Engineering Design I Model

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Lesson Plan Industry Sector
Engineering & Design

Lesson Plan Originally Created By: John Rose

History of Engineering by John Rose

Part of Unit: History and Current Events

Lesson Plan Overview / Details

The purpose of this lesson is to expose students to the history of design and engineering through use of research and video clips. This lesson would be presented on the 3rd or 4th day of school.

Lesson Time

Time
50 Minutes

Objectives and Goals

  • Students will understand the history of engineering and how it has evolved. Social factors and knowledge at the time of building effect the designs of the time.
  • The number of students able to produce a one page narrative on an engineering disaster and lessons learned will increase from 10% to 100% as measured by a written 1 page assignment administered at the end of the period.

Activities in this Lesson

  • Video of Apollo Program Rocket Failures - Hooks / Set

    Grab students attention with Apollo 13 launch clip and images of the moon and men walking on the moon. This is part of our students "common knowledge", meaning it is just part of their life and the realization that it had to be obtained is not in their grasp.

    Ask students when they think we went to the moon? Answers will very. Explain it was approx. 40 years ago.  Ask students how we got there? Answers will very. Explain that it was a very large rocket 2 times the size of the space shuttle rockets.

    Show Apollo lift off clip. Discuss afterwards how well Apollo 11 lift off went. That we made it all the way to the moon and back. HOWEVER, it did not start out so perfect.

    Show clip of Rocket Failures.

  • Failures - Lecture

    After showing the clips of the rocket failures, discuss with students the cost and benefits of obtaining such a goal as going to the moon.

    1. Was it worth the cost?
    2. How many failures should you have before you "give up"
    3. Explain that 3 men died (Apollo 1)? Is it still worth it?
    4. What would have happened if we gave up? (national pride, can do attitude etc.)

  • Read Article on History - Lecture

    Have students read the short article on the history of engineering. It can be found at http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/192894/careers_and_job_hunting/a_brief_history_of_engineering.html or use the attached document.

    • History of Engineering Web Article [ Download ]
  • Writing Assignment - Projects

    Post on board

    Write a one page summary of an engineering disaster or failure and how it lead to a new and improved design.

    Be sure to include:

    a. brief description of disaster.
    b. the cause of the disaster.
    c. lessons learned from disaster.
    d. examples of new and improved designs that resulted from disaster.

  • Oral reports - Assessment

    The following day, have each student present a brief summary of their research project.

    Be sure they describe:
    a. breief description of disaster
    b. the cause of the disaster.
    c. lessons learned from disaster.
    d. examples of new and improved designs that resulted from disaster

    After hearing all presentations, students should have a good understanding of how failures in engineering design lead to improvements and lessons learned that then improve the next generation of engineered projects.

    On the back of their one page summary have them write one paragraph on how this knowledge affects them personally as a potential engineer.

    Turn in reports for credit.

Assessment

Assessment Types:
Writing Samples,