Integrating Engineering Ideas into High School and Middle School Curricula

Professional development to introduce high school and middle school math and science teachers to engineering design projects that can be readily used in the classroom was held at TCU in July 2008. The goal of the staff development was to enrich teacher content knowledge of engineering, physics, and mathematics concepts through discussion and activity. The participants represented several local public and private schools. Projects included: the construction and launch of model rockets and prediction of their maximum height; building small electric motors; a brief discussion of internal combustion engines; team design, construction and testing of model trebuchets; a team heat transfer minimization design, construction and test exercise using recycled materials not specifically designed to be used for insulation; and a team wind chime design, construction and test exercise. As a group, the teachers brainstormed ways that these projects could be used at their schools after each project. Preliminary results indicate that the workshop was very successful, and some of the projects are being employed in classrooms.