Product Detail: Journal Article

Product Image Get a Grip! A Middle School Engineering Challenge

By: Suzanne A. Olds, Deborah A. Harrell, and Michael E. Valente
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Details

Type of Product: Journal Article
Publication Title: Science Scope
Publication Date: 11/1/2006
Pages: 5
Grade Level: Middle School

Description

Investigating the field of engineering offers the opportunity for interdisciplinary, hands-on, inquiry-based units that integrate real-world applications; yet, many K-12 students are not exposed to engineering until they enter college. Get a Grip! is a problem-based unit that places middle school students in the role of engineers who are challenged to design and construct prosthetic arms for amputees in a war-torn country. The students use common materials to build arms that accomplish tasks requiring fine motor control and strength.

Ideas For Use

A critical component of the unit is its ability to demonstrate to middle school students that strong, interdisciplinary knowledge is required to solve engineering problems. As such, it is a practical and efficient mode of interdisciplinary instruction meeting state and national standards in science, math, reading, and social studies. The activity is the result of a partnership, and the curriculum is available online.

Additional Info

Science Discipline: (mouse over for full classification)
Careers
Technological design
Science process skills
Nature of science and technology
Intended User Role:Curriculum Supervisor, Middle-Level Educator, Teacher
Educational Issues:Achievement, Assessment of students, Careers, Community involvement, Curriculum, Educational research, Equity, Inquiry learning, Instructional materials, Integrating technology, Learning theory, Teacher content knowledge, Teacher preparation, Teaching strategies

Technical

Resource Format:application/pdf
Size:381 KB
Requirements:Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader


National Standards Correlation

This resource has 18 correlations with the National Standards.  
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This resource has 18 correlations with the National Standards.  
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  • Science and Technology
    • Abilities of technological design
      • Identify a simple problem.
      • Propose a solution.
      • Implementing proposed solutions
      • Communicate a problem, design, and solution.
      • Design a solution or product.
      • Implement a proposed design.
      • Evaluate completed technological designs or products
    • Understanding about science and technology
      • Scientists and engineers often work in teams with different individuals doing different things that contribute to the results. This understanding focuses primarily on teams working together and secondarily, on the combination of scientist and engineer teams.
  • History and Nature of Science
    • Science as a human endeavor
      • Many people choose science as a career and devote their entire lives to studying it.
  • Content Standards
    • Quality Teaching
      • Deepens educators’ content knowledge, provides them with research-based instructional strategies to assist students in meeting rigorous academic standards, and prepares them to use various types of classroom assessments appropriately. (NSDC)
  • Teaching Standards
    • Teachers of science plan an inquiry-based science program for their students.
      • Select science content and adapt and design curricula to meet the interests, knowledge, understanding, abilities, and experiences of students.
      • Select teaching and assessment strategies that support the development of student understanding and nurture a community of science learners.
      • Work together as colleagues within and across disciplines and grade levels.
    • Teachers provide students with the time, space, and resources needed to learn science.
      • Make the available science tools, materials, media, and technological resources accessible to students.
    • Teachers of science develop communities of science learners that reflect the intellectual rigor of scientific inquiry.
      • Model and emphasize the skills, attitudes, and values of scientific inquiry.
      • Nurture collaboration among students.
  • Science as Inquiry
    • Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
      • NA
    • Understandings about scientific inquiry
      • NA

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