ERIC Number: EJ1001680
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Dec
Pages: 6
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0036-8148
EISSN: N/A
The Science of Safety
Jensen, Jill
Science and Children, v50 n4 p40-45 Dec 2012
The author's first reaction to learning that the new science standards adopted in Minnesota included engineering was fear and apprehension. She couldn't picture what an engineering project would look like at the elementary level. As a K-5 elementary science specialist, it was now her job to figure out how to incorporate engineering in their curriculum. High-quality professional development, conversations with colleagues, and web research have helped her create a vision and plan for how engineering with elementary students might look. Her role as science specialist is to extend and enhance the learning done in classrooms. In this particular example, students came to her having already completed a unit on balance and motion. Students could describe a variety of types of motion and how different forces act on objects, as well as a basic understanding of gravity. Building on their knowledge, she created a way for students to apply these concepts in a different situation. This unit took a total of five, 50-minute class periods. To help with supplies, a letter was sent home to parents asking for materials such as toilet paper tubes, bottle caps, and soft cardboard packages (i.e., cereal boxes) or egg cartons. In this unit, students explore engineering with model cars and ramps. Students have found success with this project as they see, firsthand, how the properties of supplies affect their design. In addition, this practice with the engineering design process has provided an opportunity for students to see that they can be successful engineers and that engineering is an important part of their daily lives. (Contains 1 figure and 4 online resources.)
Descriptors: Engineering, Elementary School Science, Motion, Science Instruction, Safety, Physics, Scientific Concepts, Science Curriculum, Teaching Methods
National Science Teachers Association. 1840 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201-3000. Tel: 800-722-6782; Fax: 703-243-3924; e-mail: membership@nsta.org; Web site: http://www.nsta.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A