Unit Guides
Unit guides for the e4usa curriculum are publicly available for download. The full curriculum will be released to current e4usa partners only. Please contact us at e4usa@umd.edu if you have questions.
Driving Questions
What is engineering? Am I an engineer? Where can we see the results of engineering? Is this engineering design? Where is engineering evident?
Description
Students will explore engineering through the evolution of engineering products. They will define engineering by relating it to their future plans and engaging in two one day challenges in teams. Students will explore engineers, and begin to explore their engineering identity.
Key Concepts
Identity - Students are expected to grapple with understanding their current status within the context of engineering - first by understanding and creating their own definition and then hearing what ‘we’ think engineering is.
Design - At its core - engineering design is about engaging in conflict (explicitly or implicitly) and making choices about purpose and intention. There is no way to ‘engineer’ in a vacuum. Engineering is an act and therefore must have an object of action.
Teamwork - Students will be introduced to habits and practices of teamwork (Society) Engineering is responsible for the reliable delivery of many of the goods and services. Products evolve over time due to improvements in engineering tools and processes.
Learning Outcomes
Connect with Engineering
- Iterate and evolve the definition of what it means to engineer and be an engineer.
- Recognize the value of engineering for all regardless of one's potential career.
- Explain and apply ethical considerations when exploring an engineering problem.
Engineering in Society
- Explore the impacts of past engineering successes and failures on society as a whole.
- Recognize and investigate the world's greatest challenges and the role that engineering plays in solving these challenges (e.g., Engineering Grand Challenges, UN sustainability goals, etc.).
- Integrate diverse disciplinary thinking and expertise to inform design solutions that add value to society.
- Identify and analyze issues when bringing a solution to scale.
Engineering Professional Skills
- Use various engineering communication methods.
- Collaborate effectively in a team.
- Develop, implement, and adapt a project management plan.
Engineering Design
- Identify and describe a problem that can be solved with a potentially new product or process.
- Identify appropriate stakeholders and content experts and evaluate their input.
- Plan and conduct research by gathering relevant and credible data, facts, and information.
- Articulate appropriate STEM practices and principles in the design.
- Evaluate solution alternatives and select a final design by considering assumptions, tradeoffs, criteria, and constraints.
- Create a prototype. ED.G Create and implement a testing plan to evaluate the performance of design solutions.
- Apply iteration to improve engineering designs.
- Articulate and reflect on how an engineering design process could be applied to solving a problem.
Lessons and Content Overview
| Lesson Name | Lesson Description | Activity |
| 1.0 Classroom and Laboratory Safety | Safety Overview | None |
| 1.1 - Career Relationship with Engineering | Students explore relationships between their desired career and engineering | 1.1.1 Career Relationship with Engineering 1.1.2 Think-Pair-Share |
| 1.2 - Listening to Music Over the Years | Explore the evolution of the media through which we listen to music | 1.2.1 Listening to Music Over the Years |
| 1.3 - Engineers are Everywhere | Begin to explore and develop an engineering identity | 1.3.1 Bryan Langford Interview 1.3.2 Sylvia Acevedo Poster 1.3.3 Identify an Engineer |
| 1.4 - Introductory Engineering Design Experience | Groups of students create and test a robot arm | 1.4.1 Creating a Hazardous Waste Cleaning Prototype 1.4.2 Design Brief |
| 1.5 - Learning Through Failure | Failure is a necessary step toward success. Explore failure from famous people | 1.5.1 Why Failure is a Good Thing |
Lesson 1.0 - Classroom and Laboratory Safety
Safety Overview
Lesson 1.1 - Career Relationship with Engineering
Students explore relationships between their desired career and engineering
- 1.1.1 Career Relationship with Engineering [1 hour]
- 1.1.2 Think-Pair-Share [15 minutes]
Lesson 1.2 - Listening to Music Over the Years
Explore the evolution of the media through which we listen to music
- 1.2.1 Listening to Music Over the Years [40 minutes]
Lesson 1.3 - Engineers are Everywhere
Begin to explore and develop an engineering identity
- 1.3.1 Bryan Langford Interview [30 minutes]
- 1.3.2 Sylvia Acevedo Poster [45 minutes]
- 1.3.3 Identify an Engineer [12 hours]
Lesson 1.4 - Introductory Engineering Design Experience
Groups of students create and test a robot arm
- 1.4.1 Creating a Hazardous Waste Cleaning Prototype [1 hour 30 minutes]
- 1.4.2 Design Brief [30 minutes]
Lesson 1.5 - Learning Through Failure
Failure is a necessary step toward success. Explore failure from famous people
- 1.5.1 Why Failure is a Good Thing [25 minutes]
Lesson 1.6 - Engineering in Everyday Life
Explore engineering in everyday items - such as shoes
- 1.6.1 Shoe Sole Design [30 minutes]
Lesson 1.7 - Introduction to Engineering Ethics
Students examine how ethics can play a role in engineering design
- 1.7.1 Playpump [1 hour or more]
Lesson 1.8 - Multidisciplinary Engineering
Explore hardware and its environmental impact, manufacturability, etc.
- 1.8.1 Product Archaeology [1 hour 40 minutes]
Driving Questions
Who do engineers design for and how does the product impact the user? How do engineers go from problem to product? How do we know our design works?
Description
The students will engage in a guided whole-class engineering challenge tethered to a teacher-provided global issue related to a local problem. The students will design, construct, test and evaluate their product(s) to address a need e.g. water filtration.
Key Concepts
Design - Design is a process that requires us to test how well we meet our initial goals which are often established through stakeholder inputs.
Engineering Discipline - The role of civil engineers in providing clean drinking water will be highlighted.
Teamwork - Students will be introduced to teamwork.
Ethics and Society - Engineering design can impact society and choices/decisions may not occur in isolation.
Learning Outcomes
Connect with Engineering
- Iterate and evolve the definition of what it means to engineer and be an engineer.
- Recognize the value of engineering for all regardless of one's potential career.
- Explain and apply ethical considerations when exploring an engineering problem.
Engineering in Society
- Explore the impacts of past engineering successes and failures on society as a whole.
- Recognize and investigate the world's greatest challenges and the role that engineering plays in solving these challenges (e.g., Engineering Grand Challenges, UN sustainability goals, etc.).
- Integrate diverse disciplinary thinking and expertise to inform design solutions that add value to society.
- Identify and analyze issues when bringing a solution to scale.
Engineering Professional Skills
- Use various engineering communication methods.
- Collaborate effectively in a team.
- Develop, implement, and adapt a project management plan.
Engineering Design
- Identify and describe a problem that can be solved with a potentially new product or process.
- Identify appropriate stakeholders and content experts and evaluate their input.
- Plan and conduct research by gathering relevant and credible data, facts, and information.
- Articulate appropriate STEM practices and principles in the design.
- Evaluate solution alternatives and select a final design by considering assumptions, tradeoffs, criteria, and constraints.
- Create a prototype. ED.G Create and implement a testing plan to evaluate the performance of design solutions.
- Apply iteration to improve engineering designs.
- Articulate and reflect on how an engineering design process could be applied to solving a problem.
Lessons and Content Overview
| Lesson Name | Lesson Description | Activity |
| 1.0 Classroom and Laboratory Safety | Safety Overview | None |
| 1.1 - Career Relationship with Engineering | Students explore relationships between their desired career and engineering | 1.1.1 Career Relationship with Engineering 1.1.2 Think-Pair-Share |
| 1.2 - Listening to Music Over the Years | Explore the evolution of the media through which we listen to music | 1.2.1 Listening to Music Over the Years |
| 1.3 - Engineers are Everywhere | Begin to explore and develop an engineering identity | 1.3.1 Bryan Langford Interview 1.3.2 Sylvia Acevedo Poster 1.3.3 Identify an Engineer |
| 1.4 - Introductory Engineering Design Experience | Groups of students create and test a robot arm | 1.4.1 Creating a Hazardous Waste Cleaning Prototype 1.4.2 Design Brief |
| 1.5 - Learning Through Failure | Failure is a necessary step toward success. Explore failure from famous people | 1.5.1 Why Failure is a Good Thing |
Lesson 1.0 - Classroom and Laboratory Safety
Safety Overview
Lesson 1.1 - Career Relationship with Engineering
Students explore relationships between their desired career and engineering
- 1.1.1 Career Relationship with Engineering [1 hour]
- 1.1.2 Think-Pair-Share [15 minutes]
Lesson 1.2 - Listening to Music Over the Years
Explore the evolution of the media through which we listen to music
- 1.2.1 Listening to Music Over the Years [40 minutes]
Lesson 1.3 - Engineers are Everywhere
Begin to explore and develop an engineering identity
- 1.3.1 Bryan Langford Interview [30 minutes]
- 1.3.2 Sylvia Acevedo Poster [45 minutes]
- 1.3.3 Identify an Engineer [12 hours]
Lesson 1.4 - Introductory Engineering Design Experience
Groups of students create and test a robot arm
- 1.4.1 Creating a Hazardous Waste Cleaning Prototype [1 hour 30 minutes]
- 1.4.2 Design Brief [30 minutes]
Lesson 1.5 - Learning Through Failure
Failure is a necessary step toward success. Explore failure from famous people
- 1.5.1 Why Failure is a Good Thing [25 minutes]
Lesson 1.6 - Engineering in Everyday Life
Explore engineering in everyday items - such as shoes
- 1.6.1 Shoe Sole Design [30 minutes]
Lesson 1.7 - Introduction to Engineering Ethics
Students examine how ethics can play a role in engineering design
- 1.7.1 Playpump [1 hour or more]
Lesson 1.8 - Multidisciplinary Engineering
Explore hardware and its environmental impact, manufacturability, etc.
- 1.8.1 Product Archaeology [1 hour 40 minutes]