Publications/ Presentations/Products

PUBLICATIONS

Aranda, M., Lie, R., Guzey, S. S., Moore, T., & Akarsu, M. (in review). Connecting classroom discourse to student science learning in a reform-based curriculum unit. Journal of Research in Science Teaching.

Bhattacharya, D., Guzey, S. S., Millar, C. & Moore, T. (2015). Artificial floating islands: A curriculum unit for integrated STEM. Science Scope..

Bryan, L.A., Moore, T. J., Johnson, C.C. & Roehrig, G.H. (2016). Integrated STEM education. In C.C. Johnson, E.E. Peters-Burton, & T. J. Moore (Eds.), STEM Road Map: A Framework for Integrated STEM Education. New York, NY: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781315753157

Chen, Y.C., Moore, T. J., & Wang, H.H. (2014). Construct, critique, and connect: Engineering as a vehicle to learn science. Science Scope, 38(3), 58.

Dare, E. & Roehrig, G. (2016). If I had to do it, then I would: Understanding early middle school students’ perceptions of physics and physics-related careers by gender. Phys. Rev. Educ. Res.,12. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.12.020117

Douglas, K. A., Moore, T. J., & Adams, R. S. (2016). Core engineering design competencies. Purdue University Research Repository. doi: 10.4231/R7B56GQZ

Ellis, J. F., Dare, E. F., Voigt, M. F., & Roehrig, G. (2015). Rethinking the egg drop with NGSS science and engineering practices. Michigan Science Teachers Association Journal, 60(2), 61-66.

Farmer, S., Moore, T. J. & Tank, K.M (2015). Using STEM to reinforce measurement skills. Teaching Children Mathematics, 22(3), 196-199.

Glancy, A. W., Moore, T. J., Guzey, S.S., & Smith, K.A. How fifth grade students apply data analysis and measurement, Journal of Precollege Engineering Education Research.

Guzey, S.S., Bhattacharya, D., Christ, J., & Moore, T. (2013). Teaching Sustainability Through Integrated STEM Education. Educating Science Teachers for Sustainability.

Guzey, S. S., Bhattacharya, D., Christ, J., & Moore, T. (2015). Teaching Sustainability Through Integrated STEM Education. Educating Science Teachers for Sustainability.

Guzey, S. S., Harwell, M., Moreno, M., & Moore, T. (2016). STEM Integration in middle school life science: Student learning and attitudes. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 25(4), 550-560.

Guzey, S. S., Harwell, M., Moreno, M., Peralta, Y., & Moore, T. (2016). The impact of design-based STEM integration curricula on student achievement in science, engineering, and mathematics. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 26, 207 doi: 10.1007/s10956-016-9673-x).

Guzey, S. S. & Moore, T. (2015). Assessment of curricular materials for integrated STEM education. Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education, Seattle, WA.

Guzey, S. S., Moore, T., & Harwell, M. (2014). Development of an instrument to measure students’ attitudes toward STEM. School Science and Mathematics.

Guzey, S. S., Moore, T., & Harwell, M. (2016). Building up STEM: An analysis of teacher-developed engineering design-based STEM integration curricular materials. Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER), 6(1), Article 2. doi:10.1007/s10956-016-9612-

Guzey, S. S., Moore, T. J., & Morse, G. (2016). Student interest in engineering design-based science. School Science and Mathematics, 116(8), 411-419. doi: 10.1111/ssm.12198

Harwell et al. (2015). A measurement study of STEM assessments. Journal of Modern Education Review.

Harwell et al. (2015). A study of STEM assessments in engineering, science, and mathematics for elementary and middle school students. School Science and Mathematics. 115, 66-74 doi:10.1111/ssm.12105

Holmberg, J. C., Auxier K., Stevenson, C., & Moore, T. J. (2016). The miracle in the middle: Education service agencies provide the structure for successful K-12/higher education partnerships. Perspectives: A Journal of Research and Opinion About Educational Service Agencies, 22(4), 1-17.

Karahan, E., Guzey, S. S., & Moore, T. (2014). Saving Pelicans: A STEM integration unit. Science Scope, 38(3), 28-34.

Mathis, C., Siverling, E., Glancy, A., Guzey, S. S., & Moore, T. (2016). Students’ use of evidence-based reasoning in K-12 engineering: A case study. Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education, New Orleans, LA.

Mathis, C. A., Siverling, E. A., Glancy, A. W., & Moore, T. J. (2015). Teachers’ use of argumentation in the development of integrated STEM curricula. Conference Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education, Seattle WA.

Mathis, C. A., Siverling, E. A., Glancy, A. W., & Moore, T. J.* (accepted March 14, 2017). Teachers’ use of argumentation in the development of integrated STEM curricula. Journal of Precollege Engineering Education Research.

Moore, T. J., Doerr, H. M., Glancy, A. H., & Ntow, F.D. (2015). Modeling...What a concept! Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 20(6), 358.

Moore, T., Doerr, H. M., Glancy, A. W., & Ntow, F. D. (2015). Preserving pelicans with models that make sense. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 20(6), 358-364.

Moore, T. J., & Douglas, K. A. (2016). Engineering notebook prompts for intermediate and middle grades. Purdue University Research Repository. doi: 10.4231/R76D5QZS

Moore, T. & Guzey, S. S. (2015). An assessment tool to evaluate student learning of engineering. Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education, Seattle, WA.

Moore, T., Guzey, S. S., & Brown, A (2014). Greenhouse design to increase habitable land: An engineering unit. Science Scope, 37(7), 51.

Moore, T. J., Johnson, C. C., Peters-Burton, E. E., & Guzey, S. S. (2015). The need for a STEM road map. In C.C. Johnson, E.E. Peters-Burton, and T.J. Moore (Eds.), STEM Road Map: A Framework for Integrated STEM Education (pp. 1-14). Routledge.

Moreno, M., Harwell, M., Guzey, S. S., Phillips, A., Moore, T. (2016). Complex applications of HLM in studies of science and mathematics achievement: Cross-classified random effects models. School Science and Mathematics, 116(6), 338-351.

Niesl, W. & Guzey, S. S. (2015). Incorporating engineering in the biology classroom. Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education, Seattle, WA.

Yadira, P., Moreno, M., Harwell, M., Guzey, S. S., & Moore, T. (major revisions submitted). Going beyond the mean. Journal of Engineering Education.

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS/PAPERS

Anwar, T. & Roehrig, G. (2014). Instructional coaching support to science teachers for the implementation of STEM integrated curriculum. North Central Association of Science Teacher Educators. Eau Claire, WI.

Anwar, T. & Roehrig, G. (2015). Instructional coaching support to science teachers for the implementation of STEM integrated curriculum. National Association for Research in Science Teaching. Chicago, IL.

Baker, J., Harty, C., Sheldon, T. D., (2015). Anatomy 101: Dissection of the evaluation process. Mid-Western Educational Research Association. Evanston, IL

Constantine, A., Rozowa, P., Szostkowski, A., Ellis, J., Roehrig, G. (2017, January). Definitely not for everyone: Variations in how science teachers integrate technology in a STEM unit. Paper presented at the Association of Science Teacher Education (ASTE) conference in Des Moines, IA.

Constantine, A., Rozowa, P., Szostkowski, A., Ellis, J., Roehrig, G. (2017, April). SEM or STEM? Variations in science teachers’ technology integration in a co-designed STEM unit. Paper presented at National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST), San Antonio, TX.

Crotty, E., Brown, J., Guzey, S., Glancy, A., Ring, E., & Moore. T. (2016, January). Conceptualizing STEM integration units that correlate to student achievement gains with engineering. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE) in Reno, NV.

Crotty, E., Guzey, S. S., Glancy, A., Moore, T., & Ring, E. (2016). Models of STEM integration and student achievement gains in engineering. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) in Baltimore, MD.

Crotty, E., Leammukda, F., Wieselman, J., & Roehrig, G. (2017, April). Beliefs and attitudes toward STEM: Increasing interest in STEM for female students of color. Paper presented at National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST), San Antonio, TX

Dare, E., Ortmann, L., Ellis, J.A., McFadden, J., Moore, T.J., Roehrig, G.H. & Guzey, S.S. (2015). From professional development to classroom implementation: Exploring STEM integration in K-12 science education. Association of Science Teacher Education. Portland, OR.

Dare, E., Ring, E., & Roehrig, G. (2017, April). Creating STEM continua: A phenomenographic approach to understanding perceptions of STEM integration models. Paper presented at National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST), San Antonio, TX.

Dare, E. & Roehrig, G. (2015). Understanding student perceptions about physics: finding similarities and differences between middle school girls and boys. National Association for Research in Science Teaching. Chicago, IL.

Dare, E. & Roehrig, G. (2016, January). Considering girl-friendly science instructional strategies within an integrated stem curriculum. Paper presented at the ASTE conference in Reno, NV.

Douglas, K. A., & Moore, T. J. (2017, June). Engineering notebooks for formative assessment. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Engineering Education, Columbus, OH.

Douglas, K. A., Moore, T. J., Merzdorf, H. E., Li, T., & Johnston, A. C. (2017, June). A content analysis of how engineering is assessed in published curricula. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Engineering Education, Columbus, OH.

Glancy, A. W., Moore, T. J., Guzey, S. S., Mathis, C. A., Tank, K. M., Siverling, E. A. (2014). Examination of integrated stem curricula as a means toward quality k-12 engineering education. American Society of Engineering Education, Indianapolis, IN.

Glancy, A., Moore, T., Guzey, S. S., Smith, K. (2015). How fifth grade students apply data analysis and measurement in engineering design challenges. Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education, Seattle, WA.

Guzey, S. S., Anwar, T., Karahan, E., & Moore, T. (2013). Save the pelicans: A STEM integration curriculum unit. Colloquium on P-12 STEM Education. Minneapolis, MN.

Guzey, S., Harwell, M., Moreno, M., & Moore, T. (2016). The effects of engineering integration on student achievement in science, engineering, and mathematics. National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST). Baltimore, MD.

Guzey, S. S., Harwell, M., Moreno, M., Torres, Y., & Moore, T. (2016). The impact of design-based engineering curricula on student achievement in engineering, science, and mathematics. American Education Research Association. Washington, DC.

Guzey, S. S. & Moore, T. (2013). Assessment tools and techniques in engineering education. Colloquium on P-12 STEM Education. Minneapolis, MN.

Guzey, S. S. & Moore, T. (2014). Measuring Student Attitudes Toward Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). American Educational Research Association (AERA). Philadelphia, PA.

Guzey, S. S. & Moore, T. J. (2015). Assessment of curricular materials for integrated STEM education. American Society for Engineering Education. Seattle, WA.

Guzey, S. S., Moore, T., & Harwell, M. (2014). Attitudes toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects and careers. National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST). Pittsburgh, PA.

Guzey, S. S., Moore, T. J. & Harwell, M. (2014). Development of an instrument to assess attitudes toward STEM. National Association for Research in Science Teaching. Pittsburgh, PA.

Guzey, S. S., Moore, T. J., Roehrig, G. H., Harwell, M., Phillips, A. & Moreno, M. (2015). Learning science through an engineering curriculum. National Association for Research in Science Teaching. Chicago, IL.

Guzey, S. S., Niesl, W., Moore, T. J., & Roehrig, G.H. (2015). Workshop: STEM integration in life science education. Association for Science Teacher Education. Portland, Oregon.

Guzey, S. S., Ring, B., & Aranda, M. (2017, April). An examination of three approaches to engineering integration. Paper presented at National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST). San Antonio, TX.

Harwell, M., Moore, T., Roehrig, G., & Guzey, S. S. (2013). A measurement study of engineering, science, and math assessments for elementary and middle school students. North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME-NA). Chicago, IL.

Harwell, M., Phillips, A., Guzey, S. S. & Moreno, M., Moore, T. J. (2015). Complex applications of HLM in students of science and mathematics achievement. American Educational Research Association. Chicago, IL.

Harwell, M., Torres, Y., Moreno, M., & Guzey, S. S. (2016). Using variances to enhance understanding of the impact of design-based engineering curricula on student achievement in engineering and mathematics. Eastern Education Research Association. Hilton Head Island, S.C

Holly, J., Jr., Glancy, A. W., & Moore, T. J. (2015). Rehash your trash: An EngrTEAMS STEM integration recycling curricular module. Annual American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) K-12 Workshop on Engineering Education. Seattle, WA.

Leammukda, F., Crotty, E., & Roehrig, G. (2017, January). The beliefs and attitudes toward STEM fields of female sixth grade students of color. Paper presented at the Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE) conference in Des Moines, IA.

McFadden, J. (2015). Teachers as designers: The iterative process of curriculum design focused on STEM integration. Association of Science Teacher Education. Portland, OR.

Mathis, C. A., Moore, T. J., & Guzey, S.S. (2015). DNA extraction using engineering design: A STEM Integration unit (Curriculum Exchange). American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference and Exposition. Seattle, WA.

Mathis, C., Siverling, E., Glancy, A., Guzey, S. S., & Moore, T. (2016). Students’ use of evidence-based reasoning in K-12 engineering: A case study. Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), New Orleans, LA.

Mathis, C. A., Siverling, E.A., Glancy, A. W., & Moore, T. J. (2015). Teachers' use of argumentation in the development of STEM integration curricula. American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). Seattle, WA.

Mathis, C., Siverling, E., Guzey, S. S., & Moore, T. (2017, June). A collaborative approach to teaching engineering in high school. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). Columbus, OH.

Miller, H., Moore, T., Glancy, A. W., Siverling, E., Guzey, S. S., Johnston, A. C., Merzdorf, H. E., Suazo-Flores, E., & Akarsu, M. (2017, June). Mineral Mayhem: Using engineering to teach middle school earth science. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). Columbus, OH.

Moore, T. J. (2014). Engineering to enhance STEM integration Efforts. Kavli Frontiers of Science Symposium. Irvine, CA.

Moore, T. J. (2016). Teaching-learning methods for future education in the United States of America. Paper presented at the 2016 International Forum on Free Semester Program. Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Moore, T. J., Doerr, H. M., Glancy, A. W., & Ntow, F. D. (2015). Preserving pelicans with models that make sense. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School. 20(6), 358-364.

Moore, T. & Guzey, S. S. (2015). An assessment tool to evaluate student learning of engineering. American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). Seattle, WA.

Moore, T. J. & Guzey, S. S. (2015). STEM integration for learning in grades 4-8: EngrTEAMS project. National Science Teacher Association Conference. Chicago, IL.

Moore, T. J., Guzey, S. S., & Glancy, A. W. (2014). EngrTEAMS Project: STEM Integration Curricula for Grades 4-8. American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). Indianapolis, IN.

Moore, T. J., Guzey, S. S., Mathis, C. & Siverling, E. (2014). STEM integration curricular modules for grades 4-8. American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). Indianapolis, IN.

Moore, T. J., Mathis, C. A., Guzey, S., Glancy, A., & Siverling, E. (2014). STEM integration in the middle grades: A case study of teacher implementation. Frontiers in Education. Madrid, Spain.

Moore, T., Siverling, E., Guzey, S. S. (2017, June). Mineral Mayhem: Using engineering to teach middle school earth science. Paper to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). Columbus, OH.

Moore, T. J., Tank, K. M., Glancy, A. W., Siverling, E. A., Mathis, C. A. (2014). Engineering to Enhance STEM Integration Efforts. American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). Indianapolis, IN.

Niesl, W. A., Guzey, S. S., & Moore, T. J. (2015). Incorporating Engineering in the Biology Classroom (Curriculum Exchange). American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference and Exposition. Seattle, Washington.

Ntow, F., Glancy, A. W. & Moore, T. J. (2014). Area, measurement, and data analysis through modeling pelican colonies. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. New Orleans, LA.

Peralta, Y., Guzey, S. S., Harwell, M., & Moore, T. (2017, April). STEM integration curricula impact on achievement in STEM: Year 2 results of an NSF funded project. Paper presented at American Education Research Association (AERA), San Antonio, TX.

Peralta, Y., Harwell, M., Guzey, S. S., Moreno, M., & Moore, T. (2017, April). Normality vs. non-normality. Enhancing understanding of engineering interventions’ impact for multilevel models with variance heterogeneity. Paper presented at American Education Research Association (AERA). San Antonio, TX.

Ring, E., Dare, E., Crotty, B., Roehrig, G. (2016). Shifting conceptions: Identifying and Understanding Teachers’ Conceptual Models of Integrated STEM Education. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST). Baltimore, MD.

Ring, E., Dare, E., Crotty, E., & Roehrig, G. (2016, January). A work in progress: the evolution of teacher conceptions of stem education throughout an intensive, three-week-long professional development. Paper presented at the Association of Science Teacher Education (ASTE) conference. Reno, NV.

Ring, E., Dare, E., Roehrig, G., Titu, P., & Crotty, E. (2017, January). Putting conceptions into practice: Understanding how science teachers prioritize aspects of STEM integration in curriculum writing. Paper presented at the Association of Science Teacher Education (ASTE) conference. Des Moines, IA.

Ring, E., Dare, E., Roehrig, G., Titu, P., Crotty, E. (2017, April). How teachers’ conceptual models of integrated STEM education influence curriculum writing. Paper presented at National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST). San Antonio, TX.

Roehrig, G. & Anwar, T. (2016, January). Coaching partnership with science teachers: support for the implementation of stem integrated curriculum. Paper presented at the Association of Science Teacher Education (ASTE) conference. Reno, NV.

Roehrig, G. H., Ellis, J. A., Dare, E. A., Sheldon, T. D. (2016). Evaluation of STEM-integrated lessons using a modified RTOP. Paper presented at National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) Annual International Conference. Baltimore, MD.

Roehrig, G., Dare, E., Ellis, J., Moore, T.J., & Guzey, S.S. (2015). Challenges and Successes: Understanding Middle School Physical Science Teachers' Experiences with STEM Integration. National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST). Chicago, IL.

Roehrig, G. & McFadden, J. (2017, April). Exploring teacher design teams’ endeavors while creating an elementary-focused STEM integrated unit. Paper presented at National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST). San Antonio, TX.

Roehrig, G.H., Moore, T.J. & Guzey, S.S. (2014, April). EngrTEAMS: An integrated STEM education mathematics and science partnership. Paper presented at National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST). San Antonio, TX.

Siverling, E., Guzey, S. S., & Moore, T. (2017, June). Middle school students’ engineering discussions: What initiates evidence-based reasoning? Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). Columbus, OH.

Siverling, E., Guzey, S. S., & Moore, T. (2017, June). Students’ science talk during engineering design in life science-focused integrated STEM units. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). Columbus, OH.

Siverling, E., Guzey, S. S., & Moore, T. (2017, October). Students’ science talk during engineering design in life science-focused integrated STEM units. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Frontiers in Education Conference. Indianapolis, IN.

Siverling, E. A., Mathis, C. A., Moore, T. J., Glancy, A. W., & Guzey, S. S. (2015). STEM integration in the middle grades: A study of teacher development. National Association for Research in Science Teaching. Chicago, IL.

Siverling, E., Suazo-Flores, E., Mathis, C. A., Moore, T. J., Guzey, S. S., & Whipple, K. (2017, June). Middle school students’ engineering discussions: What initiates evidence-based reasoning? Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). Columbus, OH.

Tackie, N., Chidthachack, S., Roehrig, G., & Moore, T. (2016). Lessons from four middle school science teachers’ implementation of integrated stem units. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST). Baltimore, MD.

DISSERTATIONS

Dare, E. (2015). Understanding middle school students' perceptions of physics using girl-friendly and integrated STEM strategies: A gender study. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest (3727776)

McFadden, J. (2015). Teachers as designers: The iterative process of curriculum design focused on STEM integration. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest (3727780)

Ortmann, L. (2015). Coaching in STEM: How novice coaches develop partnerships with science teachers. (Doctoral dissertation). University of Minnesota.

Ring, E. (2017). Teacher conceptions of integrated STEM education and how they are reflected in integrated STEM curriculum writing and classroom implementation. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest (10283633)

OTHER PRODUCTS

Evaluation Instruments

Baker, J., Harty, C., Fields, J., Sheldon, T., Yap, S. (2015, November). EngrTEAMS Evaluation Brief #1. Implementation Readiness Survey. Minneapolis, MN: Center for Applied Research for Educational Improvement, University of Minnesota.

Fields, J., Sheldon, T., Baker, J., Harty, C. (2016, May). EngrTEAMS Evaluation Brief #3. Coaches Focus Groups. Minneapolis, MN: Center for Applied Research for Educational Improvement, University of Minnesota.

Fields, J., Sheldon, T., Baker, J., Harty, C. (2016, May). EngrTEAMS Evaluation Brief #6. District Liaison Interviews. Minneapolis, MN: Center for Applied Research for Educational Improvement, University of Minnesota.

Harty, C., Baker, J., Fields, J., Sheldon, T. (2016, May). EngrTEAMS Evaluation Brief #4. Teacher Fellow Interviews. Minneapolis, MN: Center for Applied Research for Educational Improvement, University of Minnesota.

Harty, C., Baker, J., Fields, J., Sheldon, T., Yap, S. (2015, November). EngrTEAMS Evaluation Brief #2. Post-PD Survey. Minneapolis, MN: Center for Applied Research for Educational Improvement, University of Minnesota.

Sheldon, T., Fields, J., Baker, J., Harty, C. (2016, May). EngrTEAMS Evaluation Brief #5. Teacher Leader Survey. Minneapolis, MN: Center for Applied Research for Educational Improvement, University of Minnesota.

Sheldon, T., Fields, J., Baker, J., Harty, C. (2016, May). Report of EngrTEAMS Evaluation Activities, Year 3. Minneapolis, MN: Center for Applied Research for Educational Improvement, University of Minnesota.

Videos

Video. NSF 2016 STEM For All Video Showcase. EngrTEAMS Targeted Mathematics-Science Partnership. http://stemforall2016.videohall.com/presentations/714

Video. NSF 2017 STEM For All Video Showcase. Engineering Design in the Classroom: EngrTEAMS. http://stemforall2017.videohall.com/presentations/1000

Teacher Fellow Developed Physical Science Curricula

1. Chill Out (Elementary grades – Heat transfer)

Fourth Graders review the concept of disease prevention via vaccinations and follow the Engineering and Design Process as they explore the roles of conductors and insulators in heat transfer. Students design, build, test, evaluate and redesign model vaccine coolers.

2. Water Desalination- Survivor Style (Middle level – States of matter))

Clean drinkable water is a necessity for life on this planet. Although the entire earth is surrounded by water, only 3% is fresh water. Students will be challenged with the task of developing and building a portable filtration and desalination device that purifies “dirty”, salty water and makes the water safe for drinking. Using multiple labs and activities, students will explore the physical properties of matter including phases of matter and solubility. Students will explore “water” in many capacities, they will need to understand the structure of water and how depending on the environment around it, it can change shape, size, and other factors. While water itself is important for our survival and for us to understand, it is also important to understand the types of things that can impact water.

3. Solar Ovens (Middle level – Heat transfer)

Students will be learning about conduction, convection, and radiation through inquiry-based labs and guided instruction. Students will also revisit previous topics learned such as changes of energy forms, the electromagnetic spectrum, and reflection of light. Students will use knowledge of science concepts to build a thermos. They will redesign to make a solar oven as a final project.

4. Ecuadorian Fishermen (Middle level – Heat transfer)

A group that works with small businesses in Ecuador has discovered that some of the Ecuadorian fishermen need help. These fishermen take their small boats over to the Easternmost Galapagos Island (San Cristobal), which has many unusual and tasty fish. They need to bring ice with them in a cooler that will stay cold long enough to bring the fish back unspoiled. Once back to their fish markets in Ecuador, the fishermen need a small cooker to cook the fish in so they can be sold for the greatest profit. This curriculum is presented to take place over two years, but can be taught as one large unit.

5. Rocket Powered Delivery SySTEM (Elementary)

Read this to your students: “Zip lines have become popular activities for adventurers. First used in China as a transportation method between mountain villages, zip lines can now be found at many vacation spots including amusement parks. You have been hired by Valley Fair to design a rocket-powered delivery sySTEM to move a single rider from a starting position to an ending point. Customers have been complaining that it takes too long to walk from the exit for Power Tower to the line for Steel Venom. Valley Fair has already strung a 130 foot wire cable from a platform at one ride to a platform at the other. Typically zip lines use gravity to move riders from the start to the finish of the zip line, but Valley Fair has installed a horizontal line and now needs you to come up with a rocket-powered delivery system. A rocket-powered zip line will not only make lines more efficient, but it will also be a great marketing tool for Valley Fair! You will need to understand how to harness changes in the states of matter to power your rocket.”

6. Keep it Cool! (Elementary – Heat Transfer)

Fourth grade students are introduced to the concept of heat transfer and complete an engineering design challenge. Students will explore the concept of heat transfer by comparing wood and metal, then plastic and metal. They will also explore the idea of slowing heat transfer (insulating) by observing how different materials keep a can of pop cool. Finally students will use what they have learned to complete an engineering design challenge in teams. Our client for the engineering design challenge is the main character of the book, Beatrice’s Goat, a young Ugandan girl who gets a goat from the Heifer Project International. Students will slow heat transfer by creating a cooler that will keep milk cold for Beatrice who is raising money for school fees by selling goat’s milk. Beatrice needs to keep the milk cool so it doesn’t spoil before her customers buy it. Students will measure the starting milk temperature and again after 30 minutes using a digital thermometer. Students will record results in a table and then display in a bar graph. After informal sharing of results, students will redesign their cooler. After testing their second design, they will create a formal presentation of all of their results.

7. Engineering to the Rescue (Elementary)

The local fire department needs engineers to research and design a rescue vehicle that can withstand challenges such as extreme heat and weather elements. Students will learn about force and motion and be provided materials with cost restraints to create their prototype. Once tested, students will present their final designs and data to the fire department for consideration.

8. Landmine Detonation Project (Elementary grades – Force & Motion))

The Mines Advisory Group (MAG) International works to save lives through the removal and destruction of land mines that have been left in areas of conflict.

Students are asked to design a simple machine that can safely detonate landmines without further injuring people or animals. After learning about simple machines and force, students design, test, and present their final product to MAG for consideration.

9. Flood Rescue (Middle level – Force & Motion)

In response to the extreme flooding events that occurred this past spring, the Minnesota National Guard has been evaluating current methods for flood rescue. Students are asked to design a watercraft that can be used to save lives during a flood. Specifically, the National Guard requires an accurate way to determine the maximum capacity of a watercraft. The students’ final report will be used to assess the type of watercraft deployed in a variety of circumstances.

10. Bicycle Physics (Elementary – Force & Motion))

Cycles for Change is a non-profit organization developed to build a diverse and empowered community of bicyclists. The Youth Program coordinators of c4C need engineers to design a way to encourage cyclists to ride for recreation and transportation. Students will learn about the physics of force and motion through the context of bicycling and use their knowledge to address their engineering challenge. With material and cost restrictions in mind, students will design, test, and present their final concept to C4C.

11. Chemical Cargo Carriers (Middle level – Force & Motion)

Your community is demanding the local chemical company to clean up its chemical storage facility to ensure a safe environment for its citizens. The chemical company needs engineers to design chemical cargo carriers to transport these chemicals safely to a disposal site. Students are asked to use their new knowledge of force and motion to design a cargo carrier to transport chemicals, an egg, safely, even under impact.

12. Water Wheel Challenge (Elementary grades – Force & Motion)

DASH Co-Op needs engineers to design a hydroelectric generator on a local river to generate electricity for a small rural community. After learning about water and clean energy, students will work in teams of 3 or 4 to design, test, and present their product to the client.

13. Electromagnet Cranes (Elementary grades – Magnetism, Electricity, Electromagnetism)

ElemProvided with the context of a recycling center, the issue of employee injuries due to manual handling of scrap metal is presented to the students. Students will be tasked with creating an electromagnetic crane that separates the steel/iron from the rest of the metals, in order to reduce employee injuries. Within the topics of magnetism, electricity, and electromagnetism, students will engage with a variety of hands-on activities to expand their knowledge base. They will explore the concept of circuits, in addition to testing and analyzing the effectiveness of changes within different variables, such as voltage, coils, and the core of an electromagnet.

14. Off The Grid (Middle level - Electromagnetism)

We use electricity in most aspects of our lives. Most of the time we get electricity by plugging into a wall outlet. But what can we do when there is not a wall outlet or if the wall outlet is not turned on? It turns out you can harvest any kind of motion and turn it into electricity that can power your whose-its, i-Gads, and gizdroids. Students create a generator to harvest wind power and turn it into sweet, sweet electricity. To prepare for this, students will work through a series of preparation stations to help them learn the concepts of electricity and magnetism. They will then work through the engineering design process to build their generator.

15. Laser Security System (Middle level – Wave Properties of Light)

The Laser Security System unit is a fun and engaging unit consisting of a realistic simulated challenge. This unit is intended to keep student excitement high, while they learn core science concepts and build on those concepts each day to enhance their final project.

To draw the students in, the unit opens with a real life scenario, delivered through a client letter from Honeywell Security Systems. They are told that there have been recent robberies at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Students are asked to design a security system in order to protect very expensive artifacts at the museum. The client has very specific criteria and constraints that each team of students must follow in order to fully complete this activity. After introducing the challenge, students are immersed in several hands-on/minds-on lessons that enhance their knowledge of key concepts such as light reflection, refraction, and diffraction, as well as how a laser works. Teams of student engineers work together to design a laser pointer security system with particular specifications. The unit includes a self-assessment of their group's final product. In addition, students assess the work of another group, demonstrating their ability to work as a team and critically assess other engineered products.

16. Sound (Middle level - Sound)

Playing for Change seeks to increase music education for students across the globe and their mission is to connect the world through music. Students in Africa, do not have a music program at their school. They do not have instruments or a music teacher. They are in need of student goodwill and design knowledge to create playable instruments. To assist these students in their quest for music education, the challenge is to build an instrument with materials found at home or at the hardware store that will be combined to play music with 4-6 notes. The instrument may be stringed, wind or percussive. The instruments do not have to be in tune with one another, but do need to play distinctly different notes. Inspired by the mission of Playing for Change, our students will design and build instruments that will serve as prototypes and can easily be replicated by African students using limited materials. Students will apply their knowledge of waves and properties of sound in the building of their multi-note instruments.

17. Sound and Light (Elementary – Sound and Light))

Sound and light have some similarities in how they behave as they travel through a medium. Students are challenged with the task of creating a model of a stringed instrument that can be sold by a toy company. Students will explore the amplitude, pitch, and frequency of sound waves through various activities. Students will also explore the way that light is absorbed, reflected, and refracted. Finally, students will compare and contrast sound waves with light waves.

18. Electronic Claw Game – Diggin’ for Fools Gold (Elementary – Magnets, Electromagnetism)

Galactic Games has contracted students to design a new electromagnetic arm for their version of a mechanical claw game. The game has recently been exposed as being rigged and unfair, so the company wants students to design and create a model of a new arm attachment for the game. Throughout the unit, students will learn about electromagnets and magnetism, as well as how to work through the engineering design process and run controlled experiments

19. Electromagnetic Aircraft Launcher (Middle - Magnetism)

This unit will focus on electricity and magnetism as non-contact forces. Students will start to understand the how magnetism works and the electron movement in a magnetized object through several lab based activities. Students will also understand electricity in terms of circuits and electron movement through building series and parallel circuits. Students will start to understand that certain materials can be magnetized and begin to understand that an electric field can create a magnetic field. For the engineering design challenge, the US Navy will contract students to build a launch system in order to launch airplanes off a boat using an electromagnet. Students will build an electromagnet which will be able to launch a piece of iron in order to hit a target.

20. Maglev Train (Middle level - Magnetism)

The Metropolitan Council has recently been contacted by several local school districts. They have informed the Council that in the past years, it has taken students a longer time to get to and from school. The reasons for this include traffic and distance. To solve this issue, the Council has decided to construct a Maglev train system. Maglev trains use magnetic properties to keep the train on the track. We have already designed several prototypes of these trains. We are calling on you and your team to assist in designing the track (and possibly help redesign some of the trains).

21. Engineering Speakers (Elementary grades - Magnetism)

In this unit students are learning about electricity and magnetism in order to design a speaker. The context for the unit is that students in other school districts don’t have the luxury of having iPads for each student, yet research shows that students learn better across many subject areas when they have access to music in school. Thus, a neighboring district has asked the students to help by engineering speakers that their students would be able to use with older iPods (which were more economical). Students have to learn several basic properties of magnetism and electricity, and how electricity and magnetism interact, in order to have the working knowledge required to build a working speaker.

22. Amusing Science (Elementary grades - Magnetism)

In this unit students are exploring properties of electricity and magnetism in order to engineer a carnival/amusement park ride. Students are given context for this unit with a client letter that asks students to design a ride that could be mobile and used for bringing together community members in different neighborhoods throughout the cities. The goal is to build community connections with various neighborhood schools. The ride is evaluated on the following criteria: enjoyment (students must decide how this is measured), the ride needs to move for at least one minute, and ease of assembly.

Teacher Fellow Developed Earth Science Curricula

23. Planet Andoddin (Elementary grades – Plate Tectonics and Landforms)

Students will be exploring renewable and nonrenewable natural resources and the mining and refining processes that turn those resources into useful materials and products. Throughout the unit, students will participate in activities and instruction that allows them to analyze maps, explore the refining processes of different natural resources, create tools to extract resources from an exo-planet, and use engineering skills and content knowledge to create a resource extraction plan on Planet Andoddin to bring resources back to Planet Earth, where natural resources are diminishing.

24. Plate Tectonics (Middle level – Plate Tectonics and Landforms)

This unit will give students an opportunity to develop their understanding of plate boundaries, earthquakes and volcanoes, and apply it to natural disaster preparedness. All over the world people value animals in their lives, whether livestock or pets. In the event of a disaster, those animals need protection, but may need to be left behind as people escape. Students will learn key aspects of structure and design. Teams of students will design a protective animal shelter for the conditions at a specific location on Earth and test it with a simulation of a disaster possible at that location.

25. Human Impact on Mississippi River Recreational Area Design (Elementary grades – Plate Tectonics and Landforms)

Mississippi River Fossil Foundation local president, Ms. Harriet, has outlined the criteria for an outdoor functional area to be design by local community members. The land needs to promote outdoor recreational area, such as fishing piers, overnight camping, increase usage by local residents and focus on preserving the parks natural attractions. It is important to Ms. Harriet to keep Mississippi River’s natural features preserved for future park visitors. Ms. Harriet has a grant of up to $600,000 that design engineers will budget for the preservation and utilization of the local area. Ms. Harriet has asked you to create a land-use proposal that will convince the Ms. Harriet, her committee board, and other potential investors to use your preservation design as the Mississippi River’s newest park highlights.

26. EnerGreen Home Design Challenge (Middle level – Plate Tectonics and Landforms)

This unit will focus on renewable and non-renewable types of energy. The different types of energy will be showcased and investigated, including wind, water, solar, biomass, geothermal and fossil fuels. The formation of fossil fuels will be addressed and the increasing need for renewable resources will be emphasized. The different types of renewable energy will be explored through hands on activities in the classroom to gain background knowledge on how energy its harnessed from the different types and which ones are most efficient. Students will then work together in groups to develop and design a home installation kit that they will need to market to consumers that is cost effective and is able to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels.

27. Shake it Up, aka Rockin’ Good Times (Elementary grades – Plate Tectonics and Landforms)

Students will be presented with a client wanting to build an amusement park near a city in an earthquake prone area. Surveying fellow students on favorite rides, using model rides, and creating earthquakes with shake tables will provide an environment of active and engaged learning. The iPad seismometer app will give them the opportunity to see how seismic waves are instantly measured and graphed. Pictures of existing anchoring systems and websites posting earthquake activity as it happens will reinforce the real- world context of the problem. Students will need to choose a site based on stability of the underlying earth materials, while also considering other area concerns (distance of location from existing roads, housing, etc.) Once the site is chosen, they will test various anchoring systems attached to a model amusement park ride. Cost constraints will be added, so students will have the realistic challenge of working within a budget.

28. Soil Solutions (Elementary grades – Plate Tectonics and Landforms)

In this unit students will learn about the process of soil formation. During the first part of the unit, we will focus on organic matter decomposing and combining with inorganic matter as well as water and air to form soil. During the second part of the unit students will engage in tests to discover that different soil types have different properties. For the engineering design challenge the students will use the information they have learned about soils and combine that with information about different types of flowers to create and design a garden that has a mix of different soils to allow the plants to thrive.

29. Mineral Mayhem (Middle level – Plate Tectonics and Landforms)

This unit will explore the minerals and mineral identification standards. A train carrying different types of valuable minerals has derailed dumping train cars full of minerals into a Lake. If the train company can collect enough of the minerals from the river it will be more cost effective than a new train load of minerals. Your job is to use what you know about minerals and sorting to design a model to separate out the minerals from the non-minerals.

30. Parking Lot (Middle level – Weather and Water Cycle)

The city of St. Paul is requesting engineers to retrofit a local parking lot to reduce runoff and ensure an adequate water supply for future residents. The requirements of the client are to first, decrease the amount of water that is running off the surface and increase infiltration. Second, maintain or improve water quality. Third, include an educational component to make visitors aware of the problem of urban runoff. Groups will be assembled of “experts” in rain gardens, catchments, infiltration and pavement type and propose their plan to the city during a final poster session.

31. Runaway Runoff (Middle level – Weather and Water Cycle)

The Ramsey-Washington County Watershed District has identified the watershed in

Maplewood as threatened by the enormous amount of pollutants and sediment carried by the runoff water. If this is not reduced, the water quality of nearby lakes and rivers will be greatly diminished. Maplewood Middle School has been identified as a major contributor to the runoff problem. The Maplewood Mayor and city council has invited engineers to submit a plan to reduce the runoff at Maplewood Middle School that will improve and protect the water quality in the lakes and streams.

32. Storm Water Challenge (Elementary level – Weather and Water Cycle)

Using synthetic materials contained within a stream table as a model of their own school campus, students are tasked with reducing runoff of the school’s parking lot to protect their local environment. Groups of three will work in teams to create a final design on grid paper after testing their theories on the stream table model. Each member of the team will be responsible for a BMP (best management practices) and must present their final design to the other groups.

33. Reimagineering the Water Cycle (Elementary grades – Weather and Water Cycle)

In Re-Imagineering the Water Cycle, the challenge of designing America’s next great water park is posed to elementary school students. A local science museum is interested in getting plans for a proposed amusement park that accurately represents the various aspects of the water cycle. Students will be placed in design teams that will be taking on the role of engineers tasked with creating rides, attractions, and infrastructure that will model the water cycle.

34. Sandboxes (Pre-K – Rock and Soil)

Earth materials are the naturally occurring materials that make up our Earth and provide the basic resources for life to exist. One of these Earth materials is rocks, which make up a large portion of the Earth’s crust. In this unit, students will be challenged to design a sifter that can sort rocks by size in order to use the rocks in different places around their school’s playground. Using multiple activities, students will explore different ways to sort rocks including size, shape, and color. Students will explore different tools that we use in everyday situations to sift and sort items and will use this information to inform the design of their sifter.

35. Powered by Renewable Energy (Elementary grades – Renewable Energy)

This seven-lesson unit was designed to offer fourth and fifth grade STEM students an introduction to the engineering design process while exploring the various types of renewable energy resources available in Minnesota. Students will determine the best type of renewable energy resource to power a mobile hospital capable of serving rural areas of the state. This will involve analyzing maps; conducting experiments measuring renewable energy output; charting data; and having group discussions on their findings. Students will then use this background information as they learn to work together in small engineering groups to build and revise their designs (in accordance with the constraints of a fictitious “client”) for a wind turbine blade that is capable of producing the most energy possible for the mobile hospital.

36. May the Source Be with You (Middle level – Renewable Energy)

37. Mining Minnesota (Elementary grades – Renewable Energy)

Iron is a valuable nonrenewable material resource found in Minnesota. Mining Minnesota is a science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) integrated curriculum unit designed to place students in the role of mining engineers tasked with designing a process to separate iron from other crushed rock material. The vision of this unit is to accurately depict how iron is obtained and processed and how the process modifies iron to be more useful. Students will be engaged in the engineering design process while integrating science and mathematical knowledge and concepts.

38. Super Soccer Stadium (Elementary grades – Renewable Energy)

Building a massive public structure such as a sports stadium is a complex process. It involves many stakeholders, including engineers, architects, contractors, and other specialists. Engineers determine appropriate resources for the job based on their knowledge of characteristic material properties, end-user needs, and client criteria. In this unit, students are contracted by the TC United Management Company to help design an environmentally friendly soccer stadium using Minnesota resources. In a realistic and topical context, they learn about renewable and non-renewable resources, how they are processed, and the resultant environmental impacts. Students employ evidence-based reasoning to make design decisions regarding specific aspects of the building: the roof, floor, structure and power system. First, students investigate and test the properties of common building materials. They next compare the power output of solar panel, windmill, and water wheel prototypes to determine what source(s) would supply the stadium with adequate power. Using maps and data tables, they pick a site for the stadium based on availability and environmental impact. As a final product, they work in a design team to synthesize their learning in a proposal for the client.

Teacher Fellow Developed Life Science Curricula

39. Loon Nesting Platforms (Middle level - Ecosystems)

Students will be learning about ecology and ecosystems through the construction of loon nesting platforms. Students will find a good location for their platform based on characteristics of the loon habitat and the dietary needs of loons. After incorporating food chains and food webs, students will be able to make an educated decision as to where to place their platform. Students will explore predator/prey relationships during the construction of their nesting platform. Students will also have the opportunity to improve the design of their nesting platform.

40. Greenhouse (Elementary grades - Ecosystems)

The St. Paul Farmers market needs help extending the growing season of their tomato plants to satisfy their customers’ high demand. Students will begin by studying the tomato plant as well as Minnesota’s climate and weather patterns to see which months they can extend the season. They will then be tasked with building a greenhouse and test growing area, temperature and cost to determine the best design.

41. Save the Moose (Middle level – Ecosystems)

The moose is a northern Minnesota iconic species dear to the hearts of many Minnesotans and to visitors of the North Woods. In our state’s healthiest moose habitats, we have seen a 65% decline since 2008. The moose is one of the largest land mammals on Earth. There appear to be several factors affecting moose survival including average temperatures (winter and summer), number of white tailed deer, number of wolves, and the amount of tick infestation. Growing numbers of reports are showing ticks may be the final ingredient/”last straw” to moose survival. Scientists at the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are looking for engineering solutions to reduce or eliminate winter ticks and hopefully increase moose survival. Due to recent cuts in federal funding, they are turning to the people who care the most for the earth and its inhabitants, people with an eye for the future, people who will work for little or no money…. Junior High School Students! Bioengineers have developed a “tick-ti-cide” that effectively kills ticks. The challenge is to get it to the highest percent-age of moose over a wide area of Northern Minnesota.

42. Pollutants in the Pond (Elementary grades - Ecosystems)

Most students in Minnesota live in communities with ponds and/or lakes located near their homes. Many students spend time at a lake cabin in the summer. Building on this connection, we will pose a problem about a local golf course that has been using too much fertilizer causing the lake ecosystem to become unhealthy and out of balance and unhealthy. Throughout the unit, students will attain background knowledge about a pond/lake food web and the interdependence of these organisms, the damage that phosphorus in fertilizer can cause on an aquatic ecosystem, and the history of a local body of water. Students will record observations at a nearby pond/lake, collect and examine water samples and identify organisms found in the area. During the unit, students will analyze data, learn about random sampling, and construct line graphs. Students will ultimately design a barrier or other means of stopping or slowing fertilizer from running off into a model pond/lake.

43. Plants and Space (Middle level - Ecosystems)

Students will be split in groups to run controlled experiments to determine how soil mass or water volume impacts plant growth over the course of the 4 weeks of growing. Students will pick an amount of soil or an amount of water that they will use for the duration of the experiment. They will collect data on plant growth over the course of 4 weeks and compare their results to others and to the control plants to see which amount of each soil and water are most effective for successful plant growth.

44. Eco House (Elementary grades - Ecosystems)

Students will be working in teams of 4-5 children design and construct a house no larger than 864 square feet (24'x36') at a scale of 1/2 inch = 1 foot, which means the model houses will have a maximum foot print of 216 square inches (12"x18"). They will only be constructing the exteriors -walls, roof, windows & doors - and insulating. Time does not allow us to address interior design or furnishings. The house that retains the most heat possible using the fewest materials as measured by weight will win the design challenge. The project is meant as vehicle for students to examine the science around climate change.

45. Puddling Butterflies (Elementary grades - Ecosystems)

The United States is a large expanse of land containing many types of ecosystems that support interactions between diverse collections of organisms. Unfortunately, with our settling of this land, habitat destruction has endangered the lives of many organisms including many types of butterflies. As stated by The Butterfly Conservation Institute, “Land alteration and fragmentation, chemicals (such as pesticides), and non-native species are leading contributors to the decline of butterfly populations in North America” (http://butterflyrecovery.org/education/, 2013). This unit focuses on the butterfly species Karner blue, which is listed federally as an endangered species due to human land use altering their specialized habitat of sandy barrens and savannas where wild blue lupine grows from Maine to northern Iowa. Some butterflies, including blues, get needed minerals by drinking at mud puddles. The engineer design of this unit challenges fifth grade students to design mud puddles that evaporate slower than natural puddles for the DNR and USFWS to maintain in listed managed areas for the Karner blue butterfly. In this unit, students make connections between ecosystem interactions, organism adaptations, and energy transfer in food chains to the need of humans to positively impact the natural environment. This unit is using information related to Karner blues in Minnesota; however, suggestions are made throughout the unit on how to adapt the unit for other states.

46. A Squirrel’s New Suit (Elementary grades – Natural Selection)

In this unit students are asked to design and test a camouflage suit for squirrels. Students are taught about camouflage and character traits for survival in initial lessons and then provided materials to create and test camouflage suits for their furry clients. To present their final work, students are asked to write a persuasive letter to their clients using data analysis collected during testing.

47. Natural Selection and Biomicry (Middle level – Natural Selection and Biomimicry)

In this Natural Selection and Biomimicry unit students will learn that the underlying mechanisms that drive natural selection can be thought of as four interconnected processes: genetic variation (mutation), competition for resources, overproduction of offspring, and non-random survival. Students will develop possible solutions to an engineering problem by learning from nature. Solutions will be evaluated using conceptual, physical and mathematical models to determine the extent to which the solutions meet the design specifications. Using whole numbers, fractions, and decimals, students will apply their understanding of their engineering challenge by creating spreadsheet tables and graphs to analyze and display their data.

48. Survival Suit (Elementary grades – Natural Selection)

Based on known trends in environmental data, the United States of America expects significant and severe changes to occur to the natural boundaries of the country. These boundaries will be defined by different environmental characteristics in five major “sectors” across the land area. Unfortunately, people will be confine to their sector and will not be allowed to cross the boundaries because of the drastically different climates and because of what appears to be the emergence of dangerous, man-eating predators. Students will be asked to create a survival suit for the citizens of the prairie environment and the capitol with two criteria; to secure food and provide safety from the environmental constraints.

49. Underwater Camouflage (Middle level – Natural Selection)

National Geographic photographers need to photograph sea organisms in varying natural habitats, including coral reef and kelp forest. Students are asked to design and develop camouflage to attach to the photographers’ wetsuits. The “camo” needs to be specific to the environment so the photographers make the least impact possible to capture the ocean life. With cost restrictions and material requirements in place students must research sea-life, design their camouflage suit and present their final design to National Geographic.

50. Viva la Difference (Elementary and Middle levels - Genetics)

Mr. Samir Nagheenanajar, billionaire entrepreneur and zoo developer, wants to include a large walk in aviary but is having difficulty with the birds dying off to just a few species. He needs help investigating why it is so difficult to have many different species of birds living together in the same environment.

Students will simulate this by designing and testing different bird beaks competing for a variety of seeds and share their findings with the client. The client’s cousin Omprakash Ashutash Gowarikar, a Bollywood movie producer, heard his cousin Samir talk about how much the students helped with his aviary and wants help generating ideas for his next futuristic science fiction film. Student groups will do research on human environmental trends which will guide natural selection. They will settle on three traits and draw sketches of how they imagine this trait will change over time. Groups will use their iPads and iMovie to create their evidence-based proposal.

51. Fit Fish (Middle level – Natural Selection)

In this unit, students explored natural selection, researched fish and fisheries management, and were then asked to design a prototype for a fish fitness testing device using the data from their research. Constraints for the EDC were presented after the initial design and prototype construction. Thus, students redesigned after the initial build incorporating the constraints. The unit included six lessons and took three weeks to implement.

52. Viruses (Elementary grades - Genetics)

This five-lesson unit was designed to offer 5th grade students an introduction to the engineering design process while exploring the science of viruses. The unit is contextualized in real life events— the Iditarod and the story of Balto, the famous dog who lead a mushing team to get a vaccine to an isolated rural town to fight an outbreak of diptheria. Students follow the modern-day Iditarod, learn about cells and microorganisms and use their learning to engineer an informational teaching tool for the school nurse.

53. Vampires of the Lake (Elementary and Middle level - Genetics)

“Vampires of the lake” is a two-part unit designed to address both 5th grade and 10th grade life science standards. The life science/engineering unit explores the problem of the Great Lakes invasive species Sea Lampreys. The non-native lampreys are acting as parasites on the native lake fish. The unit includes an engineering design challenge for 5th graders in which the students design a solution for scooping up and trapping sea lamprey larvae which burrow in river bottom sands. The 10th graders will be designing a genetic solution for dealing with adult sea lampreys in which sterilization, introduction of mutations, homozygous or heterozygous gene manipulations and the prediction of statistical outcomes of gene therapies will be measured using Punnett square crosses of sex linked traits.

54. Got GMOs? (Middle level - Genetics)

In this unit, students are taught the mathematical and scientific concepts related to genetics through the incorporation of an engineering design challenge. At the outset of the unit, students are introduced to Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and the client, the University of Minnesota’s Agricultural Extension Office, who has been asked to design a barrier that effectively reduces cross-contamination of non-GMO corn fields from GMO corn fields. Designs for the unit are evaluated using conceptual, physical and mathematical models to determine the extent to which the solutions meet the design specifications. Additionally, students are asked to use what they know about genetics and heredity to create a “User’s Manual” for farmers who use the newly designed barrier(s) to test for cross-contamination once their barrier is installed. Finally, students are asked to write a final letter, including their designs and using evidence-based reasoning, to pitch their design to the client.

Websites

http://www.engrteams.orgThe EngrTEAMS.org website provides general project information, publications, personnel and contacts for general questions.

https://EngrTEAMS.mspnet.org/ EngrTEAMS page on the MSPnet website provides project information