Exploring Engineering Challenge Are you Ready? “Welcome to your Engineering Challenge! You will work as a team of 4 to complete the challenge, this is going to be fun! Help each other, so everyone succeeds!”

Situation You are members of a team of environmental civil engineers working for Rochester Bridge Trust. You have been asked to design and model a water filter system. Your water filter needs to be the right size and sit in the right place for the water to be collected in one place and then travel to be used in another place. “Designers and engineers need to know the situation they are working in, where their new design will be needed and used. Here is your situation. On your table you have a copy of this situation so you can refer back to it.! (Read out the situation on this slide)

Brief Your challenge is to design, scale model and test a water filter system which will release its water 20cm above the ground (2 metres in real life) and fit over the guttering provided. The water will then be collected and tested. “A brief is a SHORT description of what you have got to do. The word ‘brief’, means ‘short’. Again you have a copy of this on your challenge sheet” (read out the Brief on this slide).

(You will also get bonus points for using the materials appropriately) Specification The water filter and structures you model must be fitted not fixed. Over the guttering The filter must be raised to at least 20cm off the ground and be supported to sit over the left hand side of the guttering, allowing the water to flow down for collection. The filter must flow quickly enough to collect sufficient water for testing in 90 seconds. The water must be cleaner than it was to start with, using an Opalometer for testing. The filter and its structure must promote its designers - Rochester Bridge Trust and the charity Water Aid. (You will also get bonus points for using the materials appropriately) “Can you see at the start of the word specification, a shorter word? A specification is being ‘specific’ about what you have got to do. Here are your criteria explaining specifically what you need to do. You will be tested based on this description. You have a copy of this on your challenge sheet too” (read out the Specification on this slide). “The bonus points are for using the double sided tape appropriately and not using it like sticky tape around the outside of the model.” (Encouraging students to do this should help them be more creative with the other joining equipment they have - for example, string can be wrapped around things to hold them in place and cable ties can hold hole punched holes firmly in place together instead of tape).

Testing Base The simple base has the guttering set at 20cm high on the left side and allows thin materials to slot in behind it. Which of your materials might fit in these to create your structure? “We have made test bases that are all the same so this will be a fair test, giving valid and reliable results. The test bases have guttering set at 20cm high and there is a space behind the guttering to fit some materials. The guttering goes down to where a collection bowl will be with an Opalomenter all ready for testing the water clarity each time. We will not be testing with actual water until the end but you can come up and measure the test bases and you can see if what you design and model fits. Remember it must be fitted not fixed.” (Show them the real bases they will be using)

Materials You have a pack of materials for making your filter and supportive structure. Do not use any other materials. You do not need to use all the materials supplied. “You have a pack with materials you are allowed to use” (hold one up and show them what is in the pack). “You can use these and no other materials. Please be careful with these materials, this is all you have, there are no spares. Just like real engineers you have to work with the materials you can afford and no more. If a complete disaster happens do come and talk to us, but remember more materials means more cost and engineers must stick to budget or their company losses money!”

Tools You are only allowed to use the tools provided. All cutting, and gluing must be done with great care to keep you safe. If you want the card scored, please see the adult who is providing this service using a cutting mat. “You have a pack with tools you are allowed to use” (hold one up and show them what is in the pack). “You can use these and no other tools except for the pens, pencils, rulers and class scissors you usually have. Please be careful with these tools, this is all you have, there are no spares. Also be careful not to be silly and cut or hurt anyone with them. Just like real engineers you have to work safely and look after the health of each other. “On one side of the room we have an adult who can score card for you if you need this. Scoring is when you cut card part way through, very gently so it will fold cleanly. This can only be done with a straight line. They will use a safety rule and cutting mat to stay safe when using a scoring knife. This is NOT for use by any children.”

Materials and Tools MATERIALS: 1 copy of ‘The Challenge’ 1 large funnel Cup of sand, sand, stones Coffee filter paper 2 x 1000mic grey card A3 2 x 1500mic grey card A3 1m string 6 cable ties 6 elastic bands 8 wooden kebab or candy floss sticks 1 Water Aid logo 1 RBT logo TOOLS: Pencils Rulers Small scissors Felt tip pens, various colours 4 sheets A4 paper for the portfolio. 1 pair large scissors 1 large hole punch Double sided tape 1 dessert spoons for measuring out 1 glue stick (Just for reference)

Timings for this afternoon 5 mins Introduction to the task and testing criteria 15 mins Planning and drawing/labelling at least one design each. 40 mins modelling 30 mins testing 10 mins prizes and certificates “These are guideline timings for the afternoon” (which can be amended to suit your timings for the challenge). “I will remind you throughout the afternoon how much time you have left.”

Enjoy the challenge… Enjoy the team work! The challenge is designed to be fun! Enjoy the challenge… Enjoy the team work! “The challenge is designed to be fun! Enjoy the challenge…Enjoy the team work  and start!” (The groups are likely to need a reminder every 10-15 mins what they should be doing to keep them on task. This can include reminding them about: comparing ideas and combining the best parts into a final design having everyone involved, if you don’t have a job to do you can be designing the decoration as that has points in the testing remind them how much time they have left to make give them a 5 minutes left reminder then tools down and pack away tools into packs, scrap in the bin and sit down ready for testing.)

5 MINUTES LEFT! (Give a 5 minute warning before the end of modelling)

TOOLS DOWN! Time to pack away All scrap and rubbish in the bin. Clear away rubbish on the floor too. Spare materials and tools into your packs in the middle of your table. Sit down ready for testing. (Ask students to stop, put tools down and listen so that you can explain about packing away. Important: pack away before testing to reduce distractions and fiddling with things during the testing period)

Testing (0,1 or 2 points for each of the criteria) The water filter and structures fit over the guttering. The filter is raised to at least 20cm off the ground and sits over the left hand side of the guttering, allowing the water to flow down for collection. The filter flows quickly enough to collect sufficient water for testing in 90 seconds. The water is cleaner than it was to start with, using an Opalometer. The filter and its structure promote the designers from Rochester Bridge Trust and the charity Water Aid. BONUS: ensure double sided tape has been used correctly. “Here is the testing criteria. You will recognise that it matches the specification criteria you have on your tables. Engineers work like this too. They have to test their designs match the criteria they are given. So I will invite you up two teams at a time to test your design. Bring your filter and structure.” (See the testing notes for ideas on practical and visual ways to do these tests to make them more real.) (While the water is dripping through the filters you can ask the teams – what surprised you as you worked together? What do you know now that you did not know before?)

Water Cleaning Challenge THE RESULTS! Are you ready? (Results time. Have the children sit down and list in reverse order the results. Try to encourage each group with something you spotted that they did well. Prizes for the winning team/teams if it is a draw.)

Exploring Engineering Challenge Today you were engineers! Keep asking questions like why, how, what if and you can be engineers everyday! (You can use this slide at the end of the session to sum up and arrange formalities like getting ready for home time.)