Nine-Session Unit Exposes Middle School Students to Complete Engineering-Design Process

Outcome/Accomplishment

Incorporating a design challenge, a nine-session unit teaches eighth-grade students mathematical and scientific concepts related to electrical energy and renewable resources in lessons developed at the Center for Innovative and Strategic Transformation of Alkane Resources (CISTAR), an NSF-funded Engineering Research Center (ERC) based at Purdue University.

Impact/Benefits

The lessons expose students to the complete engineering-design process, including problem scoping, solution generation, redesign, and communicating the final design to a client. Students learn about maintaining an engineering design notebook, teamwork, communication, data analysis, and iteration.

Explanation/Background

CISTAR developed the curriculum with INSPIRE Research Institute for Pre-College Engineering at Purdue. At the outset of the unit, students are introduced to power generation and the client—the members of Indiana Office of Energy Development—who need to determine a new power-generation system that will effectively reduce contamination of chemical releases in the environment. Students use what they know about electrical energy and renewable resources to develop a strategy to test for electrical power generating systems. Finally, students write a final letter, including their designs and design justifications, to pitch their experimental design to the client.

Videos explaining the curricula and step-by-step instructions for implementation are available on the nanoHUBwebsite and on Teachers Pay Teachers. Also, curriculum kits with the required materials for implementing the activities can be checked out.

A poster that describes the engineering-design process.

Location

West Lafayette, Indiana

e-mail

cistar@purdue.edu

website

https://cistar.us/

Start Year

Energy and Sustainability

Energy and Sustainability Icon
Energy and Sustainability Icon

Energy and Sustainability

Lead Institution

Purdue University

Core Partners

University of New Mexico, Northwestern University, University of Notre Dame, University of Texas at Austin

Fact Sheet

CISTAR Fact Sheet.pdf
A poster that describes the engineering-design process.

Outcome/Accomplishment

Incorporating a design challenge, a nine-session unit teaches eighth-grade students mathematical and scientific concepts related to electrical energy and renewable resources in lessons developed at the Center for Innovative and Strategic Transformation of Alkane Resources (CISTAR), an NSF-funded Engineering Research Center (ERC) based at Purdue University.

Location

West Lafayette, Indiana

e-mail

cistar@purdue.edu

website

https://cistar.us/

Start Year

Energy and Sustainability

Energy and Sustainability Icon
Energy and Sustainability Icon

Energy and Sustainability

Lead Institution

Purdue University

Core Partners

University of New Mexico, Northwestern University, University of Notre Dame, University of Texas at Austin

Fact Sheet

CISTAR Fact Sheet.pdf

Impact/benefits

The lessons expose students to the complete engineering-design process, including problem scoping, solution generation, redesign, and communicating the final design to a client. Students learn about maintaining an engineering design notebook, teamwork, communication, data analysis, and iteration.

Explanation/Background

CISTAR developed the curriculum with INSPIRE Research Institute for Pre-College Engineering at Purdue. At the outset of the unit, students are introduced to power generation and the client—the members of Indiana Office of Energy Development—who need to determine a new power-generation system that will effectively reduce contamination of chemical releases in the environment. Students use what they know about electrical energy and renewable resources to develop a strategy to test for electrical power generating systems. Finally, students write a final letter, including their designs and design justifications, to pitch their experimental design to the client.

Videos explaining the curricula and step-by-step instructions for implementation are available on the nanoHUBwebsite and on Teachers Pay Teachers. Also, curriculum kits with the required materials for implementing the activities can be checked out.