1. February 28, 2018
On your graphic organizer, at the top of page, write the I Can statement:
“I can determine if the engineering design process has been successfully applied”
Grab your plicker and be ready to answer the starter question:
A group of students are testing a device that filters water to determine if it will produce suitable drinking water. Which tools are best to test the rate at which water flows out of the filtering device?
a. funnel and meter stick
b. beaker and microscope
c. graduated cylinder and stopwatch
d. thermometer and electronic balance

2. Activate Prior Knowledge: You already know the Scientific Method process.
Today we are going to learn about the process engineers use when inventing new products. You will hear this referred to as the “technological process,” “design process” and/or the “engineering process.”
Connect to Prior Knowledge: Technological design is a little different than the scientific method. Does anyone have an idea how it could be different? The same?

3. Engineering Design vs. Scientific Method
Both processes require research and observations.
They also both have step-by-step procedures, and they both involve interpreting data and testing ideas.
However, the technological design process is about solving people’s problems.
It requires the design of a prototype. A prototype is a working model of a new technology.

4. In your groups, you have been given a step of the Engineering Design Process.
Your job as a group is to read your step and then come up with a name for that step in a short sentence or 2-3 words.
example using the scientific method:
I’m going to grow a garden and my husband bought me 3 different types of fertilizer. Which fertilizer will produce the best plant growth?
I might call this step: Ask a question

5. Let’s try another example:
Every day I measure the growth of the plants and record it into a table so it’s easier to interpret. Now I’ve got to determine what all this information means.
I might call this step: Analyzing the data.
While you’re reading, ask yourself, “What am I doing in this step? How can explain this in a few words?”
You have 3 mins. Everyone in your group must be able to identify your name for the step.
GLE 0807.T/E.2 Know that the engineering design process involves an ongoing series of events that incorporate design constraints, model building, testing, evaluating, modifying, and retesting.

6. Step 1: Define the Problem
Mrs. Simon loves having the Kindles available for her students to use during class but storing them is a nightmare! The cords are everywhere, they’re hard to plug in, students must bend down to get them, and to top it off some students don’t plug them in at the end of class.
Step 1: Define the Problem
The problem must be accurately and realistically defined in order to go about the process of solving it.
If you are unable to do this in a realistic way, time and money will be wasted and the original problem may still exist with no solution.
GLE 0807.T/E.2 Know that the engineering design process involves an ongoing series of events that incorporate design constraints, model building, testing, evaluating, modifying, and retesting.

7. The Engineering Design Process
Define the Problem

8. Step 2: Background Research
Pinterest here I come! Let’s see, some teachers have fancy expensive organizers (Mrs. Simon can’t afford that!). Other’s have tried plastic storage bins, file organizers, shoe organizers, dish strainers, custom-made cabinets, etc. Wow, there’s a lot of ideas out there!
Step 2: Background Research
Research must be focused and incorporate new ideas and a thorough exploration of old similar ideas.
Sometimes the old ideas are the best. Ever heard the saying, “Don’t reinvent the wheel?” Old ideas that failed are sometimes great research gold mines; that idea may have failed due to a lack of new technology that may exist now.
1. Explore other solutions to the same and similar problems.
2. Look carefully at the environment in which your invention must operate.
GLE 0807.T/E.2 Know that the engineering design process involves an ongoing series of events that incorporate design constraints, model building, testing, evaluating, modifying, and retesting.

9. The Engineering Design Process
Define the Problem
Conduct Research

10. Step 3: Brainstorm Ideas
Ok, Mrs. Simon has seen a lot of ideas that others have tried. Let’s see, it must be able to hold 30 Kindles, be able to neatly plug them all in, and be really organized-- it must meet these requirements. Oh, and it can’t be too expensive. So, the dish strainer might work, or perhaps the file organizers, maybe a pocket organizer might work.
Step 3: Brainstorm Ideas
No ideas are bad ideas. It is important to consider all approaches to a problem. One that did not seem feasible or make sense in the beginning might be the way to go in the end. Not too many projects go through development on the first try or on the best idea at the time.
Come up with at least three design solutions and evaluate each of them.
Look at the number of parts that are being committed to the design. Are there enough? Can it be simplified?

11. The Engineering Design Process
Define the Problem
Conduct Research
Brainstorm Ideas

12. Step 4: Choose a solution & design it
Based on the requirements and cost, Mrs. Simon has decided to use the dish strainer idea using Velcro to organize the cords. Mrs. Simon better make sure that she keeps track of the requirements and the materials she will need to complete this project.
Step 4: Choose a solution & design it
Finally, choose a solution to proceed with.
The first step is to start sketching to get the ideas on paper. Sketching and drawing by hand enables you to tap your creative side. It is important to have accurate and complete sketches in order to translate the idea into drawings and models. You can find potential, and sometimes costly, flaws in a design before the real world prototype is constructed.
GLE 0807.T/E.2 Know that the engineering design process involves an ongoing series of events that incorporate design constraints, model building, testing, evaluating, modifying, and retesting.

13. Choose a solution & design it
The Engineering Design Process
Define the Problem
Conduct Research
Brainstorm Ideas
Choose a solution & design it

14. Step 5: Build your Prototype
Off to Wal-Mart. Mrs. Simon has the supplies and she starts putting it together. I’ve got 3 dish strainers, loads of Velcro, a multiplug to plug everything in and I’ll still have to use my rolling cart for now. She labels each slot with a # so the students know where each Kindle goes, she attaches Velcro to the sides so the cords won’t be all over the place, she places two strainers on the top shelf of her rolling cart and one strainer on the bottom shelf. It’s ready.
Step 5: Build your Prototype
The best way to know if a design will work in real-world conditions is to build a prototype. The prototype is an accurate working model of the final design. The prototype is evaluated for cost, aesthetics, durability, ease of construction, and meeting the design criteria.

15. Choose a solution & Design it.
The Engineering Design Process
Define the Problem
Conduct Research
Brainstorm Ideas
Choose a solution & Design it.
Build a prototype

16. Step 6: Test & evaluate your prototype.
Step 6: Prototype is built. Rolling cart is in classroom.
Beginning of class: Mrs. Simon, “Students grab the Kindle assigned to you and have a seat.” Mrs. Simon notices that picking them up at the beginning of class seemed to work ok.
End of class: Mrs. Simon, “Student please return your Kindles to the proper slot and make sure you plug it in.” After class Mrs. Simon examines her new storage unit. A few Kindles are not in the correct spot and unfortunately, some of them were not plugged in. I’m not sure this met my requirements.
Step 6: Test & evaluate your prototype.
In this step, you will test your prototype to determine its effectiveness. Did your prototype meet the goals you set for it?
Is it the solution to your original problem?

17. Choose a solution & Design it.
The Engineering Design Process
Define the Problem
Conduct Research
Brainstorm Ideas
Choose a solution & Design it.
Build a prototype
Test the prototype

18. Step 7: Communicate results.
Mrs. Kirby and Mrs. Simon meet to discuss how the prototype worked out. Mrs. Kirby shares the results of her experience with the storage unit and Mrs. Simon shares her results. They’ve determined that it still has not met all their needs. Together they discuss where they should go from here.
Step 7: Communicate results.
What worked, what didn’t work?

19. Choose a solution & Design it.
The Engineering Design Process
Define the Problem
Conduct Research
Brainstorm Ideas
Choose a solution & Design it.
Build a prototype
Test the prototype
Communicate results

20. Step 8: Redesign if necessary.
Mrs. Simon has decided to make some changes to her original design. It must be organized and all Kindles have to be plugged in. Back to the drawing board…
Step 8: Redesign if necessary.
If an initial design and prototype does not fully solve the problem or specifications, meet the design parameters, or stay within an acceptable cost, a designer may go “back to the drawing board” (or computer).
The engineering design process has a loop to go back to the design and refine or redesign. The biggest hurdle in this refinement/redesign is money.
Sometimes it is easier and less costly to settle for a slightly inferior design than spend the money to redevelop a nearly finished product.

21. Choose a solution & Design it.
The Engineering Design Process
Define the Problem
Conduct Research
Brainstorm Ideas
Choose a solution & Design it.
Build a prototype
Redesign if necessary
Test the prototype
Communicate results

22. Comprehension Check
We can compare the Engineering Design Process to what other concept we’ve learned this year?
The Scientific Method
Define the Problem
What is the 1st step in the Engineering Design Process?
Thinking of all possible solutions to the problem describes which step?
Brainstorming
You’ve determined that your prototype hasn’t quite met all the requirements. What should be the next step you should take?
Look at the possibility of redesigning the prototype.

23. Now that we know the steps of the Engineering Design Process let’s look closely at our I can statement:
I can determine if the engineering design process has been successfully applied.
Scenario #1: Jacob has noticed that when he opens his bedroom door, the doorknob hits the wall. He decides to design something to absorb the force of the opening door. He quickly runs out to the garage to see what materials his dad has available. He finds an old piece of carpet that he decides to attach to the wall behind his door. He attaches the carpet to the wall and it immediately falls to the floor. What step did Jacob skip in solving this problem?
Answer: Jacob would have benefited from conducting some research to determine what others have tried to fix this problem. He also should have brainstormed some possible solutions first.

24. I can determine if the engineering design process has been successfully applied.
Scenario #2: Brian has always wanted to create videogames. He heard that Sony is coming out with a game very similar to the one he’s been working on for months. He desperately wants to get his game out before Sony does. He defined his problem (how can I create a game that meets this particular need of video gamers?) and completed the necessary research to see if others have tried to meet this problem. He came up with many solutions, narrowed it down to one and created his prototype. He quickly began to sell his product to buyers who were very interested in his particular game, however the game kept crashing and buyers were angry. Which should Brian have done in order to ensure that his buyers would be happy with their purchase?
Answer: Brian should have tested his prototype first to ensure that it would not crash.

25. I can determine if the engineering design process has been successfully applied.
Scenario #3: NASA is developing a new deep-space telescope to replace the Hubble Space Telescope. Which will best determine whether the new telescope is an improvement over the Hubble Space Telescope?
A. comparing the capabilities of the new telescope to those of the Hubble Space
Telescope.
B. interviewing scientists about their opinion on the new telescope and the Hubble
Space Telescope.
C. researching different types of lenses that can be used in space telescopes.
D. analyzing how much it costs to build space telescopes.
Answer: A.
Ask students which step this would fall under—testing.
Tomorrow we’re going to look at these steps again and practice putting them in order in addition to matching descriptions to the specific engineering steps.

26. Exit Ticket: Get out your plickers again.
I can determine if the engineering design process has been successfully applied.