Exploring Design & Engineering
The following contextual learning units include a day-by-day teacher planning guide, classroom activites and evaluation strategies. Each unit is a CD-ROM with PDF files. Activities and student handouts can be printed.
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Pack it Up... Ship it Out!
Product # EDE-01
$39.99
Students explore the purpose and role of packaging and packaging engineering, the manufacturing process and the packaging industry. They learn about surface area and volume, materials, marketing strategies and safey and environmental issues. The students also make paper and glue and test their strength, durabiltiy and ease of use. They create packaging patterms through the use of computers and Microsoft Office software. The final stage of the unit challenges the students to design, model and test a complex package of their own.
The drawing capabilities of Microsoft Word® are used to layout some packaging projects.
Community by Design
Product # EDE-02
$39.99
Three major activities are explored in this unit: traffic control, sound barriers and bridges. Students redesign a problematic intersection in their own community, build a model of the intersection, and simulate traffic signals using computer control. Students learn about the effect of highway noise on communities and build their own model sound barrier. Finally, they study the forces that act on a bridge and use the West Point Bridge Designer software to analyze bridge designs, followed by constructing their own bridge out of Checkcard. The unit culminates in a Big Challenge of the teacher's and students' choice.
West Point Bridge Designer software is available as a free download on the web.
The Big Thrill! Dream it, Plan it, Build it
Product # EDE-03
$39.99
Students design and build a model of a new theme park. First, they explore the planning process, the development of land and how to create scale drawings. They then test the strength of structural members, build structures and work with engineered textiles. Next they investigate mechanisms and motion, pneumatics and hydraulics, and how to use Control Station to control rides. The students complete the unit by designing and building a model of their own theme park, including model rides, fountains, eating areas and the circuitry and programs that control them.
Ready... Set... Sail!
Product # EDE-04
$39.99
Students dive into the world of marine activity in the design of yachts and marinas. They learn about the marine industry and about the work of yacht and marina engineers. The students investigate fluid mechanics, buoyancy, center of gravity and other principles of boating. They also learn about the Global Positioning System (GPS), how to use three dimensional (3D) design software to design a boat hull and simulate its performance in water. They complete the Big Challenge by designing, modeling and testing a yacht and a marina.
This unit uses Pro/DESKTOP® software, and the Boat Tutorial (1.9MB) and Boat Design Files (1.3MB) on the PTC Design and Technology For Schools Teacher Resources webpages.
Xtreme Automata
Product # EDE-05
$39.99
Students investigate mechanisms and electrical circuits to build automata - mechanical toys that are ususally made out of wood and metal and are commonly based on a humorous theme. The students learn about electronic control, electronic circuit design and construction, how to troubleshoot a circuit and how to create a program using PIC-Logicator software. The students then design their automata, manufacture and construct the mechanical parts, build thier toy and PIC-Logicator software to control it.
PIC-Logicator is available through Economatics
Capstone Course
Product # EDE-06
$39.99