Integrated K‐12 STEM Education: Unpacking the S, T, E and M in a Hands‐on Design Activity
Dr Bernardo A. Leόn de la Barra and Miss Sarah Lyden (School of Engineering and ICT, http://www.utas.edu.au/stem)
University of Tasmania
Australia
24 May 2014
In this workshop, participants will be taken through the process of unpacking the
scientific, technological, engineering, and mathematical concepts which are relevant to
the design and construction of a simple terrestrial vehicle built using low‐cost materials.
Ways on how to address the integration of trans‐disciplinary knowledge in the areas of
Science, Mathematics and Engineering in the context of this design task will be
explored. Participants will be able to identify the benefits of implementing this sort of
integration in their own classroom settings.
The presentation will be pitched at the middle school grade levels (5 to 8) but
simplifications for earlier grades and extensions for later grades may also be outlined,
respectively.
STEM Integration in K‐12 Education: Key Contributions Come from the USA
STEM Integration in K‐12 Education Video (3.5 min), March 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlPJ48simtE&feature=player_embedded
STEM Integration in K‐12 Education Report, March 2014
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=18612
Engineering Design in the USA’s Next Generation Science Standards
Engineering Design in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS): Appendix I
http://www.nextgenscience.org/next‐generation‐science‐standards
The NGSS represent a commitment to integrate engineering design into the structure of
science education by raising engineering design to the same level as scientific inquiry when
teaching science disciplines at all levels, from kindergarten to grade 12. There are both
practical and inspirational reasons for including engineering design as an essential element of
science education
It is anticipated that the insights gained and interests provoked from studying and engaging in
the practices of science and engineering during their K‐12 schooling should help students see
how science and engineering are instrumental in addressing major challenges that confront
society today, such as generating sufficient energy, preventing and treating diseases,
maintaining supplies of clean water and food, and solving the problems of global
environmental change
Engineering Design in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS): Appendix I
http://www.nextgenscience.org/next‐generation‐science‐standards
Providing students a foundation in engineering design allows them to better engage in and
aspire to solve the major societal and environmental challenges they will face in the decades
ahead
In the K–12 context, “science” is generally taken to mean the traditional natural sciences:
physics, chemistry, biology, and (more recently) earth, space, and environmental sciences
We use the term “engineering” in a very broad sense to mean any engagement in a systematic
practice of design to achieve solutions to particular human problems
Likewise, we broadly use the term “technology” to include all types of human‐made systems
and processes—not in the limited sense often used in schools that equates technology with
modern computational and communications devices. Technologies result when engineers
apply their understanding of the natural world and of human behaviour to design ways to
satisfy human needs and wants
Interdependence of Science, Engineering and Technology Video [5.5 min]
(as explained by Paul Andersen, High School Science Teacher, Bozeman, USA)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be3G0IHO_4Y&list=PLllVwaZQkS2rtZG_L7ho89oFsaYL3kUWq
The Engineering Design Process: NASA and Museum of Science (Boston, USA)
Engineering design process PD video series and educator guides http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/best/edp.html
An Integrated STEM Perspective on a Hands‐On Car Crashes Activity
“Understanding Car Crashes: It’s Basic Physics” Video [22 min], by Dr Griffith Jones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUpiV2I_IRI
“Understanding Car Crashes: When Physics Meets Biology” Video [24 min], by Dr Griffith Jones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi2FEyV2Z2E
More Teaching Resources from Dr Griffith Jones’ Homepage at the College of Education, University of Florida
http://education.ufl.edu/gjones/
NSTA’s The Science Teacher, January 2013, pp. 32‐36
“Understanding Car Crashes: It’s Basic Physics” Teacher’s guide for grades 9‐12
http://education.ufl.edu/gjones/files/2013/04/teachers_guidePhysics.pdf
“Understanding Car Crashes: When Physics Meets Biology” Teacher’s guide for grades 9‐12
http://education.ufl.edu/gjones/files/2012/09/teachers_guideBioPhysics.pdf
The hands‐on car crashes activity that will be presented in this workshop has been linked to the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics and Science (version 4.0). Full mapping details are available online in the following link
http://www.utas.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/358310/stem_program_links_with_australian_curriculum_04_feb_2013.pdf
Typical Low‐Cost Materials Used in a Hands‐On Car Crashes Activity
Building and Testing Egg Crash Cars
Key Science Concepts
Acceleration
·Δ
Energy
Force
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2
Friction
Gravity
Impulse
Inertia
Mass
Newton’s laws
Speed
Weight 2
Key Mathematics Concepts
Angles (in a triangle)
Parallel and perpendicular (force) components
Average
Protractor
Cosine
Pythagoras theorem
Distance
Sine
Graph
Slope
Hypotenuse
Speed
Inclination
Stopwatch
Measurement
Tangent
Outliers
Vectors
Right angle triangles
Weight
Connections with Vehicle Safety Engineering Research
Safety Features in Modern Cars
http://www.physics.hku.hk/~phys0607/lectures/chap04.html
Safety Cage
http://www.shattuckauto.com/Oakland‐Berkeley‐auto‐body‐blog/wp‐content/uploads/2012/10/Auto‐safety‐cage.jpg
Different Outside Views of a Crash Car Prepared by a Teacher
Different Inside Views of a Crash Car Prepared by a Teacher
Different Views of a Crash Car Built by Middle School Students
Thank you and Safe Driving!
Integrated K-12 STEM Education: Unpacking
the S, T, E and M in a Hands-on Design
Activity
Worksheets and supporting materials
Dr Bernardo A. Leόn de la Barra and Miss Sarah Lyden (School of Engineering and ICT,
http://www.utas.edu.au/stem)
University of Tasmania
Australia
24 May 2014
1
Car Design:
Sketch car design below
Brainstorm:
Links with the mathematics curriculum?
2
Egg-crash cars lesson plan (as used by the School of Engineering and ICT STEM Education and
Outreach Team)
TARGET GRADE LEVEL: 4 – 8
To cater for different age groups customise the theoretical focus.
KEY CONCEPTS:
-
Forces
Newton’s Laws
Engineering Design Process
LINKS TO AUSTRALIAN SCIENCE CURRICULUM:
Foundation – (Physical Sciences) The way objects move depends on a variety of factors, including
their size and shape
Year 2 - (Physical Sciences) A push or a pull affects how an object moves or changes shape
Year 4 - (Physical Sciences) Forces can be exerted by one object on another through direct contact or
from a distance.
Year 7 - (Physical Sciences) Change to an object's motion is caused by unbalanced forces acting on
the object; Earth's gravity pulls objects towards the centre of the Earth
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED:
-
Crash Car Ramps & Brackets
Crash Car Materials
Eggs (Soft & Hard boiled)
Balloon Car Materials for building a car/(egg enclosure)
Example cars and Parachutes
A big brick or something for the cars to crash into
Stopwatch
Glue guns
PREPARATION:
PRE-SESSION PREPARATION:
-
Copy the chassis templates
Ensure sufficient plastic wheels and axles are available
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SETUP AND ROOM ORIENTATION:
Get track set up off to the side where it won’t be in the way. Have example cars & parachutes ready
to show and all relevant car building equipment arranged on the desk at the front of the room. Setup
glue guns at the back of the room.
LESSON PLAN:
INTRODUCTION:
Ask the students what they know about forces. Put up the ideas they present on the whiteboard
and retain until the end of the session. Encourage students to present ideas and record all ideas on
the board.
A force is a push or pull on an object.
Rub your hands together. Do they get warm? Yes! This is because of the friction force.
Ask the students if they can think of any forces, in particular
o
Pressure
o
Gravity
o
Friction
Pressure force – like a balloon – each side of the balloon is pushing in on the air inside the
balloon and forcing it out creating pressure forces.
Friction force – heat produced by two surfaces rubbing on each other. Friction turns kinetic
energy into heat energy.
Gravity force – the force of the earth pulling you in towards the centre.
Ask students what they know about engineering and engineers. Based upon their responses provide
a brief introduction to engineering. Explain that engineers design things to make our lives easier.
Explain the types of engineering that we are involved in. Tell the students that today they are going
to be engineers.
SESSION ACTIVITIES:
PART 1: EGG CRASH CARS
BUILDING THE CAR:
1. Tell the students that today we are going to make a vehicle that will be traveling down a
steep incline. (Indicate the ramp at the back of the room) Their job as engineers today is to
design and construct a car that will protect an egg when travelling down the incline.
2. Ask students to identify some of the safety features in cars that save people in crashes –
such as seatbelts, airbags, crumple zones, etc. (We will be looking at these things in more
detail as the session progresses)
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3. Provide students with the simple templates and get them to get out and construct their car.
If they complete this quickly encourage them to decorate as they go. Also provide them
with 2 green axles and four white wheels to attach to their car at this stage.
THE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS:
1. Explain to students that what we will be doing today will be using some of the steps of the
engineering design process.
2. Draw the engineering design process up on the board and explain to students that we have
identified the problem – protecting the egg and we now need to brainstorm, design, build
and test our solutions.
THE DESIGN CHALLENGE:
1. Tell students that the rules of the design challenge today are:
a. They can use any material that they can find/we can provide them with
b. Wheels must roll, and not slide down the track
c. We need to be able to easily check the egg at the end of the track and remove it
d. Once the car starts down the track you can’t touch or correct its path
2. Ask students to design what they want to do with the car on a piece of paper first then
collect equipment to complete this. Give students approximately 30 – 40 minutes to
complete this task.
TESTING THE CARS:
1. Gather all students around the testing ramp. Test each car going down the ramp. Only
place an egg in each car just before it is going down the ramp and instructors are the only
people to handle the eggs.
2. Record how many eggs break.
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UNDERSTANDING THE MOVEMENT OF THE CARS:
1. Get students to return to the tables and discuss some of the things that worked well and
why. Also get them to identify the forces acting on the car.
Important concepts to convey:
−
−
Concept of force due to gravity and how it generates acceleration down an incline.
The driving force comes from gravity.
Concept of inertia: an object’s ability to resist a change in linear or angular velocity.
This is the reason we need to wear seatbelts!
2. Newton’s laws: Who has heard of a very famous person called Sir Isaac Newton? He has
three laws which are known all around the world.
•
1) Nothing will happen to an object until a force is acting on it.
•
2) F = ma: [we can talk about this in respect to gravity and propulsion]
•
3) every action has an equal and opposite reaction
3. For older students and more advanced groups consider the force diagram below:
4. Ask the students if they know what energy is.
Energy (comes from Greek) is a physical quantity that describes the amount of work that can be
performed by a force. For instance, if you lift something up then you are doing work, so the object
will gain energy. This is called potential energy. When something is moving it also has energy. This
is called kinetic energy. Other forms of energy are things like sound, heat, etc. Remind them that
energy is only ever converted it is not created or destroyed.
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5. Ask the students what energy changes they think are taking place as the car travels down
the ramp. Draw a picture up on the board and indicate energy changes as the car moves
down.
Basically, the energy change is from potential to kinetic to sound and heat (when the car stops).
Include more detail for older students.
IMPROVING THE CARS:
1. Return to the engineering design process and explain to students that we are now up to the
redesign stage. Engineers may redesign a solution many times until they find the best
solution.
2. Explain that this time we will have a steeper incline and go from a higher point up the ramp,
so everyone will probably need to make some modifications to their car to protect the egg.
Also as an added challenge say that if none of the eggs break going down the track then we
will run an egg down by itself so that they can see what happens.
3. Give students 10 – 20 minutes to redesign.
TESTING THE CARS AGAIN:
1. Once again gather all students around the testing ramp. Test each car going down the ramp.
Only place an egg in each car just before it is going down the ramp and instructors are the
only people to handle the eggs.
2. Record how many eggs break. If no eggs break put a single egg down the ramp by itself to
show the students what happens.
CONCLUDE ACTIVITY:
1. Return to desks and get students to explain what was happening with the cars and the ideas
that worked well. Get them to explain to us what forces are and what energy changes were
taking place. Ask if they have any further questions about their cars, forces, inertia, energy,
etc.
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Links with the Australian Mathematics Curriculum:
Foundation:
Measurement and Geometry
Location and Transformation
o Describe Position and Movement
Year 1:
Measurement and Geometry
Using units of measurement:
o Measure and compare the lengths and capacities of pairs of objects using uniform
information units
Shape:
o Recognise and classify familiar two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional
objects using obvious features
Year 2:
Measurement and Geometry
Using units of measurement:
o Compare and order several shapes and objects based on length, area, volume and
capacity using appropriate uniform informal units
o Compare masses of objects using balance scales
Shape:
o Describe and draw two-dimensional shapes, with and without digital technologies
o Describe the features of three-dimensional objects
Statistics and Probability
Data representation and interpretation:
o Identify a question of interest based on one categorical variable. Gather data
relevant to the question
o Collect, check and classify data
o Create displays of data using lists, table and picture graphs and interpret them
Year 3:
Measurement and Geometry
Using units of Measurement:
o Measure, order and compare objects using familiar metric units of length, mass and
capacity
Shape:
o Make models of three-dimensional objects and describe key features
Location and Transformation:
o Identify symmetry in the environment
Geometric Reasoning:
o Identify angles as measures of turn and compare angle sizes in everyday situations
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Statistics and Probability
Data Representation and interpretation:
o Identify questions or issues for categorical variables. Identify data sources and plan
methods of data collection and recording
o Collect data, organise into categories and create displays using lists, tables, picture
graphs and simple column graphs, with and without the use of digital technologies
o Interpret and compare data displays
Year 4:
Measurement and Geometry
Using units of Measurement:
o Use scaled instruments to measure and compare lengths, masses, capacities and
temperatures
o Compare objects using familiar metric units of area and volume
Shape:
o Compare the areas of regular and irregular shapes by informal means
Geometric reasoning:
o Compare angles and classify them as equal to, greater than or less than a right angle
Statistics and Probability
Data representation and interpretation:
o Select and trial methods for data collection, including survey questions and recording
sheets
o Construct suitable data displays with and without the use of digital technologies,
from given or collected data. Include tables, column graphs and picture graphs
where one picture can represent many data values
o Evaluate the effectiveness of different displays in illustrating data features including
variability
Year 5:
Measurement and Geometry
Using units of Measurement:
o Choose appropriate units of measurement for length, area, volume, capacity and
mass
o Calculate the perimeter and area of rectangles using familiar metric units
Shape:
o Connect three-dimensional objects with their nets and other two-dimensional
representations
Geometric Reasoning:
o Estimate, measure and compare angles using degrees. Construct angles using a
protractor
Statistics and Probability
Data representation and interpretation:
o Pose questions and collect categorical or numerical data by observation or survey
o Construct displays, including column graphs, dot plots and tables, appropriate for
data type, with and without the use of digital technologies
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o
Describe and interpret different data sets in context
Year 6:
Measurement and Geometry
Using units of Measurement:
o Solve problems involving the comparison of lengths and areas using appropriate units
Geometric Reasoning:
o Investigate, with and without digital technologies, angles on a straight line, angles at
a point and vertically opposite angles. Use results to find unknown angles
Statistics and Probability
Data representation and interpretation:
o Interpret and compare a range of data displays, including side-by-side column graphs
for two categorical variables
Year 7:
Measurement and Geometry
Shape:
o Draw different views of prisms and solids formed from combination of prisms
Statistics and Probability
Data representation and interpretation:
o Calculate mean, median, mode and range for sets of data. Interpret these statistics in
the context of data.
o Describe and interpret data displays using median, mean and range
Year 8:
Statistics and Probability
Data representation and interpretation:
o Investigate techniques for collecting data, including census, sampling and observation
o Investigate the effect of individual data values, including outliers, on the mean and
median
Year 9:
Number and Algebra
Linear and non-linear relationships:
o Graph simple non-linear relations with and without the use of digital technologies
and solve simple related problems
Measurement and Geometry
Pythagoras and trigonometry:
o Investigate Pythagoras’ theorem and its application to solving simple problems
involving right angled triangles
o Use similarity to investigate the constancy of the sine, cosine and tangent ratios for a
given angle in right-angled triangles
o Apply trigonometry to solve right-angled triangle problems
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Year 10:
Number and Algebra
Linear and non-linear relationships:
o Solve problems involving linear equations, including those derived from formulas
o Explore the connection between algebraic and graphical representations of relations
such as simple quadratics, circles and exponentials using digital technology as
appropriate
Measurement and Geometry
Pythagoras and trigonometry:
o Solve right-angled triangle problems including those involving direction and angles of
elevation and depression
Statistics and Probability
Data representation and interpretation
o Use scatter plots to investigate and comment on relationships between two
numerical variables
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