Introduction to Science & Technology

Engineering The Future

Course Syllabus & Expectations

Course Description: This course is intended to help today's high school students understand the ways in which they will engineer the world of the future—whether or not they pursue technical careers. Engineering the Future prepares students for the engineering/technology MCAS and provides students with an introduction to key physics concepts. A central goal of the course is to build technological literacy for every student. Throughout the course, students develop a practical understanding of how we all are influenced by technology, and how we all influence future technological development by the choices we make as workers, consumers, and citizens.

Prerequisite: None

Objectives/(Mass. Technology Frameworks)

After completing this course, the student will be able to:

Identify four areas of technology
Identify and explain the steps of the engineering design process (1.1)
Demonstrate knowledge of pictorial and multi-view drawings (1.2)
Distinguish among tension, compression, shear, and torsion (2.1)
Explain Bernoulli’s Principle and its effect on practical applications (3.3)
Differentiate between hydraulic and pneumatic systems (3.4)
Differentiate among conduction, convection and radiation (4.1)
Identify and explain the components of a circuit (5.2)
Explain (Ohm’s Law) the relationship between resistance, voltage, and current (5.3)

Notebook: A notebook is necessary in this class to develop and record data from labs and to also keep notes and handouts in order. A three ringed binder is required. This binder should be at least 1.5 inches thick.

Expectations: School is a professional learning institution. I expect everyone who walks through the front door to treat it as thus. In the classroom, this includes respect for fellow students and equipment. If this respect is lacking from a particular student, disciplinary action will be taken. I will strive to improve every student’s academic skills. I will not practice parrot teaching in which the student will repeat the lessons in class for a grade. Instead, the student will use his or her own intuition and hands-on experience to discover the concepts for him or herself. My expectations are not that the student achieves a perfect grade, but rather that the student gains a respect for academics and captures the ability to reason independently.

Come to class prepared. This includes having a writing utensil, a calculator, the textbook, a notebook, and homework, every day.
Hand in work on time - No late work will be accepted unless medically excused
Do your own work
Listen respectfully & be respectful of others
Participate in classroom activities and discussions
No passes are given during lecture time

Homework: Homework is for the students practice; therefore homework is also for the students’ benefit and not the teacher’s benefit. An honest effort needs to be made for any homework to earn points. Homework is due the next day after the assignment unless otherwise noted.

Make up work: There will always be a chance to make up work due to excused absences. Makeup work is due No Later than two days following the day the student returns to school. Exceptions will be made for extended absences. Work missed due to reasons other than an absence from school may or may not be made up due to the discretion of the teacher.

Academic Honesty: The policy as outlined in the Student Handbook will be strictly enforced. All students are expected to do their own work. In the event that a student cheats or plagiarizes the following process will be instituted:

The student will receive no credit for the assignment.
The teacher will notify the student’s parent(s)/legal guardian(s) of the incident.
The teacher will notify the administration who may take further disciplinary action, i.e. detention, suspension, and/or expulsion if deemed necessary.

Computer Use: All students must complete the district acceptable use policy, obtain a user password, and must be in good standing with the internet use policy to take the course. Some assignments require the use of a computer to complete. If a student looses computer privileges during the semester, a grade of 0 will be recorded for all computer assignments until computer privileges are reinstated. If Internet use or computer use is abused during the course, disciplinary action may be determined by the administration based on the severity of the incident.

Grading: Your grade is a combination of assignments, notebooks, quizzes/tests, classroom participation & behavior (per school wide accountability rubric). Each assignment will have a point value, depending on the difficulty and time involved in the assignment. Totaling the points earned from each assignment and dividing by the sum of possible points for those assignments calculates the term grade.

Example:

A student gets a 3 out of 5 on the accountability rubric, a 9 out of 10 on a quiz and a 45 out of 50 on a test. To calculate the average achieved, add the total number of points achieved and divide that by the total number of points possible. In this case: 3 + 9 + 45 = 57 points out of a possible 5 + 10 + 45 = 65, so the grade is 57/65 or 88%

Semester Grading:

Term 3 40%

Term 4 40%

Final Project (oral presentation & written report) 20%

Exemptions: Any student maintaining a semester average of 93.0 % or better, may apply for exemption to the written portion of the final exam. There are no exemptions from the final project.

Extra Credit: There will be chances to participate in extra credit assignments. Extra credit is “extra” and can only be attempted if all normal assignments are completed. The points achieved by these assignments will be added to the student’s total points will no increase in possible points. I would suggest that the student take every opportunity available to them.

Office time: With very little exception, I stay after school M-Th. Officially, my office time is on Monday and Thursday from 2:20 – 2:50. Appointments can be made at any convenience for the student. An Appointment is preferred so that I do not double book, but it is not necessary. Parents are encouraged to communicate with me throughout the semester. The best way is through e-mail; however, please feel free to call anytime.

I have read the attached classroom rules and expectations, understand them, and agree to these guidelines.

Date:_______________________

Student signature: ___________________________________

and

Parent’s signature: (if student is not 18 years old): ______________________________________________

OPTIONAL:

Best way to contact parent/guardian

e-mail address (please print clearly) ________________________________

daytime phone # _____________________________________

evening phone # _____________________________________

Course Outline

Engineering the Future is broken into four “Projects,” that reflect seven technology/engineering

standards. Each Project includes both hands-on activities and related textbook chapters.

Project 1: Engineering Design and Manufacturing: Project 1 begins with an engaging individual task to design a new kind of cell phone holder. Students sketch their design ideas and construct mock-ups with simple materials. The students then learn the basics of engineering drawing, and how important teamwork and planning is in the completion of a project. The major focus of the project is to follow the steps of the engineering design process as a team with the task to design an organizer that meet the needs of a specific audience.

Project 2: Construction and Integrated Systems: In Project 2, students explore the problem of urban sprawl and how certain construction techniques can lead to more sustainable urban development. The students learn about various forces that act on structures by designing a backyard deck and analyzing structural failures. Through text readings and activities, the students learn about material properties of common construction materials as well as some basic concepts related to energy transfers and climate control systems. They experiment with different materials in an effort to design structures well suited for a range of environmental conditions. The culminating goal is to present a design and a model of a multi-functional, energy-efficient structure.

Project 3: Fluid and Thermal Systems: A primary goal of Project 3 is for students to understand the interplay between science and engineering as they investigate the topics of thermodynamics, energy transfer, fluid dynamics, work, and motion. Students build a "putt-putt boat" that runs using a fluid/thermal engine. Their challenge is to redesign the boat. To do that, students learn key scientific concepts that help explain how the boat operates so that they have a better idea of how to redesign it. As students build knowledge, they take on the role of working engineers, applying science to the redesign of a system. The students test their redesign ideas to see if those ideas meet their own criteria for improvement. Finally, students prepare patent applications to protect their creative ideas from exploitation by others.

Project 4: Electricity and Communication: In Project 4, students work with electronic circuits. Using switches, motors, speakers, resistors, light bulbs, and LEDs, they will explore how electricity flows through different circuit arrangements and apply their understanding to a series of small design projects, including a burglar alarm and a multi-speed fan. Once students learn how a multimeter works, they study energy output from generators and solar cells. Project 4 concludes with an exploration of electronic circuits useful for communication.