Unit 1: Foundations

In this unit, students will be introduced to the importance and influence of engineering on everyday life, engineering design cycle, how to engineers document what they do. Students will brainstorm a problem to solve, and work through the engineering design cycle as they go about developing a solution.

 

1.1: Course Introduction and Safety

Students are introduced to the course and its flipped format. Lab safety rules and procedures are presented and a lab safety quiz is administered.

 

1.2: Engineering 5 Senses and Success from Failure

Students experience the influence of engineering in their lives by using all five senses. This importance of failure as a contributor to ultimate success and how this topic relates to engineering is discussed.

 

1.3: Engineering Jobs

Students learn the difference between Engineering, Science, and Engineering Technology. They experience different types of jobs that exist within many of the engineering disciplines.

 

1.4 Engineering Notebooks, Descriptions, and Sketches

Students learn and practice the rules for keeping an engineering notebook. They apply their understanding of engineering descriptions and conceptual sketches.

 

1.5 Teams and Engineering Design Process Part 1 – Understand: Problem and Design Statements

Students learn why teaming is so important to successful engineering. They practice writing good Problem and Design Statements and decide on a problem to which they will apply the Engineering Design Process.

1.6 Teams and Engineering Design Process Part 1 – Understand: Research

Students research their selected design problem and summarize what they find.

 

1.7 Engineering Design Process Part 2 – Design: Brainstorming and Design Requirements and Constraints

Students practice brainstorming and set requirements and constraints for the solution to their selected design problem.

 

1.8 Engineering Design Process Part 2 – Design: Solution Selection

Students learn a method for selecting a solution based on ranked criteria. They practice this method for an example case and then apply it to their selected design problem.

 

1.9 Engineering Design Process Part 3 – Create: Prototyping

Students will understand the importance of prototyping in the engineering design process. They will prototype their solution to their selected design problem.

 

1.10 Engineering Design Process Part 4 – Reflect: Testing and Redesign

Students will observe the role of testing in the engineering design process. They will generate their own testing criteria based on their Design Requirements and Constraints and make a testing plan. Student groups will present their prototypes to the class.

 

1.11 Quiz and Presentations

Students take a quiz on Unit 1, finish their group presentations, and reflect on the design process.