C

January 30, 2009

For this semester, we will be doing the "Types of Engineering" curriculum with Ms. Staley's fifth grade class. Today's lesson centered on the Engineering Design Process, which served as an excellent introduction to the curriculum since it clearly has relevance to all fields of engineering.  We brainstormed with the students what they think of when they think of engineering. Then we walked through the EDP using "ways to protect your head" as the problem, and moving through the process from there. The discussion was followed by the egg drop activity, except we called it the "egg helmet" because of the analogy in the EDP example. The students were creative and successful in their designs – almost too good! A note for next time is not to give them so many materials or put more constraints on the problem, because it was almost too easy for them.