Put a Lid On It: Engineering Safety Helmets

Written by the Engineering is Elementary® TeamIllustrated by Ross Sullivan-Wiley

Biomechanical Engineering for Out-of-School Time • Grades 6–8

Put a Lid On It: Engineering Safety Helmets

Engineering Everywhere

© 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 Science1 Science Park Boston, MA 02114Written by the Engineering is Elementary Team

Project Director:Christine Cunningham

Research and Evaluation:Christine GentryJonathan HertelCathy LachapelleQuinn SalleeChristopher San Antonio-TunisMuhammad ShamsSang ShinStephen Sullivan

Multimedia:Elizabeth ManteyMichelle MiznerJean Towns

Sales:Emily EpplerLaura HigginsKate Sokol

Curriculum Development:Owen BerlinerMartha DavisMichelle DiIesoMelissa HigginsKaty LaguzzaJulieann MasseyNatacha MeyerTania TauerIan Burnette

Professional Development:Chantal BalesdentValerie CostaErin FitzgeraldMartha HassElissa JordanElise MorganCorey NiemannKristin SargianisRoger Skophammer

Partnership:Max SiegelShannon McManusSharlene Yang

Interns and Consultants:Carolyn DeCristofanoAmy HachigianNia Gipson

Outreach:Cynthia Berger

Support for this project has been generously provided by i2 Camp.

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Here’s an overview of the activities in this unit and how they all fit together.

Activity 2: BrainsYouths learn about the lobes of the brain and the functions they control, and think about helmets designed for different activities.

Activity 1: Pasta PackageYouths explore ways to protect fragile pasta from breaking upon drop impact.

Prep Activity 1: Humpty DumptyYouths are introduced to engineering and the Engineering Design Process as they work in teams to engineer a wall that will support Humpty-dumpty.

Unit Map

Activity 3: Create Your HelmetEngineering teams Plan, Create, and Test their first helmet design.

Activity 4: Improve Your HelmetTeams 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.

WEEK 1

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

WEEK 4

WEEK 5

WEEK 6

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Table of Contents

Prep Activity 1: Humpty Dumpty 1

Activity 6: What is Technology? Technology Jeopardy

Activity 1: Pasta Package9Activity 2: Brains14Activity 3: Create Your Helmet20Activity 4: Improve Your Helmet24Activity 5: Engineering Showcase27

Activities

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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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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.

Each Activity Includes:

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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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BackgroundBiomechanical EngineeringBiomechanical 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.

HelmetsAccording 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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What is Engineering?

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 tomake the eggs look more like the Humpty Dumpty character). Be surethe 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 nextpage.

For the whole groupEngineering Design Process poster 1 timer1 marker6 plastic eggs (filled with jelly beans)

For each group of 2-340 index cards1 pair of scissors1 roll of masking tape1 ruler

For each youthEngineering Notebook

Activity Timing:Identify: 5 minCreate: 30 minTest 15 minReflect: 5 min

55 min

21st Century Skill Highlight:Collaboration

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.

Educator Preview

Put a Lid on It© Museum of ScienceEngineering Everywhere

Prep Activity 1 Materials

Prep

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Chart for Prep Activity 1

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Criteria ConstraintsGoals that must be achieved Limits on how you can solve the

problemHumpty (the egg) must be able to sit on top of the wall for at least 10 seconds.

The wall must be at least 10 inches high, 2 inches wide, and 4 inches long (see below).

You are limited to 40 index cards and a roll of tape.

You can’t tape your wall to the table.

You have 25 minutes.

Criteria and Constraints Chart

4 inches2 inches10

inch

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Notebook Pages for Prep Activity 1

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!

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 engineeringchallenge 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 thatyouths will work in engineering groups to build a wall that their eggcan 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 givegroups 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 realizethat criteria are things that the wall must do while constraints arelimitations on how the wall is made.

8. If the answers to some questions are not addressed by the Criteriaand Constraints Chart (such as: does it matter how our wall looks)either decide the group doesn’t need to worry about them or addthem to the chart if the whole group agrees with on them.

Create (30 min)

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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.

What is Engineering? Activity Guide

Put a Lid on It

Prep

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1. Pass out 40 index cards, masking tape, a ruler, and a pair of scissorsto 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 waysof using the cards, different heights and widths, etc.

2. Point out that every group engineered a different solution. Inengineering, there are always many solutions to the same problem.

3. Tell groups they are going to watch as everyone tests their wall. Afterplacing Humpty on their wall, each group must recite all of the linesto 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 metthe criteria, ask:• How would you improve your design if you had more time?

Reflect (5 min1. 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 areengineers! Let them know they will continue to use the EngineeringDesign 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, paddedclothes, etc.

5. Let youths know that in the rest of the unit they’ll be thinking moreabout materials and designs for helmets to protect things that fall.

6. Give youths a few moments to fill out My Engineering Profile, p. 4 intheir Engineering Notebooks. They will return to this at the end of theunit to identify the engineering skills they have learned or improved.


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.

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Pasta Package

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 canbe shaped into an oval. The resulting model is the size, weight, andtexture of a real human brain.

4. Decide where you would like the testing area to be. Use tape tomake a mark about 5 feet high on the wall.

For the whole groupEngineering Design Process poster1 box extra jumbo pasta shells1 box of potato flakes1 gallon-sized bag1 calipersand, 8oz cup to measure8 fold-top plastic sandwich bags100 cotton balls25 pipe cleanerbubble wrapcraft foam(optional) 1 helmet (football, bicycle, any type available)

For each group of 2-31 pair of scissors

1 roll of masking tapeFor each youth

Engineering Notebook

Activity Timing:Introduction: 10 minExplain Rules 5 minCreate: 30 minReflect: 5 min

50 min

21st Century Skill Highlight:Creativity

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.

Educator Preview

Crash Test Engineering© Museum of ScienceEngineering Everywhere

Activity 1 Materials

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You are welcome to bring in a helmet if you have one for the students to examine - but this is completely optional.

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Notebook Pages for Activity 1

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.

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 technologiesengineers have designed. Show youths your example helmet, or justask 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 ofprotecting the skull and brain, so they are technologies.

• Why do you think engineering helmets is an importantchallenge? Without helmets people aren’t able to protect theirbrains in dangerous situations and could cause permanentdamage.

3. Tell youths that their main challenge will be engineering a helmet toprotect a model brain.

4. Hold up the brain model you prepared. Explain that the model isabout the size, weight, and texture of the human brain. Ask:• What do you think would happen to this brain model if I

dropped it on the floor• What kinds of protection do our brains naturally have? The

skull, hair, fluid between the brain and the skull.• How good do you think the skull is at protecting the brain?

Why do you think so? Accept all responses.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 modelbrain 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.


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.

Pasta Package Activity Guide

Crash Test Engineering

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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.

3. Show youths the 5 foot tape mark on the wall. Explain that this is thetesting area. Have a volunteer hold the model you made at the 5 footmark 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 wouldlike, their package designs cannot be larger than 3 inches in anydirection. 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 designat the testing station. After testing, they should carefully look to seewhether or not the model brain was damaged. Have them record theresults of their test on the notebook page (Step 6).

5. After testing, encourage groups to improve their designs, either bybetter protecting the model brain or by using fewer materials.

Reflect (5 min1. Have everyone jot down one thing they learned from doing this

protection activity (Step 8). Ask for a few volunteers to share whatthey 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 safetyhelmet that will protect another model brain and skull from damage.

4. Tell everyone that, in the next session, they will learn a bit moreabout the brain and how helmets can be designed specifically fordifferent activities.

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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.

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Brains

Activity 2 Preparation (10 min)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. Usingyour finger or napkin, create a crisscross pattern within the jelly byswiping diagonally in one direction and then the other. If you puton the goggles, you should be able to see objects, but they maybe blurry and light may appear scattered. If you cannot make outobjects, then wipe off more of the jelly and repeat.

3. Prepare the obstacle course according to the description on p. 19 ofthis guide.

For the whole group

Engineering Design Process poster Video: http://tinyurl.com/ k82ndq6 and a computer or tv to play it on1 2.5 oz tub of petroleum jelly1 piece of paper1 pen1 plastic model head1 knit hat1 roll of masking tape1 trash can or recycle bin4 pairs of safety goggles

Activity Timing:Brain Intro: 20 minSimulate Concussion:

25 minReflect: 10 min

55 min

21st Century Skill Highlight:Critical Thinking

Note: Concussion goggles are designed to convey blurry vision, poor depth perception, and general disorientation.

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.

Educator Preview



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For each group of 2-31 small foam brain markers



7Crash Test Engineering

Concussion Simulation

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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?


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 anactivity they do that the region would help to control.

4. When youths are done coloring, name each lobe of the brain one ata time. Ask:• If this lobe of the brain were injured, what might be a function

that could become impaired or difficult for the individualSee the notes on p. 19 for more details.

• Do you think it’s important to protect all of your lobes or justone lobe? Accept all answers. Write answers on a piece of chartpaper so they can reflect back.

5. Tell youths that they will now watch a video to further explore thisquestion. Play Engineering Everywhere Special Report video (10:14min): 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 certainparts? All parts of your brain because they each serve animportant function.

7. Tell youths that now they will participate in an activity to simulate thesymptoms 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 willtime themselves through the obstacle course with no impairment


Brains Activity Guide

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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.

2. Tell youths they should focus on how the concussion symptomsaffect their ability to complete each task.

3. Bring youths over to the obstacle course and explain each of thetasks they must complete. Point out the brain toss and baskettoss activities require a volunteer to help with the completion ofthe challenge. Tell youths that volunteers will rotate through thesepositions, so everyone can complete the obstacle course.

4. Time youths as they complete the obstacle course without theconcussion goggles. Have youths record their times on p. 7 of theirEngineering Notebooks.

5. Have youths complete the obstacle course while wearing theconcussion goggles. Make sure youths spin around five times beforethe timer starts and they begin the course. Have youths record theirtimes on p. 7 of their Engineering Notebooks.

Reflect (10 min1. 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 theyfelt dizzy, had blurred vision and poor depth perception.

• What was difficult about completing the course witconcussion symptoms compared to your first run? Harder towalk the line, more difficult catching/aiming, more disoriented ingeneral.

• What sort of tasks would be difficult to complete in youdaily life if you had these symptoms permanently? Accept allanswers.

2. Explain to youths that someone with a serious concussion can havesymptoms like blurred vision, dizziness, distorted depth perception.These were some of the symptoms they experienced during theobstacle course. Additionally, even mild concussions can cause shortterm 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 beginengineering their own helmet designs to protect against concussions.


The frontal lobe controls thinking and emotion. If damaged, someone might have trouble: • Expressing how they feel• Completing math problems• Problem solving

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 somethingThe occipital lobe controls vision.If damaged, someone might have trouble:• Seeing colors• Reading words on paper

The parietal lobe controls speech. If damaged, someone might have trouble:• Speaking without slurring their words


Put a Lid on It

Lobes of the Brain

Obstacle Course

• Prepare by taping out the path of the course on the floor with masking tape. Place eachof 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. Giveparticipant 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.

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Create Your Safety Helmet

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 soyouths 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.

Activity Timing:Introduction: 10 minPlan & Create: 35 min Test: 15 min

55 min

21st Century Skill Highlight:Creativity

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!

Educator Preview



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For the whole groupEngineering Design Process posterPrice List, p. 25, this guide1 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 cardboard pieces aluminum foil

golf balls (to weight plastic head)

craft foam nylon fishing line, 15 ft long1 plastic tube

1 plastic model head 1 knit hat (to simulate hair)1 binder clip (large)2 rolls regular duct tape25 paint balls25 sealable plastic bags (2” x2")




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.


6. Kids will test their helmets by observing whether a paint ball inside the helmet breakswhen 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 onthe 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.


8 © Museum of Science

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.

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.

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 HatWhen 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.

source: http://www.bullard.com/V3/products/head_face/head_protection/Hard_Hat_History/Modern Hard Hat

Early 1900s Hard Hat

History of Hardhats

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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://blog.detroitathletic.com/2011/11/02/a-short-heads-up-history-of-the-hockey-helmet/

Modern Hockey Helmet

History of Hockey Helmets

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1980s Hockey Helmet

10 © Museum of Science

Head injuries are one of the biggest risks of playing football. Because players run at high speeds and collide into one another head-first, injuries can be severe. Wearing specially designed helmets can help reduce the risk of injury.

Leather Helmets 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.

Plastic HelmetsThe 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.

Addition of GraphicsIn 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.

source: http://www.extremeteamsports.com/Football-Pop%20Warner/HistoryOfFootballHelmets.htm

1930s Football Helmet

Modern Football Helmet

History of American Football Helmets

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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.

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 HelmetsThere 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

Modern Bicycle Helmet

Modern Bicycle Helmet

History of Hockey Helmets

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Tip: Feel free to remove the hat and attach the paintball to the model head if it becomes to cumbersome.

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 modelhead at the Drop Station you prepared. Let them know this is thehead they will be designing a helmet for.

2. Guide the group to think about criteria and constraints for theirhelmets. 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 head-first. There are a few criteria and constraints that have already beenset for their designs and they can choose to add others to the list ifthey 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 plasticone for testing. They can start building the helmet on a group member'shead, and check the sizing using the plastic head.

5. Have everyone turn to Helmet Scoring Sheet, pp. 14-15. Tell themthat this scoring sheet describes how they will evaluate their helmetdesigns. Review each of the scoring categories on the sheet, byexplaining 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 israised all the way, then release.

• Explain that the helmet is considered “safe” if it protects the paintball 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.


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.

Create Your Safety Helmet ActivityGuide

Put a Lid on It

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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 oftypes of helmets, which they can use to inspire their own designs.

3. Give groups some time to plan their helmet. They can recordthoughts on their Plan Page, p. 13. Once groups show you acompleted Plan Page, have them go to the materials table to collecttheir 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 measuretheir completed helmets and record their scores on their HelmetScoring Sheet, p. 14. They should also calculate and record a totalcost on their Helmet Scoring Sheet, p. 15. When those scores havebeen recorded, groups should bring their helmet to the safety testingstation.

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 ballto the top of the model head (double bagged), put on their helmetdesign, pull the nylon fishing line, and drop the head.

3. Students should gather around and observe each other’s testingprocedures and respectfully share their thoughts about results.

4. The testing group should record the results of their safety test ontheir Helmet Scoring Sheet, p. 14 of their Engineering Notebooks.

5. Let groups know that they will have a chance to Improve theirdesigns next time, so they should keep track of what is workingand what parts of their designs need improvement. Encourage thisthinking 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, enlisteveryone’s help in cleaning up the space. Be sure to save the helmetdesigns for use next time.


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

Materials Price SheetA

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Criteria and Constraints Chart for Activity 3

Helmet Design ChallengeCriteria Constraints

Goals that must be achieved Limits on how you can solve the problem• Helmets must protect the head when it

hits the ground (indicated by paint ballnot breaking)

• Helmets must be made from suppliespurchased at the materials table

• Helmets must be lightweight• Helmets must be low profile (thin)• Helmets must be removable• Helmets should be as inexpensive as

possible



20

Improve Your Safety Helmet

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 DuctTape ($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)

For the whole groupEngineering Design Process posterPrice List, p. 25, this guide callipergram scale helmet building materials from last week's lessonduct tape (regular & printed)paint ballssealable plastic bagshelmet testing station (set up like last week)

Activity Timing:Introduction: 5 minImprove: 45 minReflect: 10 min

60 min

21st Century Skill Highlight:Critical Thinking

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.

Educator Preview



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Criteria and Constraints Chart for Activity 4

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.

Helmet Design ChallengeCriteria Constraints

Goals that must be achieved Limits on how you can solve the problem• Helmets must protect the head when it

hits the ground (indicated by paint ballnot breaking)

• Helmets must be made from suppliespurchased at the materials table

• Helmets must be lightweight• Helmets must be low profile• Helmets must be removable• Helmets should be as inexpensive as

possible


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.

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 onepoint.

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 saythat the helmet should be cheap or comfortable. Guide youths tothink about which properties they may want to focus on for theirhelmet improvements.

4. Tell groups that they will have access to additional materials tocomplete 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 theirown 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 theirimproved design and calculate the cost of their materials.

2. Give groups a few minutes to brainstorm and record a plan for howthey will improve their helmets.

3. After groups have recorded their improved designs in theirNotebooks, they can go to the materials table and begin working.


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.

Improve Your Safety Helmet ActivityGuide

Put a Lid on It

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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 measureand score the new helmet in terms of thickness, weight, and cost justas they had done the previous day.

6. Then, all groups should test the helmet for safety by using the paintball drop test. Scores the Improved design should be recorded ontheir Improved Helmet Scoring Sheet, pp. 17-18 of their EngineeringNotebooks.

Reflect and Share (10 min1. Gather the group together and have each team describe the

improvements they made to their helmet designs and how today’sscoring 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 somenew things that they learned about making helmets now that theyhave spent a second day on the process.

4. Let groups know that next time they will share their work with theother groups, and play technology jeopardy, time permitting.


24

Engineering Showcase

Activity 5 Preparation (5 min)1. Post the Engineering Design Process poster.2. Distribute the designs created by each team.

For the whole groupEngineering Design Process posterhelmet designs from Activity 41 plastic model head with the testing set up (optional)


Activity Timing:Introduction: 10 minPlan: 15 minCommunicate: 20 minReflect: 10 min

55 min

21st Century Skill Highlight:Communication

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.

Educator Preview

Crash Test Engineering© Museum of ScienceEngineering Everywhere


Act

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25

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 havetime questions after each group presents, or at the end ofpresentations. Remind students to be respectful & kind in askingquestions or commenting on other groups' designs.


Tip: You can make the "presentation" as formal or informal as your class wants.

Engineering Showcase Activity Guide


Act

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Reflect 5 min)1. Gather everyone in a circle.2. Congratulate everyone on their engineering work!3.

•

•

• Why do you consider yourself an engineer?• What do you want to engineer next?

Give everyone a chance to answer some questions abouttheir experience:

What are you most proud of doing as part of this engineeringgroup?What is something from this engineering group that you’llalways remember?

27

What is Technology?

Materials For the whole group

EDP posterTechnology Jeopardy Game Powerpoint and (ideally) a computer that will play and project the game

(optional) Technology Jeopardy Game, p. 9 of this guide

Activity Timing:Introduction: 5 minTechnologyJeopardy: 30 minReflect: 5 min

40 min

21st Century Skill Highlight:Critical thinking

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.

Educator Preview


Act

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Activity 6 Preparation1. 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 nextpage. You can also use the Technology Jeopardy Game, p. 9 of thisguide, to help you ask the questions.

3. Post the Engineering Design Process poster.

Chart for Activity 6

Technology in the Classroom

Technology Through History

Helmets Technology

Technology at Home

Which is Tech?

10 10 10 10 1020 20 20 20 2030 30 30 30 3040 40 40 40 4050 50 50 50 50

Jeopardy Game ChartIf you are not using the electronic Jeopardy Game Powerpoint, prepare the following chart.

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

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.

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 thingthat is human made that solves a problem or fulfills a desire.

4. Ask:• Is there anything about this definition that surprises you• Can you share some more examples of technology? If youths

struggle refer them back to the definition you posted. Encouragethem to think of non-electronic things or common objects thatsolve problems or meet needs.

5. Point out to youths that, as shown by the technologies they haveshared, they use many different technologies in their lives! Engineersdesign all of these different technologies.

6. Tell youths that in the rest of today’s activity they’ll play a gameof Technology Jeopardy in which they’ll need to think about theproblems that various technologies solve.

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” theassociated points.

4. If you are using the paper-based version with a chart on theboard, erase or ‘X’ out the point value when the question hasbeen answered. The electronic version will automatically gray-outquestions that have already been used.

Reflect (5 min)29 Put a Lid on It© Museum of Science

Engineering Everywhere

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.

Tip: A rock, leaf, or any other natural objects on their own are not technologies. If people turn those objects into tools, however, they could become technologies! For example, using a rock to grind corn or making it into an arrow head makes the rock a technology.

What is Technology? Activity GuideA

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1. When all questions have been answered or your group is almostout of time, have youths summarize what they learned during thisactivity. 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 offeredagain. Allow them to ask any final questions of the volunteers.


Technology in the C

lassroomTechnology through

History

Helm

et TechnologyTechnology at H

ome

Which is Tech?

10 pointsThis technology holds a piece of graphite that allow

s you to w

rite.•

What is a pencil?

10 pointsYears ago, a horse and buggy solved this problem

, w

hile today we use cars and

planes.•

What is transportation?

10 pointsW

earing the technology known

as a helmet can help you avoid

this traumatic brain injury.

•W

hat is a concussion?

10 pointsThis technology, m

uch faster than an oven, uses w

aves to heat up food.•

What is a m

icrowave?

10 pointsC

omputer or the sun?

•W

hat is computer?

20 pointsThese technologies are records of w

ords printed on to paper.•

What are books?

20 pointsW

riting letters becomes less

and less comm

on now that

texting and emailing helps

us with this task.

•W

hat is comm

unicatingor sending m

essages?

20 pointsThis type of helm

et has m

ultiple vents in it to allow air

to flow onto the head as you

pedal.•

What is a bicycle helm

et?

20 pointsM

ost versions of this technology use suction and rotating brushes to help you clean floors.•

What is a vacuum

?

20 pointsA bicycle or a bird’s beak?•

What is a bicycle?

30 pointsM

any students use these technologies, often m

ade of fabric, to carry things to and from

school.•

What are backpacks?

30 pointsYears ago, a com

pass solved this problem

, while

today we use a G

PS

device. •

What is finding location/

directions?

30 pointsM

any years ago this helmet

was m

ade from leather, today it

features a hard plastic shell to protect players during tackles.•

What is a football helm

et?

30 pointsS

omething’s clogging the

drain? This technology , made

of a suction cup and stick, can help you. •

What is a plunger?

30 pointsR

eading glasses or eyes?•

What are reading

glasses?

40 pointsTw

eelve inches are usually m

arked on one of these technologies used to m

easure lengths of objects. W

hat are rulers?

*DA

ILY DO

UB

LE*Today you use a calculator to solve this problem

, but years ago you w

ould have used an abacus.•

What is solving m

athproblem

s?

40 pointsThis helm

et, often seen on construction sites as a yellow

, plastic version, usually has a suspension system

to hold the helm

et off the head.•

What is a hard hat?

40 pointsO

pening a closed door is no easy task w

ithout using this technology.•

What is a doorknob/door

handle?

40 pointsC

ough syrup or water?

•W

hat is coughsyrup?

50 pointsThis technology is interactive and used to display inform

ation in the classroom

.•

What is a sm

artboard?

50 pointsYears ago w

e used candles to solve this problem

, while

today we use electricity.

•W

hat is creating light/seeing in the dark?

50 pointsThese different areas or portions of the brain could be dam

aged if a helmet is not

designed properly.•

What are lobes?

50 pointsThis technology, often found in cook books, lists out the steps required to create a certain type of food.•

What are recipes?

*DA

ILY DO

UB

LE*W

ind or fan?•

What is fan?


Documents

Put a Lid On It: Engineering Safety Helmets