Introducing Engineering into Texas State Math and Science Curricula

Abigail C. Perkins and Carol L. StuessyTexas A&M University, College Station

November 10, 2011

SSMA 2011Colorado Springs, CO

Mission StatementTo increase high school teachers’ and students’ literacy about

earthquake engineering by integrating appropriate knowledge, skills, and tools into STEM mathematics and science classrooms.

Phases of EEEP

Phase 1. Design Team– Develop, field-test, and revise materials

Phase 2. Teacher Workshop– Integrating innovation into STEM classrooms

Phase 1: Design Team Overview

• Foundation for 2012 EEEP Teacher Workshop– July 18-23, 2011– Texas A&M University

• Earthquake engineering-based instructional materials

Phase 1: Design Team BackgroundTeam Member

Science Math Civil Engineering

Sci. Ed. Interdisc.

H. S. Teachers (3)

Earth Sci. (1)Physics (2)

Algebra II, Calculus (1)

Professors (2) (1) (1)

Students (6) Masters (2)Undergrad (1)

Ph.D. (2) Ph.D. (1)

Distributed Expertise:• Diverse backgrounds• Conducive to authentic development

Phase 1: Design Team Objectives

• Provide hands-on, minds-on experience about:– Roles of the engineer– Integrated STEM domains

• Produce:– Recommendations for workshop activities– Classroom lessons

Phase 1 Product: Classroom Lesson Example

Risk Awareness The epicenter of an earthquake

occurs X mi away from a bullet train traveling at 220 mph. If they’re traveling in opposite directions, and the earthquake propagates with a speed of Y mph, calculate the impulse of the collision. How many people would survive?

Seismic hazard map of the southeastern U.S. provided by the U.S. Geological Survey http://usgs.gov/ hazards

Phase 1 Product: Graph Analysis LessonTitle of Lesson Earthquake: Graph Analysis

Learning Question What one can learn from graphs?

Student Performance Expectation

a) Construct /analyze position-time graphb) Construct /analyze a product of exponential decay

function and periodic motionc) Richter scale literacy

Key Understandings a) Slope as a rate of changeb) Amplitude and its relation to energyc) Common logarithm and its applications

Lesson Synopsis The students will be using worksheets with some data representations

TEKS IPC: 2C, 2D, 3C, 4A, PHYSICS 2A, 2C, 7A, 7B, 7C,

Learning Resources Worksheets

Phase 1 Product: Harmonic Motion LessonTitle of Lesson Harmonic MotionLearning Question What is harmonic motion and why it is important to study

this type of motionStudent Performance Expectation

a) Differentiate translational and harmonic motionb) Identify important parameters describing harmonic

motionc) How to construct a position-time graph that describes

periodic motion

Key Understandings a) Period of motion, frequencyb) Amplitude of motionc) The idea of damped oscillation

Lesson Synopsis The students will be using physics simulations to conceptualize the properties of harmonic motion

TEKS IPC: 2C, 2D, 3C, 4A, PHYSICS 2A, 2C, 7A, 7B, 7C,

Learning Resources http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/mass-spring-lab

Phase 1: Feedback“Now I can explain a lot better as to

why buildings fail and show how engineers can test and make structures that will not fail -or at least stay in one piece and not hurt people.  Now I can incorporate the engineering part into a lesson so that it will become a true STEM lesson for my kiddos.”

-Design Team Teacher, Earth Science

Phase 2: Teacher Workshop Overview

• Goal: Enable participants to design and implement materials integrating earthquake engineering into their own classrooms

• 24 teachers• Texas A&M University– June 10-16, 2012

• Provisions

Phase 2: Content Focus

• Earthquake engineers minimize risk– link natural w/ designed environments

• Learners’ “needs to know” • Urban infrastructure components:–Water– Transportation– Communication– Power

Phase 2: Component Interconnectivity

Phase 2: What Teachers May Expect

• Social learning• Networked

communications portal• Exemplary models of

teaching

Exemplary Activity Example:Jell-O and Broccoli Simulation

• Simulates how structures respond to earthquakes

• Manually shake table to mimic earthquake

• Attached sensors generate graphical representations

Summary: The Future of EEEP

EEEP aims to create a workshop that will benefit teachers by:

• Contextualizing earthquake engineering into STEM• Lesson plans– Individualized– Field-tested

• Elucidating the science and math of everyday life• Collaborating• Integrate models and simulations

Acknowledgements• Design team

Professors, teachers, students• EEEP developers and facilitators

Drs. Carol Stuessy and Gary Fry• Major support for EEEP is provided by the National Science

Foundation

• Design team 2011 and teacher 2012 workshops hosted by

Questions?Comments?

Recommendations?Criticisms?