When you think of the term Engineer, what comes to your mind? Cool phone apps. Green buildings. Thrilling roller coasters. What do all these things have in common? The engineering design – a process of brainstorming, building, testing, and refining to create a product, service, or system within time or resource limits. For engineers, the design process is a series of steps that helps teams frame and solve complex problems. Anyone can do it! To figure out how to build something, engineering teams gather information and conduct research to understand the needs and challenges to be addressed. What is problem? What do we want to accomplish? What are the project’s requirements and limitations? Who’s the customer? The key to ENGINEERING is TEAMWORK!

The Problem: You live in an earthquake zone and are being asked to engineer an earthquake-proof house to keep the people of your city safe. Let’s talk Engineering: First you will Identify the Problem: You and your partner/group are tasked to build an earthquake-proof house that can withstand being shook for 15 seconds on a shake table. Second you will Identify the Criteria and Constraints: Your house can be made of several materials (see list to follow) for a certain price with a certain height and width and it must weigh less than a certain weight. Price of your house: $$ Height:25 cmWidth: 25 cm Weight: Less than 100 grams

Third, you and your partner/group will brainstorm possible solutions, begin to generate ideas and explore possibilities through research and design. You will be asked to show your ideas to the teacher before moving on to building a prototype. Your Possible Solution: 1. A sketch of your house with measurements will need to be provided 2. The materials need to be listed and show where they are in your model 3. The approximate cost will need to listed 4. The weight will need to be listed Fourth, you and your partner/group will build a prototype before using your materials to see if you ideas will work. Again, your prototype will need to be approved by the teacher. Fifth, you and your partner/group may need to redesign your house. And the cycle continues! The last part of the project is to build your house using the materials you listed in your solution. If you need more materials, you may buy more but the cost of each item doubles…so think carefully before beginning your final step!

1.You and your partner/group will be researching earthquake activity in a certain country and reporting out facts to the class. Your house will be designed with your country in mind. 1.Design a poster advertising your house in your particular country. -Is your house designed to be safe and can it withstand an earthquake in your country? - How much does your house cost? Can everyone afford it your country? 3. A Math Worksheet that will be turned in to Mrs. Liberta for the math part of the project. 4. You and your partner/group will give a presentation to the class using your paper, poster and house. ChileIndiaMexicoTurkey ChinaIndonesiaNew ZealandUS - Alaska GreeceIranPapua New GuineaUS - California HaitiItalyPhilippinesUS - Hawaii JapanRussia

Let’s begin… 1.Pick your partner or group – no more than 3 people 2.Tell Mrs. Saylor who is in your partnership or group 3.Everyone will pick their country 4.Come up with a group name 5.Brainstorming begins… 6.At the end of class, put everything in your folder with your group name on it ASK What is the Challenge? Are there limitations or requirements? What do we know already? IMAGINE Brainstorm possible solution Consider design options

ItemCost Toothpicks$5 Straws$25 Cotton Balls$15 Popsicle Sticks$20 Rubber Bands$20 Masking Tape - 1 Ft Lengths$10 String - 1 Ft Lengths$10 Paper Clips$25 Marbles$50 Toilet Paper Rolls$30 As a partnership/group, you will be given $1000 to spend on materials for your Earthquake Proof House. You may spend it anyway you would like but remember it has to withstand earthquakes in your country. Remember that after you and your group buy your products and then want to redesign your house, the material cost will double!

Analyze Evaluate Solutions Engineering Design Process Define Problem or Need Select & Test Propose Design Solutions Research Investigate Gather Info What similar things exist? BrainstormingDoes solution meet need? Proof of concept Does it work? Modify & redesign Mike Mooney Associate Professor of Engineering Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO