Lesson 1: What is engineering?

Title: What is engineering?

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Stage 1:  Use seating chart grid to assign seats.  (See attachments)  Students are seated in teams of 3 or 4.  Discuss the expectations of group work.   Ask students to think of positive examples of behaviors that lead to productive group work.  Take student responses.  Segue into the "Rate your teammate" evaluation sheet (See attachment).  Allow students to read the sheet and ask them to circle any parts that are unclear or raise questions for them."

Stage 2: Provide each team 1/2 sheet of chart paper and a marker.  Assign a recorder role for each group.  Prompt students with "What is engineering?" and set a time limit for groups to produce a definition.  Be sure students write their group #s on the sheets.

Stage 3: Share back.  Collect all chart papers and thumbtack at the front of the room.   Go through group by group, building up and critiquing definitions.  Be prepared to handle the misconception that engineers are plumbers, electricians, mechanics, etc....Differentiate between design oriented work and installation.  Have the list below ready, so certain definitions can be linked with subspecialties of engineering.

 
List the different branches of engineering on a whiteboard:

Civil engineer

Mechanical engineer

Chemical engineer

Industrial engineer

Software engineer

Computer hardware engineer

Electrical engineer

Aerospace engineer

Control systems engineer

Studio engineer

Broadcast engineer

Computer network engineer

Genetic engineer

Go through each and discuss what students think each does.... 

Homework: None for this class.

Assessments: (attach/link copies)

__ Group assessment

_X_ Observation of process/student work

__ Self-assessment by student

__ Teacher generated assignment

__ Written project

__ Test/Quiz

__ Other: ____________________________________