More Everyday Engineering: Putting the E in STEM Teaching and Learning

Description

What makes a windup toy get up and go? How does an earbud operate? And why does the line you re waiting in always seem the slowest? Get middle-schoolers engaged in the fascinating science behind familiar items with More Everyday Engineering. Like Everyday Engineering, this compilation brings together activities based on the Everyday Engineering columns from NSTA s award-winning journal Science Scope. Thirteen hands-on investigations focus on three aspects of engineering: designing and building, reverse engineering to learn how something works, and constructing and testing models. Like the original collection, this book is easy to use. Each investigation is a complete lesson that includes in-depth teacher background information, expected sample data, a materials list, and a student activity sheet for recording results. The activities use simple, inexpensive materials you can find in your science classroom or at a dollar store. Whether you re a teacher, parent, or enrichment-program leader, go beyond the usual bridge-building and egg-drop activities. Spark curiosity with appealing activities that will help middle schoolers understand that engineering truly is a part of their everyday lives. Front cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 About the Authors......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 1 - Introduction......Page 12 Part 1 - Engineering Amusements......Page 16 2 - Toying Around With Windups......Page 18 3 - Budding Sound Engineers: Listening to Speakers and Earbuds......Page 26 4 - An In-Depth Look at 3-D......Page 32 Part 2 - Engineering Materials......Page 40 5 - Producing Plastic … From Milk?......Page 42 6 - If It’s Engineered, Is It Wood?......Page 50 7 - UV or Not UV? That Is a Question for Your Sunglasses......Page 58 8 - Why the Statue of Liberty Is Green: Coatings, Corrosion, and Patina......Page 66 Part 3 - Engineering at the Retail Store......Page 76 9 - Should Ice Be Cubed?......Page 78 10 - It’s Stuck on You......Page 86 11 - Queuing—Is My Line Always the Slowest?......Page 94 Part 4 - Engineering Ordinary Things......Page 104 12 - Keeping It Together—Fascinating Fasteners......Page 106 13 - Twisting and Braiding—From Thread to Rope......Page 112 14 - Sitting Around Designing Chairs......Page 122 Index......Page 130 Back cover......Page 134