Science, Technology, Engineering, & MathBy Margie Hawkins

Family STEM Night

New Math and Science

StandardsHigher level of learning at each grade level

TCAP will assess “application” rather than “knowledge” of concepts

Science, Math, Technology, and Engineering skills need to be embedded into Science and Math lessons

STEM

Why teach these skills together?

In the work world our students will be entering, they will need a mastery of all of these skills to be successful in a career in any one of these fields.

When they are taught as one, students acquire a deeper understanding of them all.

New standards will require a

higher level of mastery of concepts

Webb’s Depth-of-Knowledge Levels

Lever Exploration

Which way should I move the fulcrum to lift a heavier load ???

DirectionsOpen the bag with the Lever Exploration directions in it

Take the index card and fold it into a fulcrum with a very thin flat surface on the top .

Tape the bottom of the fulcrum so it keeps it form. 

Place the ruler on the fulcrum and put 2 pennies on each end at exactly the same distance from each end of the ruler and record how many centimeters the fulcrum is from the load when it is balanced.

The load is the end that starts at 1 centimeter.

DirectionsNow double your load by adding 2 more pennies on the end that starts at one centimeter – this will be your “load” end – the other end will only have 2 pennies on it throughout the entire activity – that will be your “effort”.

You will have to move your fulcrum in order to balance this new load. Balance it by moving the fulcrum and record how many centimeters the fulcrum is from the load when it is balanced.

Now double your load again by adding 4 more pennies to your “load”.

DirectionsAgain, you will have to move your fulcrum in order to balance this new load. Balance it by moving the fulcrum and record how many centimeters the fulcrum is from the load when it is balanced.

You should now have 8 pennies on your load end – double your load one more time by adding another 8 pennies to your load.

Again, you will have to move your fulcrum in order to balance this new load. Balance it by moving the fulcrum and record how many centimeters the fulcrum is from the load when it is balanced.

DirectionsLook at your data chart. Do you see a trend??? What do you see happening to the distance the fulcrum is from the load each time you double the load?

Now discuss with your family where you might need to place the fulcrum on a 5 foot long board in order for a child in your family to lift an adult family member.

You may use the bottom of this page to draw a diagram if you need to – when you think you have it figured out come up to the giant levers in the front of the room and test your theory out!

Analyze Your Data

Look for trends in your data…

Load in pennies 2 4 8 16Fulcrum placement from load in cm

So can you lift your parents??

How much more does your parent weigh than you?

2 times more? 4 times more?

Where would you place the fulcrum??

Clean-upPlace pennies back in the ziplock bag.

Give bag to teacher in charge.

Hold on to the pen, ruler, and tape you will need it for the next challenge

Puff Mobile

Design and build a wind powered car that can travel the farthest distance with one puff!

EngineeringWe have to find a more interesting, more real life applicable way to teach students core concepts.

It leads a student into an independent design process that's open ended to allow for creativity, which is really a great hook to motivate students.

Students enjoy the scientific process through critical thinking, trial and error, design and redesign.

Engineering Design Process

ASK What is the problem? What have others done? What are the constraints

IMAGINE What are some solutions? Brainstorm ideas. Choose the best one.

PLAN Draw a diagram. Make lists of materials you will need.

CREATE Follow your plan and create it. Test it out!

IMPROVE Talk about what works, what doesn't, and what could work better. Modify your design to make it better. Test it out!

http://www.mos.org/eie/engineering_design.php

Puff MobileTake out the other kit bag

Using ONLY the items in the bag – design a wind powered car that will travel the farthest distance with one puff of air (from you!)

Using the engineering design process, you will have 30 minutes to design, test, and re-design your vehicle.

When time is up you can bring your vehicle to the testing station and race against other families!

Engineering Design Process

Design and build a wind powered car that can travel the farthest distance in one puff!

1

2

3

45

What is the problem, what have others done?

Possible solutions?

Draw design plan

Build model

How could it be better?

Who wins?Over 20 cm = GOOD

Over 40 cm = OUTSTANDING

Over 60 cm = SPECTACULAR

Over 80 cm = A MASTERPIECE OF

DESIGN !

Clean-up

Put scissors, pen, ruler, tape in ziplock bag

give the bag to teacher

throw all scraps of paper and tape away

Join

us n

ext

time fo

r more

STEM fu

n!!