STEM CHALLENGES
Objectives of the STEM challenges:
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Understand and apply the engineering design process
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Solve Problems Using the Engineering Design Process
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Be Creative & Innovate
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Work Together as a Team
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Identify Common STEM Concepts & Practices - Curriculum connections
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Use Mobile Learning
STEM PROJECT 1: TALLEST TOWER
STEM CHALLENGE
Main Objective: To Learn How to Use the Engineering Design Process
Engineering Design Challenge Components
1. Context/Situation
2. Challenge
3. Criteria & Constraints
4. Resources
5. Evaluation
Engineering Design Challenge #1
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Situation:
An engineering company has developed a new “panel construction method” that can be used to quickly build tall houses. They need to test their idea.
2. Challenge:
Build the tallest structure that has the most stories and cost less.
3. Criteria & Constraints
• Criteria:
Must use at least 25 cards; base can be any size; must stand by itself for at least 1 min.
Note: One (1) card cost 50t, one paperclip cost 20t and one straw cost K1.
• Constraints:
15 minutes Time Limit; Cards Cannot be cut, but may be bent; Must use only resources provided, but not all resources must be used;
4. Resources:
• 52 Playing Cards; • 20cm x 20cm board; • 10 small paperclips; • 20cm tape; • 5 straws; • Mobile Device;
5. Evaluation:
Tallest Standing Structure which cost less
STEM PROJECT 2: BOAT CHALLENGE
STEM Activity
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Select a lesson/activity/project from one of the syllabus.
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Propose a project (or problem) upon which the learning of STEM concepts and the development of 21st century skills could be based, and which is aligned to the intentions of the curriculum.
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Explain what your role as a teacher would be in supporting students as they engaged in the project or problem-based activity.
STEM Challenge : Boat
Strand 3: Physical Science
Unit 9.7 : Force and Motion
Content standard: 9.3.3 Students will be able to explain and examine the structure, properties, and changes of matter as well as sources, uses, conservation, and changes of energy.
Benchmark : 9.3.3.13 Explore the nature of Floating and Sinking.
Topic 4: The Buoyant Force
1. Context/Situation
In your groups construct the boat that meets the expectations/requirements taking into consideration the given criteria and constraints. Your will redesign and retest your boat until it holds more load before sinking. The aim is to design the boat so that it holds more load and cost less.
In your groups work through the design process to prepare, design and re-design your prototype or model in time for the group presentation when you will showcase your models, do a presentation of the information and data collected.
2. Challenge/Problem
Design and construct a boat that can hold more load/weight and cost less
3. Criteria & Constraints
Criteria
The challenge is to select an appropriate boat design and construct a boat that can hold more load/weight and cost less.
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One sheet of aluminium with the measurement of 30 cm x 30 cm cost K5
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Straw can be used as a support for the boat to hold more load and one straw cost K2
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Use marbles as the load/weight
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select an appropriate boat design and construct a boat that can hold more load/weight and cost less
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Each group can use more than one Aluminium sheet with given measurement and even use more than one straw as a support for their boat model.
Note: The straw used as a support is optional. The above criteria developed to judge the quality of student work or judge the quality of the product/model. Students will learn to identify and analyze their own shortcomings, take responsibility for improving them, and gauge their progress as they move forward.
Constraints
They will use only one material (aluminium foil) with the same measurements instead of different materials with different measurements. However, the load or weight on the boat is same for all different designs. Other constraints include wind direction, observing, measuring, and recording and time given for the project.
4. Resources
The materials needed for the boat project is listed below. These are materials that can be found in their local environment.
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Aluminum foil
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straws
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Marble
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Dish of water
Activity/Lesson Objectives
By the end of the activity, teachers will be able to:
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Design and construct a boat that can hold more load/weight before sinking and it is cost effective
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Investigate floating and sinking
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Explain Archimedes principal
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Identify the different forces acting on the boat
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Observe, measure and record data
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Communicate clearly and effectively through writing and presentation.
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Effectively use technology to analyze data.
EVALUATION
Evaluation was based on tallest standing structure and less cost. The activity was done by sector in each zone. Results shown below
Note: Some groups in each zone did not present due to time factor.
Teachers uncover new ideas as evident in the given STEM Challenge. Modelling and engineering design process was used in the designing and constructing of the tallest tower with less cost. Teachers displayed conceptual surprise as they discovered how construction materials, their measurements and costs, as well as the structural shapes chosen and the engineering techniques used, all contributed to strengthening and stabilizing their building (English, King, & Smeed, 2016). Teachers’ experimentation with engineering design and principles facilitated their appreciation and understanding of how engineering plays a major role in their construction design they have selected and the construction method used to quickly build their tallest tower with less cost.
When teachers use such approaches, in contrast to direct teaching, students invariably demonstrate a deeper understanding and engagement in the class.
CLICK BELOW FOR SAMPLE LESSONS ON MODELLING AND ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS
EVALUATION
Engineering Design Challenge # 2 – Plan and construct a boat that can hold more load and cost less using the available materials
Evaluation was based on boat model that holds more load(marbles) and cost less to build. The activity was done by sector in each zone. Results shown below
Note:
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Some groups did not present their results due to time and preparation
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Marbles given to each group was not enough, so some groups used both marbles and stones as load. They were instructed to select stones of about the same mass of a marble.
