Introducing Engineering into Texas State Math and Science Curricula Abigail C. Perkins and Carol L. Stuessy Texas A&M University, College Station November 10, 2011 SSMA 2011 Colorado Springs, CO

Mission Statement To increase high school teachers’ and students’ literacy about earthquake engineering by integrating appropriate knowledge, skills, and tools into STEM mathematics and science classrooms.

Phases of EEEP Phase 1. Design Team – Develop, field-test, and revise materials Phase 2. Teacher Workshop – Integrating innovation into STEM classrooms

Phase 1: Design Team Overview Foundation for 2012 EEEP Teacher Workshop – July 18-23, 2011 – Texas A&M University Earthquake engineering- based instructional materials

Phase 1: Design Team Background Team Member ScienceMathCivil Engineering Sci. Ed.Interdisc. H. S. Teachers (3) Earth Sci. (1) Physics (2) Algebra II, Calculus (1) Professors (2)(1) Students (6)Masters (2) Undergrad (1) Ph.D. (2)Ph.D. (1) Distributed Expertise: Diverse backgrounds Conducive to authentic development

Phase 1: Design Team Objectives Provide hands-on, minds-on experience about: – Roles of the engineer – Integrated STEM domains Produce: – Recommendations for workshop activities – Classroom lessons

Phase 1 Product: Classroom Lesson Example Risk Awareness The epicenter of an earthquake occurs X mi away from a bullet train traveling at 220 mph. If they’re traveling in opposite directions, and the earthquake propagates with a speed of Y mph, calculate the impulse of the collision. How many people would survive? Seismic hazard map of the southeastern U.S. provided by the U.S. Geological Survey hazards

Phase 1 Product: Graph Analysis Lesson Title of LessonEarthquake: Graph Analysis Learning QuestionWhat one can learn from graphs? Student Performance Expectation a)Construct /analyze position-time graph b)Construct /analyze a product of exponential decay function and periodic motion c)Richter scale literacy Key Understandingsa)Slope as a rate of change b)Amplitude and its relation to energy c)Common logarithm and its applications Lesson SynopsisThe students will be using worksheets with some data representations TEKSIPC: 2C, 2D, 3C, 4A, PHYSICS 2A, 2C, 7A, 7B, 7C, Learning ResourcesWorksheets

Phase 1 Product: Harmonic Motion Lesson Title of LessonHarmonic Motion Learning QuestionWhat is harmonic motion and why it is important to study this type of motion Student Performance Expectation a)Differentiate translational and harmonic motion b)Identify important parameters describing harmonic motion c)How to construct a position-time graph that describes periodic motion Key Understandingsa)Period of motion, frequency b)Amplitude of motion c)The idea of damped oscillation Lesson SynopsisThe students will be using physics simulations to conceptualize the properties of harmonic motion TEKSIPC: 2C, 2D, 3C, 4A, PHYSICS 2A, 2C, 7A, 7B, 7C, Learning Resourceshttp://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/mass-spring-lab

Phase 1: Feedback “Now I can explain a lot better as to why buildings fail and show how engineers can test and make structures that will not fail -or at least stay in one piece and not hurt people. Now I can incorporate the engineering part into a lesson so that it will become a true STEM lesson for my kiddos.” -Design Team Teacher, Earth Science

Phase 2: Teacher Workshop Overview Goal: Enable participants to design and implement materials integrating earthquake engineering into their own classrooms 24 teachers Texas A&M University – June 10-16, 2012 Provisions

Phase 2: Content Focus Earthquake engineers minimize risk – link natural w/ designed environments Learners’ “needs to know” Urban infrastructure components: – Water – Transportation – Communication – Power

Phase 2: Component Interconnectivity

Phase 2: What Teachers May Expect Social learning Networked communications portal Exemplary models of teaching

Exemplary Activity Example: Jell-O and Broccoli Simulation Simulates how structures respond to earthquakes Manually shake table to mimic earthquake Attached sensors generate graphical representations

Summary: The Future of EEEP EEEP aims to create a workshop that will benefit teachers by: Contextualizing earthquake engineering into STEM Lesson plans – Individualized – Field-tested Elucidating the science and math of everyday life Collaborating Integrate models and simulations

Acknowledgements Design team Professors, teachers, students EEEP developers and facilitators Drs. Carol Stuessy and Gary Fry Major support for EEEP is provided by the National Science Foundation Design team 2011 and teacher 2012 workshops hosted by

Questions? Comments? Recommendations? Criticisms?