Lesson 2: How should materials be chosen in the engineering-design process?

Title: Introduction to the Properties of Materials

Author: Andrew Stillman

Week: 1

Unit/Lesson Plan #: 2

Unit theme: Materials, Tools, and Machines

Textbook references:

N/A

Learning objectives:

• Design materials should be chosen based on their properties and total cost (including environmental).
• Properties include social, economic, and physical considerations.
• Properties are often defined to be quantitative.

Key Questions, Concepts, or Themes:

• How are materials chosen in the design of products?

Stage 1:

• Begin the period by introducing the homework assignment (attached) and running though each section to ensure comprehension.
• Model the activity using an engineered object in the room.
• Define the word, "Properties" as you go through the homework.

Stage 2:

• Briefly introduce the upcoming project (Catapult competition) and inform students that we are going to approach this like engineers, thinking carefully about the materials we are choosing, in particular based on their various properties.
• Tell students that before we start looking at materials for building catapults, we need to explore the meanings of common properties and considerations that engineers use in the selection of materials.
• Students work in pairs to arrive at working definitions of each major consideration for materials choice.

Stage 3: To be revised

• Model the Homework
• Prompts: Choose an object in the room or in yourhouse/apartment that was designed and built (engineered) by human beings.
  • What is the object?
  • What purpose does this object serve?
  • What materials is this object made of? List each material and the purpose/part of the whole that it serves.
  • For each material, why do you think this material was chosen? What properties does this material have that make it a good choice?
  • How does the production and disposal of these materials affect the environment? From 1 to 10, rate the environmental sustainability of this product.
  • Inventor's bonus: How could this object be improved by the use of a different material? Explain yourself!

Homework: See stage 3...students complete a materials

Assessments: (attach/link copies)

__ Group assessment

___ Observation of process/student work

__ Self-assessment by student

X Teacher generated assignment

__ Written project

__ Test/Quiz

__ Other: ____________________________________