitive problem solving process.
engineers use the Engineering Design Process to solve problems.
they are engineers!
Tip: The main goal
of this activity is for
everyone to engage
in the Engineering
Design Process.
In other words,
the resulting walls
are not the most
important part of the
activity! They are
simply a vehicle for
getting everyone to
work together and
participate in the
Engineering Design
Process.
Identify the Problem (5 min)
1. Welcome everyone to the engineering group. Let youths know that
engineers are problem solvers. To begin, you have an engineering
challenge that you’d like everyone to solve.
2. Hold up a plastic egg and introduce the egg as Humpty Dumpty. Ask:
• Does anyone know what problem Humpty Dumpty had in the
classic rhyme? He was sitting on a wall, fell off, and broke.
3. Explain that if the wall had been better engineered to hold him,
Humpty might not have fallen off and been saved. Explain that
youths will work in engineering groups to build a wall that their egg
can sit on without falling off.
4. Split everyone into groups of 2-3 and ask:
• What questions do you have before you begin working on
this problem?
5. Encourage questions about criteria (what the wall needs to do),
constraints (how they are limited), and how to evaluate success.
6. Answer the questions generated by the group by referring to the
bullets below and the Criteria and Constraints Chart. Be sure to give
groups the following information:
• Each group will get 40 index cards, tape, a ruler, and scissors.
• The scissors and ruler cannot be used as part of the wall.
• Groups need to create a wall that is at least 10 inches high.
• The walls need to be at least 2 inches wide and 4 inches long.
• Humpty-dumpty needs to be able to “sit” on top of the wall.
• Groups will have 25 minutes to work.
• The wall must hold the egg for at least 10 seconds.
• You can’t tape your wall to the table.
7. Post the Criteria and Constraints Chart. Help everyone realize
that criteria are things that the wall must do while constraints are
limitations on how the wall is made.
8. If the answers to some questions are not addressed by the Criteria
and Constraints Chart (such as: does it matter how our wall looks)
either decide the group doesn’t need to worry about them or add
them to the chart if the whole group agrees with on them.
Create (30 min)
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Engineering Everywhere
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Put a Lid on It
Tip: The rhyme
youths will use to
help them time
how long the egg
remains on the wall
is written below:
Humpty Dumpty sat
on the wall / Humpty
Dumpty had a great
fall / All the king’s
horses and all the
king’s men / couldn’t
put Humpty together
again.
1. Pass out 40 index cards, masking tape, a ruler, and a pair of scissors
to each group.
2. Set the timer for 25 minutes and have groups begin building.
3. As groups work, pass around an egg so everyone can hold it and get
a sense of its mass.
4. As groups are working, ask questions like:
• How did your group come up with this design?
• Why do you think your design will work well?
5. Every 5 minutes, let groups know how much time they have left.
Test (15 min)
1. When time is up, have groups step away from their own work. Ask:
• What do you observe is the same about all of the designs?
Materials, shapes, etc.
• What do you observe is different about them? Different ways
of using the cards, different heights and widths, etc.
2. Point out that every group engineered a different solution. In
engineering, there are always many solutions to the same problem.
3. Tell groups they are going to watch as everyone tests their wall. After
placing Humpty on their wall, each group must recite all of the lines
to the Humpty Dumpty rhyme (which takes about 10 seconds).
4. Before testing, ask each group:
• Can you explain your design?
5. After each group tests, regardless of whether or not their wall met
the criteria, ask:
• How would you improve your design if you had more time?
Reflect (5 min
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Engineering Everywhere
1. Gather everyone around the Engineering Design Process poster and
give everyone an Engineering Notebook.
2. Explain that engineers use a process called the Engineering Design
Process as a guide to help them solve problems. Ask:
• How did your group use these steps as you engineered your
tower? Encourage groups to link specific actions to specific steps,
for example: we used the Imagine step when we brainstormed.
3. Point out to youths that because they used these steps, they are
engineers! Let them know they will continue to use the Engineering
Design Process to guide their engineering work throughout the unit.
4. As a preview to the rest of the unit, ask:
• What other types of safety “gear” could you have engineered
to help Humpty be protected if he did fall? Helmets, padded
clothes, etc.
5. Let youths know that in the rest of the unit they’ll be thinking more
about materials and designs for helmets to protect things that fall.
6. Give youths a few moments to fill out My Engineering Profile, p. 4 in
their Engineering Notebooks. They will return to this at the end of the
unit to identify the engineering skills they have learned or improved.
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Activity
1
Pasta Package
Educator
Preview
Overview: Youths learn that their challenge will involve protecting the brain. They then
explore various ways to protect fragile objects from damage when they drop.
Note to Educator: Give yourself some extra time to prepare the model brain for this
activity. You may dispose of the model brain after this activity; it will not be needed again.
Activity Timing:
Introduction: 10 min
Explain Rules 5 min
Create:
30 min
Reflect:
5 min
50 min
21st Century Skill
Highlight:
Creativity
Activity 1 Materials
For the whole group
Engineering Design Process poster
1 box extra jumbo pasta shells
1 box of potato flakes
1 gallon-sized bag
1 caliper
sand, 8oz cup to measure
8 fold-top plastic sandwich bags
100 cotton balls
25 pipe cleaner
bubble wrap
You are welcome
to bring in a
helmet if you
have one for the
students to
examine - but
this is
completely
optional.
craft foam
(optional) 1 helmet (football, bicycle, any type available)
For each group of 2-3
1 pair of scissors
1 roll of masking tape
For each youth
Engineering Notebook
Activity 1 Preparation (30 min)
1. Post the Engineering Design Process poster (doc cam if available to enlarge).
2. Prepare the model brain by adding the following to a gallon bag:
• two cups of clean sand
• one and a half cups of potato flakes
• two cups of hot (not boiling!) water
3. Seal the bag, mix the ingredients, and knead the mixture until it can
be shaped into an oval. The resulting model is the size, weight, and
texture of a real human brain.
4. Decide where you would like the testing area to be. Use tape to
make a mark about 5 feet high on the wall.
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Engineering Everywhere
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Crash Test Engineering
Notebook Pages for Activity 1
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Engineering Everywhere
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Crash Test Engineering
Activity
1
Pasta Package
Activity
Guide
Youths will understand:
•
•
there are many ways to protect a falling object from damage.
the properties of materials, along with the way they are used, can make them a good or
poor choice for a task.
Tip: You may want
to have a discussion
with your group about
models. A model
is a representation
of something. Ask
them to think about
why it might be
especially important
to use a model when
engineering anything
having to do with the
brain.
Introduction (10 min)
1. Remind youths that engineers are people who design technologies
that solve problems. Ask:
• What kinds of problems do you think engineers solve?
Encourage youths to think big! Accept all responses.
2. Remind youths that they have already been engineers and have
designed a wall and thought about many other types of technologies
engineers have designed. Show youths your example helmet, or just
ask them to think about a helmet they have worn or are familiar with.
Ask:
• Are helmets technololgies? What problems do they solve?
Yes, helmets are technologies because they solve the problem of
protecting the skull and brain, so they are technologies.
• Why do you think engineering helmets is an important
challenge? Without helmets people aren’t able to protect their
Tip: The testing
brains in dangerous situations and could cause permanent
process has the
damage.
potential to be
3. Tell youths that their main challenge will be engineering a helmet to
messy. Weather
protect a model brain.
permitting, the
4. Hold up the brain model you prepared. Explain that the model is
testing could be
about the size, weight, and texture of the human brain. Ask:
completed
• What do you think would happen to this brain model if I
outside.
dropped it on the floor
Otherwise, make
• What kinds of protection do our brains naturally have? The
sure you are in
skull, hair, fluid between the brain and the skull.
an appropriate
• How good do you think the skull is at protecting the brain?
area, and clean
Why do you think so? Accept all responses.
up throroughly.
5. Tell youths that today, they will be working with a model brain and
a model skull, and they’ll engineer some ways to protect the model
brain from damage during a fall.
Explain the Rules (5 min)
1. Write the following challenge on the board: Engineer something to
protect the model brain from breaking when it falls.
2. Spoon some potato brain (from the model) into a pasta shell. Explain
that this is a model of a human brain inside a skull.
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Engineering Everywhere
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Crash Test Engineering
Tip: Youths may not
have seen calipers
before. You may
want to demonstrate
how to use them by
measuring the size of
an item in the room.
Point out that when
you place the item
between the pinchers
of the caliper, the size
is indicated on the
opposite end of the
calipers.
Tip: When discussing
the size criterion for
the pasta packages,
you may want to draw
a link to the helmets
youths will design
later on. When making
helmets, engineers
often need to think
about how bulky their
designs are. People
don’t usually want to
wear helmets that are
very large, so creating
a sleek protective
design is important.
Youths will be thinking
about similar ideas
today when designing
their pasta packages.
© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere
3. Show youths the 5 foot tape mark on the wall. Explain that this is the
testing area. Have a volunteer hold the model you made at the 5 foot
mark and drop it. It is likely that the shell of the pasta will crack!
4. Ask:
• What types of impacts do you think a fall like this could have
on a human brain?
5. Lastly, go over the materials that youths have available to use to
protect their model brain (plastic sandwich bag, cotton balls, pipe
cleaners, bubble wrap, and craft foam).
6. Explain that while they can use whatever materials they would
like, their package designs cannot be larger than 3 inches in any
direction. Engineers often have to deal with this type of criterion;
using too many materials isn’t usually an effective use of resources.
7. Show youth the calipers and let them know they will use this tool to
measure the dimensions of their package designs.
Create (30 min)
1. Divide everyone into groups of 2-3.
2. Have groups turn to pages 4-5 in their Notebooks. They should use
these pages to guide them through the Engineering Design Process.
3. As groups work through the process, check in and ask:
• Which materials did you choose? Why?
• How do you think this design will protect the model brain?
4. When groups are ready, they can measure and drop their design
at the testing station. After testing, they should carefully look to see
whether or not the model brain was damaged. Have them record the
results of their test on the notebook page (Step 6).
5. After testing, encourage groups to improve their designs, either by
better protecting the model brain or by using fewer materials.
Reflect (5 min
1. Have everyone jot down one thing they learned from doing this
protection activity (Step 8). Ask for a few volunteers to share what
they wrote down.
2. Ask:
• What did our models teach you about protecting the brain
from a fall?
• How do you think using each step of the Engineering Design
Process helped you in this challenge?
• Which step do you think was the most valuable to your
group? Why?
3. Let everyone know that for the rest of the unit, they will use their
knowledge of how to protect fragile objects to engineer a safety
helmet that will protect another model brain and skull from damage.
4. Tell everyone that, in the next session, they will learn a bit more
about the brain and how helmets can be designed specifically for
different activities.
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Crash Test Engineering
Activity
2
Brains
Educator
Preview
Overview: Youths will learn more about the functions of the brain by investigating a brain
model and will identify the impacts of concussions by simulating symptoms of a severe
concussion.
Note to Educator: In this activity youths will learn a bit about the lobes of the brain and
will also investigate a few types of helmets. Youths may ask questions about the brain
that you don’t know the answer to. This is fine! Encourage youths to pursue answering
their questions by researching online or reading more about brain anatomy or helmet
engineering.
Activity Timing:
Brain Intro: 20 min
Activity 2 Materials
For the whole group
For each group of 2-3
1 small foam brain
markers
Simulate Concussion:
25 min
Reflect: 10 min
55 min
21st Century Skill
Highlight:
Critical Thinking
Engineering Design Process poster
Video: http://tinyurl.com/ k82ndq6
and a computer or tv to play it on
1 2.5 oz tub of petroleum jelly
1 piece of paper
1 pen
1 plastic model head
1 knit hat
1 roll of masking tape
1 trash can or recycle bin
4 pairs of safety goggles
For each youth
Engineering Notebook
Activity 2 Preparation (10 min)
Note: Concussion
goggles are designed
to convey blurry
vision, poor depth
perception, and
general disorientation.
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Engineering Everywhere
1. Post the Engineering Design Process poster.
2. Make a pair of concussion goggles by spreading a very thin layer of
petroleum jelly onto one lens of each pair of safety goggles. Using
your finger or napkin, create a crisscross pattern within the jelly by
swiping diagonally in one direction and then the other. If you put
on the goggles, you should be able to see objects, but they may
be blurry and light may appear scattered. If you cannot make out
objects, then wipe off more of the jelly and repeat.
3. Prepare the obstacle course according to the description on p. 19 of
this guide.
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Put a Lid on It
Notebook Pages for Activity 1
2
Activity
Concussion Simulation
Obstacle Course Times:
Run 1 (no concussion symptoms):
Run 2 (with concussion symptoms):
Describe your experience below.
What sort of symptoms did you feel during the simulated concussion run?
How were the two runs different?
What activties were challenging with the concussion symptoms?
Crash Test Engineering
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Engineering Everywhere
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Activity
2
Brains
Activity
Guide
Youths will understand:
•
the Investigate step is critical to gaining information that can be applied in their final
design.
Exploring the Brain (20 min)
1. Pass out a foam model brain to each group, along with some
markers.
2. Have youths take a look at Brain Diagrams, p. 6 of their Engineering
Notebooks.
3. Explain that they can use the markers to color in the different regions
of their model brain. For each region, they should think about an
activity they do that the region would help to control.
4. When youths are done coloring, name each lobe of the brain one at
a time. Ask:
• If this lobe of the brain were injured, what might be a function
that could become impaired or difficult for the individual
See the notes on p. 19 for more details.
• Do you think it’s important to protect all of your lobes or just
one lobe? Accept all answers. Write answers on a piece of chart
paper so they can reflect back.
5. Tell youths that they will now watch a video to further explore this
question. Play Engineering Everywhere Special Report video (10:14
min): http://tinyurl.com/k82ndq6
6. After the video, ask youths to reflect back on the previous question.
Ask:
• Now that you know more about the brain, do you think it’s
important to protect all parts of your brain or just certain
parts? All parts of your brain because they each serve an
important function.
7. Tell youths that now they will participate in an activity to simulate the
symptoms of a severe concussion. Ask:
• Does anybody know what a concussion is? A concussion is a
type of brain injury caused by trauma.
• Can anybody name a symptom of a concussion? Accept all
answers.
Simulating a Concussion (20 min)
1. Explain to youths that you have set up an obstacle course that
requires them to use a variety of motor functions. Youths will
time themselves through the obstacle course with no impairment
© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere
11
Put a Lid on It
2.
3.
4.
5.
symptoms. They will then put on a pair of goggles designed to
simulate some symptoms of a concussion, spin around five times,
and complete the obstacle course again.
Tell youths they should focus on how the concussion symptoms
affect their ability to complete each task.
Bring youths over to the obstacle course and explain each of the
tasks they must complete. Point out the brain toss and basket
toss activities require a volunteer to help with the completion of
the challenge. Tell youths that volunteers will rotate through these
positions, so everyone can complete the obstacle course.
Time youths as they complete the obstacle course without the
concussion goggles. Have youths record their times on p. 7 of their
Engineering Notebooks.
Have youths complete the obstacle course while wearing the
concussion goggles. Make sure youths spin around five times before
the timer starts and they begin the course. Have youths record their
times on p. 7 of their Engineering Notebooks.
Reflect (10 min
1. After youths complete the obstacle course, have them reflect on the
differences between their two different runs. Ask:
• How did you feel when you spun around and wore the
concussion goggles? Accept all answers. Youths may note they
felt dizzy, had blurred vision and poor depth perception.
• What was difficult about completing the course wit
concussion symptoms compared to your first run? Harder to
walk the line, more difficult catching/aiming, more disoriented in
general.
• What sort of tasks would be difficult to complete in you
daily life if you had these symptoms permanently? Accept all
answers.
2. Explain to youths that someone with a serious concussion can have
symptoms like blurred vision, dizziness, distorted depth perception.
These were some of the symptoms they experienced during the
obstacle course. Additionally, even mild concussions can cause short
term memory loss, confusion, nausea, vomiting, and headaches,
which they did not simulate today.
3. Let groups know that during the next session they’ll be able to begin
engineering their own helmet designs to protect against concussions.
© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere
12
Put a Lid on It
Lobes of the Brain
The frontal lobe controls thinking and
emotion. If damaged, someone might
have trouble:
• Expressing how they feel
• Completing math problems
• Problem solving
The occipital lobe controls vision.
If damaged, someone might have trouble:
• Seeing colors
• Reading words on paper
The temporal lobe controls hearing,
memory, and language. If damaged,
someone might have trouble:
• Listening to music
• Telling a story from the day before
• Thinking of the correct word to use to
describe something
The parietal lobe controls speech.
If damaged, someone might have trouble:
• Speaking without slurring their words
Obstacle Course
•
•
Prepare by taping out the path of the course on the floor with masking tape. Place each
of the required items at the locations indicated above.
Description of obstacle course challenges:
1. For concussion run, participant should put on goggles and spin around 5 times.
Omit for non-concussion run.
2. Volunteer stands back 10 feet and tosses foam brain underhand to participant.
3. Place a recycle bin or trash can about 5 feet from participant. Participant tosses
foam brain into bin. Have volunteer positioned nearby to return brain if missed. Give
participant 3 attempts and then instruct them to move on.
4. Participant places hat on plastic model head.
5. Participant writes down name on paper. Make a continuous list of names.
© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere
13
Put a Lid on It
Activity
3
Create Your Safety Helmet
Educator
Preview
Overview: Youths receive the criteria and constraints for their helmet engineering
challenge and use the Plan, Create, and Test steps of the Engineering Design Process to
develop their first helmet design.
Note to Educator: The Criteria and Constraints Chart, the Drop Test station, and the
helmets kids engineer today will all be used again in Activity 4. Plan to store these items
carefully!
Activity Timing:
Introduction: 10 min
Plan & Create: 35 min
Test: 15 min
55 min
21st Century Skill
Highlight:
Creativity
Tip: The testing
process has the
potential to be
messy. Weather
permitting, the
testing could be
completed
outside.
Otherwise, make
sure you are in
an appropriate
area, and clean
up throroughly.
© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere
Activity 3 Materials
For the whole group
craft foam
nylon fishing line, 15 ft long1
plastic tube
Engineering Design Process poster
Price List, p. 25, this guide
1 calliper (7 inch)
1 scale (500 g)
1 skein of yarn
100 pipe cleaners
300 cotton balls
6 foil trays
cotton batting
cotton fabric
bubble wrap
1 plastic model head
1 knit hat (to simulate hair)
1 binder clip (large)
2 rolls regular duct tape
25 paint balls
25 sealable plastic bags (2” x2")
For each group of 3-4
1 pair of scissors
1 roll of masking tape
cardboard pieces
aluminum foil
For each youth
golf balls (to weight plastic head)
Engineering Notebook
Activity 3 Preparation (15 min)
1. Post the Engineering Design Process poster.
2. Prepare the Criteria and Constraints Chart as shown on p. 27 of this
guide.
3. If you have any examples of helmets (football, martial arts, bicycle)
from other activities done in your program, gather them together so
youths can carefully observe them.
4. Lay out the above materials at the materials table.
5. Secure a copy of the Price List, p. 25, to the table so that youths
can refer to it.
14
Put a Lid on It
6. Kids will test their helmets by observing whether a paint ball inside the helmet breaks
when the model head is dropped. Set up the Drop Test station:
• Tape a plastic tube across the top of a door or another high spot in the room.
• Attach one end of the fishing line to the base of the model head
• Feed the other end of the fishing line through the plastic tube you have secured to the
door or ceiling.
• Pulling on the free end of the string should raise the model head.
• Attaching a washer or handle to the string makes it easier to pull.
• Tape the hat to the model head.
7. Do a test to make sure the paint balls will actually break when there is no helmet placed on
the head.
• Tape a bag holding a paint ball to the top of the head and hat.
• Pull on the string until the head is raised as high as it can go.
• Drop the head.
• If the paint ball is smashed, you can leave the set-up as-is.
• If the paint ball is not smashed, you should add some weight to the model head. Screw
the cap off of the bottom and insert golf balls, or another weight.
Tip: Feel free to remove the hat and attach the paintball to the model head if it
becomes to cumbersome.
Notebook Pages for Activity 3
In the late 1800s there was a manufacturing company
called Bullard that sold mining equipment to gold and
copper miners. In 1919, their first safety helmet was
patented. The Bullard helmet was based on a helmet
that the CEO had worn as a soldier during World War I.
Early 1900s Hard Hat
The original safety helmet was made out of steamed canvas, glue, a leather brim, and black
paint. Most importantly, there was a suspension device built inside that held the “bucket”
portion of the helmet off of the head.
In 1938, Bullard designed and manufactured the first aluminum hard hat, which was
very durable and lightweight for the time. There are disadvantages to aluminum, though.
Aluminum helmets conduct electricity, for example. Later helmet designs have used
fiberglass and plastic as materials.
Today’s Yellow Hard Hat
When you mention hard hats, many people
imagine a yellow, plastic version. This common
design does have many features that make it
desirable to use. Because it is made of plastic
ti is lightweight, durable, and does not conduct
electricity. The shape has also been designed
to offer good movement. The interior contains
a shock liner and padding to make the helmet
comfortable. New versions include vents that help
keep the user cool.
Modern Hard Hat
3
3
Head injuries are one of the biggest risks of
playing football. Because players run at high
speeds and collide into one another headfirst, injuries can be severe. Wearing specially
designed helmets can help reduce the risk of
injury.
There were occasional attempts in the early 1900s to have
players wear helmets, but the idea never stuck. In the late
1930s, for example, Detroit general manager and coach
Jack Adams made helmets mandatory for all Wings. One
by one, the players abandoned them, saying they were too
confining or uncomfortable.
Leather helmets were the first type of helmet used
by football players. These helmets were soft and
offered a very thin layer of padding. The helmets
were so soft and flexible that they could be folded
up and put in a player’s pocket.
In the 1930s helmet designers began treating the
leather so that it was harder. More padding was
also added.
1980s Hockey Helmet
Perhaps the most influential spokesman for helmets was Red
Kelly, the longtime Wings defenseman. Kelly began wearing
a
helmet shortly after being traded to Toronto in 1960. “Kelly plays it safe,” proclaimed a safety
brochure distributed in Canadian schools. By 1964, about 200,000 players in the Toronto
Hockey League were wearing the mandated helmets.
Addition of Graphics
In the 1940s, teams began placing colored graphics
on the outside of leather helmets. The first team to do
this was the Los Angeles Rams. They painted blue and
yellow rams horsn on each side of the leather helmet.
Graphics continue to be used by most teams today.
On June 1, 1979, the NHL began requiring anyone
entering the league after that date to wear a helmet.
Existing players could continue to go hatless if they
wished. The last player to play without a helmet in the
NHL was Craig MacTavish of the St. Louis Blues during
the 1996 to 1997 season.
source: http://www.extremeteamsports.com/FootballPop%20Warner/HistoryOfFootballHelmets.htm
Source: http://blog.detroitathletic.com/2011/11/02/a-shortheads-up-history-of-the-hockey-helmet/
source: http://www.bullard.com/V3/products/
head_face/head_protection/Hard_Hat_History/
© Museum of Science
© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere
Modern Football Helmet
Plastic Helmets
The National Football League introduced plastic helmets in the 1940s and 1950s. Plastic
helmets are still used today, though the designs have changed drastically and helped improve
the comfort and safety of the helmets. Some of the helmets used today even containing
electronic monitors that register the impact sustained by the helmet and can alert players
and coaches about potential concussions and brain
damage.
The first helmets widely worn in the NHL were molded plastic helmets imported from Europe.
In the early 1970s, General Electric produced a helmet made of synthetic material called
Lexan. This helmet also featured a suspension system
that kept the head from contacting the outer shell.
Crash Test Engineering
History of Hockey Helmets
3
Like many other athletes, bicyclists first used leather
helmets. By the 1970s some cyclists had taken to wearing
hockey or mountaineering helmets since no hard helmets
specifically designed for cyclists existed. Cyclists saw the
need for head protection, but it was difficult to find light
weight helmets that did not obstruct views and offered
ventilation.
Leather Helmets
Around 1973, a company called Mountain Safety Research,
introduced a modified mountaineering helmet that many cyclists
used. The helmet used cloth webbing attached by side clips
to provide impact absorption. They later added foam inserts
between the webbing straps. The next year, a company called
Bell introduced the first helmet designed from scratch specifically
for bicycling. It used foam as its impact-absorbing material, and
had tapered ventilating inlets, as do most other bicycle helmets
made since.
Modern Bicycle Helmet
Modern Helmets
There are three main types of modern bicycle helmets:
Hardshell: This type of helmet has a hard plastic shell designed to resist penetration by
pointed rocks, curbs, etc. Most skate-style helmets are still made this way.
No-shell: For a short while, in the late 1980s, bicycle helmets were made from an expanded
polystyrene shell covered with thin cloth. This helmet weighed less than other helmets, but
questions arose as to whether the polystyrene might snag on rough pavement during a fall.
This could cause brain and neck injury due to
head rotation. Also, such helmets would
often break apart on impact.
Thin-shell: This type of helmet is covered with a
thin plastic shell. It provides a smooth surface to
avoid snagging on rough pavement, and helps to
hold the helmet together on impact. In
high-end helmets with big vents, reinforcing of
plastic, nylon or more exotic materials is molded
inside the expanded polystyrene. Most helmets
made and sold since 1990 are thin-shell helmets.
Source: http://sheldonbrown.com/helmets.html
1930s Football Helmet
Modern Hockey Helmet
8
History of American Football Helmets
On January 13, 1968, Minnesota’s Bill Masterton hit his
head on the ice and never regained consciousness. His
death remains the only on-ice fatality in National Hockey
League history. Like almost all pro players then, Masterton
wasn’t wearing a helmet. Although many players in the early
days of the sport wore hats, they were just trying to keep
their heads warm, not protected.
Activity
History of Hockey Helmets
Activity
History of Hardhats
Activity
Activity
3
A hundred years ago, the hard hat didn’t exist. Even
fifty years ago, head protection wasn’t widely required
for workers. But, thanks to increased concern and
other advances in safety, the hard hat was created and
improved.
10
9
15
Modern Bicycle Helmet
© Museum of Science
Crash Test Engineering
11
Put a Lid on It
Activity
3
Create Your Safety Helmet
Activity
Guide
Youths will understand:
•
creating and testing their helmet designs will give them information that will help them
fine-tune and improve their final design.
How to Test the Helmet Designs (10 min)
1. Remind everyone that their challenge is to engineer a helmet that will
protect a model head from damage. Show groups the plastic model
head at the Drop Station you prepared. Let them know this is the
head they will be designing a helmet for.
2. Guide the group to think about criteria and constraints for their
helmets. Ask:
• What are some things our helmets should do? Protect the
head.
• What is important to you in a helmet design? It should look
nice, it should be comfortable, it might need to be cheap, etc.
3. Explain to youths that the helmets they are engineering will be used
in a sport where there is a high chance of the wearer falling headfirst. There are a few criteria and constraints that have already been
set for their designs and they can choose to add others to the list if
they would like. Post the Criteria and Constraints Chart. Ask:
• Is there anything you’d like to add?
4. Call attention to the criterion that states that the helmet must be removable.
Explain that students will build their helmets and then move it to the plastic
one for testing. They can start building the helmet on a group member's
head, and check the sizing using the plastic head.
Tip: Groups may
need to rest their
helmets on a cup or
other container when
weighing. Review how
to tare the scale to
zero before weighing
the helmet.
© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere
5. Have everyone turn to Helmet Scoring Sheet, pp. 14-15. Tell them
that this scoring sheet describes how they will evaluate their helmet
designs. Review each of the scoring categories on the sheet, by
explaining the procedures associated with each score:
• Demonstrate how to measure thickness with the caliper.
• Demonstrate how to weigh the helmet with the gram scale.
• Place one paintball inside a small plastic bag and seal it (Double
bagging is recommended). Tape the bag to the top of the model head.
•
Demonstrate how to test for safety by dropping the model head
you prepared earlier. Pull on the fishing line until the head is
raised all the way, then release.
• Explain that the helmet is considered “safe” if it protects the paint
ball from damage.
• Review the price list found in the notebooks on page 12.
6. Allow youths to ask any other questions that have come up.
16
Put a Lid on It
Plan and Create (35 min)
1. Divide everyone into groups of 3-4 (up to 6 groups will work best).
2. Tell youths to turn to pp. 8-11 in their Engineering Notebooks.
Explain that here they can review the history and design of lots of
types of helmets, which they can use to inspire their own designs.
3. Give groups some time to plan their helmet. They can record
thoughts on their Plan Page, p. 13. Once groups show you a
completed Plan Page, have them go to the materials table to collect
their supplies.
4. As groups work, circulate throughout the room, encouraging groups.
Ask questions like:
• Can you tell me about your design?
• What part of your design do you think will work well?
• What do you predict will happen when you test your design?
• What part of your design might need improvement?
5. When groups are done creating, they should weigh and measure
their completed helmets and record their scores on their Helmet
Scoring Sheet, p. 14. They should also calculate and record a total
cost on their Helmet Scoring Sheet, p. 15. When those scores have
been recorded, groups should bring their helmet to the safety testing
station.
6. Every five minutes, let everyone know how much time they have left.
Safety Testing (15 min)
1. Let groups know it’s time to test the safety of their helmets!
2. Have groups begin testing their own helmet designs, rotating so
each group has a chance. Assist groups as they tape a paint ball
to the top of the model head (double bagged), put on their helmet
design, pull the nylon fishing line, and drop the head.
3. Students should gather around and observe each other’s testing
procedures and respectfully share their thoughts about results.
4. The testing group should record the results of their safety test on
their Helmet Scoring Sheet, p. 14 of their Engineering Notebooks.
5. Let groups know that they will have a chance to Improve their
designs next time, so they should keep track of what is working
and what parts of their designs need improvement. Encourage this
thinking by asking questions like:
• Is your design working like you Imagined it would?
• What is working well about your design?
• What parts need improvement?
• What changes might you make tomorrow?
6. When safety testing has been done for each helmet, enlist
everyone’s help in cleaning up the space. Be sure to save the helmet
designs for use next time.
© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere
17
Put a Lid on It
Activity
3 Materials Price Sheet
Material
Price
Cotton Ball
$0.10
Pipe Cleaner
$0.25
Yarn
$0.50/foot
Masking Tape
$0.05/inch
Aluminum Foil
$1.00/sheet
Fabric
$1.00/sheet
Cardboard
$1.00/sheet
Craft Foam Sheet
$1.00/sheet
Batting
$2.00/sheet
Bubble Wrap
$2.00/sheet
Aluminum Tray
$2.00
© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere
18
Crash Test Engineering
Criteria and Constraints Chart for Activity 3
Helmet Design Challenge
•
•
•
•
•
Criteria
Goals that must be achieved
Helmets must protect the head when it
hits the ground (indicated by paint ball
not breaking)
Helmets must be lightweight
Helmets must be low profile (thin)
Helmets must be removable
Helmets should be as inexpensive as
possible
© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere
Constraints
Limits on how you can solve the problem
• Helmets must be made from supplies
purchased at the materials table
19
Crash Test Engineering
Activity
4
Improve Your Safety Helmet Educator
Preview
Overview: Youths use the Improve step of the Engineering Design Process as they adjust
their helmet designs to better meet the criteria.
Note to Educator: Groups will likely be at different stages of the improve process,
which is natural. Encourage groups to work at their own pace and take their time.
Activity Timing:
Introduction: 5 min
Improve:
45 min
Reflect:
10 min
60 min
21st Century Skill
Highlight:
Critical Thinking
Activity 4 Materials
For the whole group
Engineering Design Process poster
Price List, p. 25, this guide
calliper
gram scale
helmet building materials from last
week's lesson
duct tape (regular & printed)
paint balls
sealable plastic bags
helmet testing station (set up like
last week)
For each group of 3-4
1 pair of scissors
1 roll of masking tape
For each youth
Engineering Notebook
Activity 4 Preparation (10 min)
1. Post the Engineering Design Process poster and the Criteria and
Constraints Chart from Activity 3.
2. Lay out the above materials at the materials table.
3. Add the two new items to the Price List by writing them at the
bottom of the chart: Plain Duct Tape ($0.25/inch) and Printed Duct
Tape ($0.50/inch)
4. Secure the new Price List to the table so that youths can refer to it.
5. Have paint balls/bags/tape ready for model testing (remmeber to
double bag the paint balls to prevent leaks)
© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere
20
Put a Lid on It
7. Set up the testing station:
• Tape a plastic tube across the top of a door or another high spot in the room.
• Attach one end of the fishing line to the base of the model head.
• Feed the other end of the fishing line through the plastic tube you have secured to the
door or ceiling.
Criteria and Constraints Chart for Activity 4
Helmet Design Challenge
•
•
•
•
•
Criteria
Goals that must be achieved
Helmets must protect the head when it
hits the ground (indicated by paint ball
not breaking)
Helmets must be lightweight
Helmets must be low profile
Helmets must be removable
Helmets should be as inexpensive as
possible
Constraints
Limits on how you can solve the problem
• Helmets must be made from supplies
purchased at the materials table
Notebook Pages for Activity 4
© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere
21
Put a Lid on It
Activity
4
Improve Your Safety Helmet
Activity
Guide
Youths will understand:
•
•
the Improve step of the Engineering Design Process can be used to refine their
technology.
many different successful solutions exist for a single problem.
Tip: If groups are happy
with their original design
and resist making any
changes, challenge
them to add ear flaps
or a face mask or
to make the helmet
lighter, thinner or less
expensive.
Tip: Encourage
groups to make any
modifications to the
testing procedure that
might reveal new and
interesting information
about their helmet
designs. Some may
want to place paint balls
in various spots around
the head, or try dropping
the head from a lower
height. Allow groups to
try out new things and
explore.
Note: Groups can
improve upon their
original design or create
a new helmet.
© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere
Introduction (5 min)
1. Review where groups are in the process of the design challenge.
Ask:
• How far in the Engineering Design Process do you think we
got last time? We Tested our designs.
• What information can you use from last time to help you
improve your helmet designs?
2. Explain that today groups are challenged to Improve upon their
helmet by decreasing their total assessment score by at least one
point.
3. Have groups reflect back to the challenge criteria. Ask:
• Which helmet properties do you think are the most
important? Helmet must protect the head. Youths may also say
that the helmet should be cheap or comfortable. Guide youths to
think about which properties they may want to focus on for their
helmet improvements.
4. Tell groups that they will have access to additional materials to
complete their improved helmet.These additions include:
• Groups will be able to use duct tape to help hold materials
together.
• Groups will be able to decorate their helmets with printed
duct tape.
5. Show youths that the prices of the new items have been added to the
bottom of the Price List and have youths add those items to the their
own Price Lists in their Engineering Notebooks.
Improving Helmets (45 min)
1. Have youths look at Improved Helmet Plan, p. 16 in their Engineering
Notebooks. Explain that they should use the page to record their
improved design and calculate the cost of their materials.
2. Give groups a few minutes to brainstorm and record a plan for how
they will improve their helmets.
3. After groups have recorded their improved designs in their
Notebooks, they can go to the materials table and begin working.
22
Put a Lid on It
4. As groups are working, ask questions like:
• What did you change about your design and the materials?
• Why do you think the improved design will work better?
• What do you predict will happen when you test your design?
5. Once their improved designs are complete, groups should measure
and score the new helmet in terms of thickness, weight, and cost just
as they had done the previous day.
6. Then, all groups should test the helmet for safety by using the paint
ball drop test. Scores the Improved design should be recorded on
their Improved Helmet Scoring Sheet, pp. 17-18 of their Engineering
Notebooks.
Reflect and Share (10 min
1. Gather the group together and have each team describe the
improvements they made to their helmet designs and how today’s
scoring differed from yesterday’s.
2. As groups share, ask questions like:
• What parts of your helmet did you change?
• How do you know how successful your improvements were?
• If you had more time or other materials, what else might you
do to Improve your helmet design?
3. Remind everyone of the value of trying things more than once and
how important the Improve step is. Ask each group to share some
new things that they learned about making helmets now that they
have spent a second day on the process.
4. Let groups know that next time they will share their work with the
other groups, and play technology jeopardy, time permitting.
© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere
23
Put a Lid on It
Activity
5
Engineering Showcase
Educator
Preview
Overview: Youths use the Communicate steps of the Engineering Design Process as
they present their helmet engineering projects other groups. Then, they will play
Technology Jeopardy.
Note to Educator: The showcase is an opportunity for youths to share their
engineering work with the other groups. If the teams want more time for improvements,
you could choose to usethe beginning of this session. Otherwish, they will play Technology
Jeopardy after presenting their designs.
Activity Timing:
Introduction: 10 min
Plan:
15 min
Communicate: 20 min
Reflect: 10 min
55 min
Activity 5 Materials
For the whole group
Engineering Design Process poster
helmet designs from Activity 4
1 plastic model head with the testing set up (optional)
For each youth
Engineering Notebook
21st Century Skill
Highlight:
Communication
Activity 5 Preparation (5 min)
1. Post the Engineering Design Process poster.
2. Distribute the designs created by each team.
© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere
24
Crash Test Engineering
Notebook Pages for Activity 5
25
Activity
5
Engineering Showcase
Activity
Guide
Youths will understand:
•
•
many different successful solutions exist for a single problem.
communicating their process and their solutions helps bring value to their
work.
Presenting Helmets (10 min)
Remember: the process of sharing should be fun and exciting, not
stressful.
1. Allow each group a chance to present their design. You can have
time questions after each group presents, or at the end of
presentations. Remind students to be respectful & kind in asking
questions or commenting on other groups' designs.
Tip: You can make
the "presentation" as
formal or informal as
your class wants.
Reflect 5 min)
1. Gather everyone in a circle.
2. Congratulate everyone on their engineering work!
3. Give everyone a chance to answer some questions about
their experience:
• What are you most proud of doing as part of this engineering
group?
• What is something from this engineering group that you’ll
always remember?
• Why do you consider yourself an engineer?
• What do you want to engineer next?
© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere
26
Crash Test Engineering
Activity
6
What is Technology?
Educator
Preview
Overview: Youths play Technology Jeopardy to learn about the wide variety of
technologies that engineers design.
Note to Educator: Many people think of technologies as things that are only electronic
or things that are “high-tech.” Technology is actually anything designed by people to help
solve a problem or meet a need.
Activity Timing:
Introduction:
5 min
Technology
Jeopardy:
30 min
Reflect:
5 min
Materials
For the whole group
EDP poster
Technology Jeopardy Game Powerpoint and (ideally) a computer that
will play and project the game
(optional) Technology Jeopardy Game, p. 9 of this guide
40 min
21st Century Skill
Highlight:
Critical thinking
Activity 6 Preparation
1. Be sure to have a projector (if available) that will allow youth to see
the Technology Jeopardy game.
2. Alternately, if you cannot play and project the electronic gameboard,
draw a Jeopardy Game Chart on the board as shown on the next
page. You can also use the Technology Jeopardy Game, p. 9 of this
guide, to help you ask the questions.
3. Post the Engineering Design Process poster.
© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere
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Put a Lid on It
Chart for Activity 6
Jeopardy Game Chart
If you are not using the electronic Jeopardy Game Powerpoint, prepare the following
chart.
Technology in
the Classroom
10
20
30
40
50
Technology
Through History
10
20
30
40
50
Helmets
Technology
10
20
30
40
50
Technology at
Home
10
20
30
40
50
Which is Tech?
10
20
30
40
50
Daily Double Rules:
1. Only the group that picked the “Daily Double” question can answer.
2. The group must wager some or all of their points BEFORE seeing the question.
3. The group picks the next question whether or not they answer correctly.
28
Activity
6
What is Technology?
Activity
Guide
Youths will learn:
•
•
•
that technology is anything engineered by people to help solve a problem or meet a
need.
engineers design and improve technologies.
there are opportunities to improve existing technologies.
Tip: Using the term
engineer will help
youths become more
comfortable with it!
If youths are having
trouble understanding
what it means to
engineer something,
let them know that
words like invent,
design, and improve
can have a similar
meaning.
Introduction (5 min)
1. Tell youths that they will use what they have learned to think about
the many other things that engineers design.
2. Guide youths to think about the word technology. Ask:
• What do you think technology is? Encourage all answers and
examples.
3. Let youths know that you have a definition of technology you’d like
to share. Write the following on the board: Technology is any thing
that is human made that solves a problem or fulfills a desire.
4. Ask:
• Is there anything about this definition that surprises you
Tip: A rock, leaf, or
any other natural
• Can you share some more examples of technology? If youths
objects on their own
struggle refer them back to the definition you posted. Encourage
are not technologies.
them to think of non-electronic things or common objects that
If people turn those
solve problems or meet needs.
objects into tools,
5. Point out to youths that, as shown by the technologies they have
however, they could
become technologies!
shared, they use many different technologies in their lives! Engineers
For example, using
design all of these different technologies.
a rock to grind corn
6. Tell youths that in the rest of today’s activity they’ll play a game
or making it into an
of Technology Jeopardy in which they’ll need to think about the
arrow head makes the
problems that various technologies solve.
rock a technology.
Technology Jeopardy (30 min)
1. Let youths work in groups of 3-4 for Jeopardy.
2. Project the Technology Jeopardy game or use the paper-based
version.
3. Play the game by allowing a group to pick a question. The first group
to raise their hand and correctly answer the question will “win” the
associated points.
4. If you are using the paper-based version with a chart on the
board, erase or ‘X’ out the point value when the question has
been answered. The electronic version will automatically gray-out
questions that have already been used.
Reflect (5 min)
© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere
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1. When all questions have been answered or your group is almost
out of time, have youths summarize what they learned during this
activity. Ask:
• After doing this activity, what would you tell others about
technology? About engineers?
• Did any of the technologies that were answers surprise you?
Why?
2. If youths don’t mention the ideas listed below, underscore the
following important points:
• Technology is anything human-made that solves a problem or
fulfills a desire.
• Engineers are people who create or improve technologies.
• They have the ability to engineer technologies. They are
engineers!
3. Thank the students for their participation in this lesson/session and
encourage them to continue with the program when it is offered
again. Allow them to ask any final questions of the volunteers.
© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere
30
Put a Lid on It
50 points
This technology is
interactive and used to
display information in the
classroom.
• What is a smartboard?
40 points
Tweelve inches are usually
marked on one of these
technologies used to
measure lengths of objects.
What are rulers?
30 points
Many students use these
technologies, often made of
fabric, to carry things to and
from school.
• What are backpacks?
20 points
These technologies are
records of words printed on
to paper.
• What are books?
10 points
This technology holds a
piece of graphite that allows
you to write.
• What is a pencil?
Technology in the
Classroom
50 points
Years ago we used candles
to solve this problem, while
today we use electricity.
• What is creating light/
seeing in the dark?
*DAILY DOUBLE*
Today you use a calculator
to solve this problem, but
years ago you would have
used an abacus.
• What is solving math
problems?
30 points
Years ago, a compass
solved this problem, while
today we use a GPS device.
• What is finding location/
directions?
20 points
Writing letters becomes less
and less common now that
texting and emailing helps
us with this task.
• What is communicating
or sending messages?
10 points
Years ago, a horse and
buggy solved this problem,
while today we use cars and
planes.
• What is transportation?
Technology through
History
50 points
These different areas or
portions of the brain could be
damaged if a helmet is not
designed properly.
• What are lobes?
40 points
This helmet, often seen on
construction sites as a yellow,
plastic version, usually has a
suspension system to hold the
helmet off the head.
• What is a hard hat?
30 points
Many years ago this helmet
was made from leather, today it
features a hard plastic shell to
protect players during tackles.
• What is a football helmet?
20 points
This type of helmet has
multiple vents in it to allow air
to flow onto the head as you
pedal.
• What is a bicycle helmet?
10 points
Wearing the technology known
as a helmet can help you avoid
this traumatic brain injury.
• What is a concussion?
Helmet Technology
50 points
*DAILY DOUBLE*
This technology, often found in Wind or fan?
cook books, lists out the steps • What is fan?
required to create a certain
type of food.
• What are recipes?
40 points
Opening a closed door is no
easy task without using this
technology.
• What is a doorknob/door
handle?
30 points
Something’s clogging the
drain? This technology, made
of a suction cup and stick, can
help you.
• What is a plunger?
20 points
Most versions of this
technology use suction and
rotating brushes to help you
clean floors.
• What is a vacuum?
10 points
This technology, much faster
than an oven, uses waves to
heat up food.
• What is a microwave?
Technology at Home
40 points
Cough syrup or water?
• What is cough
syrup?
30 points
Reading glasses or
eyes?
• What are reading
glasses?
20 points
A bicycle or a bird’s
beak?
• What is a bicycle?
10 points
Computer or the sun?
• What is computer?
Which is Tech?
Put a Lid on It
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© Museum of Science
Engineering Everywhere