Beyond The Egg Drop: Infusing engineering design into

physics/science classrooms Arthur Eisenkraft, University of Massachusetts Boston, MA

Shu-Yee Chen Freake, Newton North High School, MA

Julie Mills, Apponequet Regional High School, MA

www.umb.edu/cosmic

Project Overview

Engineering Infusion vs. Engineering Course

Project Infuse

Anchor Activity: The Pasta Cantilever

Goal: To design a pasta cantilever that holds

the most number of pennies the greatest

distance from the table.

Score = distance2 (in cm) x # nickels

Material:

Pasta (x g)

1 m tape

1 m string

1 paper cup

nickels

Constraints: You have 20 mins to complete this challenge

using the materials provided.

Pasta Cantilever Questions to Consider

What kind of the concept are we addressing

here? (physics? Engineering?)

What kind of process are we addressing here?

(Physics? Engineering?)

Why do we do this activity? Have you done

something similar in your classroom?

Wrap-Up Cantilever

We know this was a “design” activity, but was this “engineering”? Why? What

makes this “engineering” and not “trial and error”?

Trial and Error:

● Is focused on just finding a solution, not optimizing the solution

● Does not attempt to discover “why” something works or doesn’t work

● Needs little or no knowledge of subject area to create solution

Engineering Design Infused Lessons aim to avoid a Trial and Error Solution.

Science vs. Engineering in the Cantilever Challenge

Science Engineering

Design

Analysis

Model

System

Scientific and Engineering Practices

1.Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)

2.Developing and using models

3.Planning and carrying out investigations

4.Analyzing and interpreting data

5.Using mathematics and computational thinking

6.Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)

7.Engaging in argument from evidence

8.Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Crosscutting Concepts

1.Patterns

2.Cause and effect: Mechanism and explanation

3.Scale, proportion, and quality

4.Systems and system models

5.Energy and matter: Flows, cycles, and conservation

6.Structure and function

7.Stability and change

The Core Concepts: design, analysis, model, system

Design Analysis Model System

Science Classroom:

Inquiry-Based Activities

Example: Watt’s Up Lab in

Electricity Unit

Q: Have you done something like

this in your classroom?

Q: How can we change these

activities to engineering-infusion

that addresses engineering

concepts and skills?

Engineering-Infused Classroom:

Design-Centered Thinking

Example: Watt’s Up Lab -Engineering?

Q: Is engineering design design like the

process of inquiry?

Our strategy for infusing engineering.

Table of Contents of our NSTA book.

Some examples of activities from the

book.

Concept-Focused Engineering Infusion:

Implementation

Shorter Activities vs. Longer Projects

Emphasis on Engineering Concepts

and Skills while applying/learning

relevant science concepts

Engineering Infusion--No Materials Needed

Paper Projects and Case Studies Enter a Room Project

Challenge: Design a light system that turns on

when a person enters a room

Materials: Large sheets of paper

Engineering Concepts: Brainstorming, Design,

Analysis, Synthesis of ideas, Optimization of

solutions

Physics Concepts: Circuits, circuit design, type of

circuits, circuit schematics,

Engineering Infusion--Short Activities (1-2 days in

class)

Speaker Project

Challenge: Build a working speaker from recycled

materials/household objects

Materials: rare-earth magnets, speaker wire, straws,

various household items/recycled materials, amplifier with

sound input

Engineering Concepts: design, iteration, optimization,

analysis, systems

Physics Concepts: electromagnetism, sound waves

Engineering Infusion-Short Activities (1-2 days)

Pendulum Project

Challenge: Create a pendulum that keeps the

beat to a song

Materials: Device to play song, string, weights,

stands to hold pendulum, stopwatches

Engineering Concepts: analysis, optimization

Physics Concepts: SHM, frequency and period

Engineering Infusion--Short Activities (1-2 day) Bungee Bear Activity

Challenge: To design a bungee cord, static

and elastic cords together, that will meet the

determined success criteria (% stretch and

max acceleration)

Materials: rubber bands, string, large

dropping distance, weights

Engineering Concepts: Mathematical

modeling, optimization, analysis, design

Physics Concepts: transfer of energy

Engineering Infusion--Longer Projects (3+ days)

Thermos Design Project

Challenge: Create a device that keeps cold water cold

over a period of time and one that allows cold water to

heat up the most over a period of time

Materials: various household items, thermometers,

timers

Engineering Concepts: iteration, analysis, design,

optimization

Physics Concepts: Heat, temperature, heat transfer

Engineering Infusion--Longer Projects (3+ days)

Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse

Challenge: Design a flashlight that

could be used to escape zombies

during the zombie apocalypse

Materials: bulb, battery, wires,

assorted materials

Engineering Concepts: design,

analysis, model, systems

Physics Concepts: circuits, Ohm’s

Laws, series and parallel

Engineering Infusion--Longer Projects (3+ days)

Build a Guitar

Challenge: To design and build a

working guitar out of recycled materials

Materials: Recycled materials, strings

Engineering Concepts: design, systems,

iteration, optimization

Physics Concepts: waves, sound,

resonance, standing waves, frequency

Concept-Focused Engineering Infusion:

Assessments

Engineering notebook and

alternatives

What if someone completely

failed during the

challenge/project?

Summarizing report /panel

presentation

Why Is Engineering-Infusion A Good Model?

Save time from student schedule from taking another engineering course

Total time model - infusing engineering. Do we lose physics time? What do we

gain? Does the engineering add relevance? Why is engineering now a part

of NGSS?

Recommendation, Q & A? www.umb.edu/cosmic

Acknowledgement: www.umb.edu/cosmic

Project Infuse Physics Leadership Teams, Teachers

Cohort 1 & 2

Project Infuse PI’s: Dr. Rodney Custer, Dr. Jenny

Daugherty, and Dr. Julie Ross

The National Science Foundation