Honorable Mention
Download: Complete Paper (PDF)

Developed by:
Jeff Bugenhagen
Upper Merion Area High School
King of Prussia, PA

Introduction:
Each year, ninth through twelfth grade students enrolled in physics or integrated science classes participate in a full week of problem solving activities in recognition of National Engineer's Week.  The week emphasizes the importance of problem solving skills in all fields through hands-on collaborative activities. Each activity highlights a specific aspect of engineering and provides students an opportunity to practice, improve, and discuss these skills.  Activities and themes are summarized in the table below.  Engineers from local industry are invited to support the program.

Day	Activity	Learning Objective
Day 1	Propulsion Challenge - design a propulsion system with limited materials.	Appreciate engineering as designing solutions to specific problems
Day 2	Buoyancy Challenge - design a neutrally buoyant helium balloon which will be tested in different environments.	Recognize the importance of engineering in a changing environment. Test product performance in different environments.
Day 3	Company Challenge - create a company which will successfully design, build, and inspect a product.	Participate in engineering as a process, including design, manufacturing, and quality assurance steps.  Practice writing effective procedures.
Day 4	The Great Gumball Gunkulator - create a room-sized ?mousetrap? machine to transport a marble through 9 areas of the room.	Demonstrate that complex systems require collaboration and effective communication skills.
Day 5	Guest Speakers Forum - meet & talk with working engineers.	Learn about the many disciplines of engineering as potential career paths.

Future Engineers Program at Upper Merion Area High School:
National Engineer's Week is recognized within our high school as an opportunity for students to practice collaborative problem solving and develop an appreciation for the field of engineering.   This program is designed to make our students better problem solvers, and to help them appreciate the importance of problem solving in the world around us. Our primary focus is to make students aware of their own problem solving skills, and to provide experiences to help them improve those skills. Throughout the week, classes are grouped together across academic levels.  The teachers work collaboratively to present problems, facilitate problem solving, and discuss the outcomes with students. 

The success of our engineering week program depends upon planning, advertising, and community involvement.  The week is publicized to increase awareness and generate enthusiasm.  At the beginning of the week, students are "hired" as employees to Upper Merion Engineering Associates, and each receives a business card (or badge) with a name, division, and job title (type of engineer).  The business cards are used throughout the week to organize student groups quickly and randomly. 

Each activity begins with a summary of the problem, and instructions (or rules) for the solution.  The activities take from 20 to 35 minutes, leaving 5-10 minutes at the end for a group discussion.  The challenges become progressively more difficult.  Engineers from local industry (Lockheed Martin Aerospace, Philadelphia Water Department, TiMet Corporation) are invited to participate in the challenges throughout the week.  On the final day, our guest engineers share insights about their own roles as problem solvers.  They easily connect the week's activities to real-world examples.   Through the week, students practice problem solving and develop an appreciation for the role of engineers in industry.  Each day's activity helps students appreciate a different aspect of engineering.  This thematic approach has been very successful in motivating students to consider pursuing an engineering or technical degree after high school.  Please download the full project PDF file to view lesson plans and daily activities.

Alignment with National Standards:
The Academic Standards for Science and Technology and the National Science Education Standards identify the need for schools to address engineering principles in the high school classroom.  The relevant standards are listed below.  The National Engineer?s Week program creates a framework to address these standards with students.

Academic Standards for Science and Technology, Pennsylvania Department of Education (July 12, 2001):

• 3.1 Unifying Themes
• 3.1.12 A - Apply concepts of systems, subsystems, feedback and control to solve complex technological problems.
• 3.2 Inquiry and Design
• 3.2.12  C - Apply the elements of scientific inquiry to solve multi-step problems.
• 3.2.12  D - Analyze and use the technological design process to solve problems; analyze problem, propose solution, implement solution, evaluate, test, and redesign.
• 3.6 Technology Education
• 3.6.10  C - Apply physical technologies of structural design, analysis, and engineering, personnel relations, financial affairs, structural production, marketing, research, design to real world problems.  Apply concepts of design engineering and production engineering in the organization and application of a manufacturing activity.

National Science Education Standards (February 2001):

Science and Technology content standard E (p.192) - Abilities of technological design.

• Identify a problem or design an opportunity
• Propose designs and choose between alternative solutions
• Implement a proposed solution
• Evaluate the solution
• Communicate the problem, process, and solution

Contact Information:
Jeff Bugenhagen
Upper Merion Area High School
435 Crossfield Road
King of Prussia, PA  19406
E-mail: jbugenhagen@upper-merion.k12.pa.us