CREATIVE ENGINEERING DESIGN
In this project, we practiced using the engineering design cycle by finding a problem in the world and trying to solve it. The engineering design cycle consists of seven steps:
1) Identify the need
2) Research the problem
3) Develop possible solutions
4) Select the most promising solution
5) Construct a model/prototype
6) Test and evaluate
7) Communicate the design
This project was very different from our other ones because each group found a different world problem to research and solve. In my group, we decided to prevent sports injuries. Using the engineering design cycle, our process is as follows:
1) The need was to prevent sports injuries. Lindsey, Citlalli, Sally, and I all play sports, and we all agreed that this was a major problem to athletic pre-teens and teenagers everywhere.
2) We spent three days researching the most common sports injuries, and how they're caused. Everyone in our group researched different things related to our problem. I specifically researched the statistics of sports injuries and how much of the sport season the teen misses due to certain injuries. Sally researched the top ten injuries and how they are caused. She later created a chart with all they information that she found. With this, We found that the knee was the most injured body part in sports, and with more research, we found out what makes up the knee, and how it is laid out.
3) We brainstormed a pill and a brace for knee injuries. These were ideas to help prevent the injuries.
4) We selected the pill with vitamins to strengthen the knee. The brace didn't always work, and we all knew this with past experience. The pill seemed more promising. We did more research and found that the majority of the ligaments in the knee were made of collagen, and that is what is torn which causes the injury. We also researched what strengthened collagen, and found all these minerals and nutrients in a variety of foods that helped the collagen. We also found that collagen weakens as you get older. Because of this, we needed the pill to be something easy to take your whole life.
5) We made a smoothie to represent the pill. The smoothie was made with foods that were rich in all the nutrients/minerals that strengthen collagen, including almonds, pineapple, and spinach. We blended them in a blender, and froze them in ice cube trays to create a pill form. It was successful, though they didn't taste as good as we thought.
6) This step was not applicable
7) We made a power- point and presented our idea to the class (the power-point is shown below). If we had more time, we would have "pitched" our idea to the public by sending our research and our "pill" to local pharmacies for possible future production.
In this project, we practiced using the engineering design cycle by finding a problem in the world and trying to solve it. The engineering design cycle consists of seven steps:
1) Identify the need
2) Research the problem
3) Develop possible solutions
4) Select the most promising solution
5) Construct a model/prototype
6) Test and evaluate
7) Communicate the design
This project was very different from our other ones because each group found a different world problem to research and solve. In my group, we decided to prevent sports injuries. Using the engineering design cycle, our process is as follows:
1) The need was to prevent sports injuries. Lindsey, Citlalli, Sally, and I all play sports, and we all agreed that this was a major problem to athletic pre-teens and teenagers everywhere.
2) We spent three days researching the most common sports injuries, and how they're caused. Everyone in our group researched different things related to our problem. I specifically researched the statistics of sports injuries and how much of the sport season the teen misses due to certain injuries. Sally researched the top ten injuries and how they are caused. She later created a chart with all they information that she found. With this, We found that the knee was the most injured body part in sports, and with more research, we found out what makes up the knee, and how it is laid out.
3) We brainstormed a pill and a brace for knee injuries. These were ideas to help prevent the injuries.
4) We selected the pill with vitamins to strengthen the knee. The brace didn't always work, and we all knew this with past experience. The pill seemed more promising. We did more research and found that the majority of the ligaments in the knee were made of collagen, and that is what is torn which causes the injury. We also researched what strengthened collagen, and found all these minerals and nutrients in a variety of foods that helped the collagen. We also found that collagen weakens as you get older. Because of this, we needed the pill to be something easy to take your whole life.
5) We made a smoothie to represent the pill. The smoothie was made with foods that were rich in all the nutrients/minerals that strengthen collagen, including almonds, pineapple, and spinach. We blended them in a blender, and froze them in ice cube trays to create a pill form. It was successful, though they didn't taste as good as we thought.
6) This step was not applicable
7) We made a power- point and presented our idea to the class (the power-point is shown below). If we had more time, we would have "pitched" our idea to the public by sending our research and our "pill" to local pharmacies for possible future production.
REFLECTIONS
This project was very different from our other projects because everyone was solving a separate world problem. It was a good change, and I really enjoyed this project and the people I worked on it with. We had no arguments whatsoever and no problems with our project, which gives me no "pits" to report. This also gives many peaks to tell. One of the many peaks was time management. Unlike the first three projects where my past groups and I had a problem with this, I felt that in this project we really succeeded in managing our time. We broke the days down so we had enough time to research, make our presentation, make our prototype, and practice our presentation. We felt very happy when we accomplished this. Another peak was cooperation and team work. Since our group had no arguments, like mentioned above, I believe that this help finish our project efficiently and completely. Everyone did their part, and no one felt like they were doing more work than each other. And when one person needed help, everyone else would help them complete their task. I was very joyful when this project was a success.
CONCEPTS
Engineering design cycle~ this is a seven step cycle that engineers use to complete projects. For more on the engineering design cycle, see above.
Ligament~ a band of tough, flexible, elastic connective tissue that connects two bones, or holds two joints together.
Collagen~ one of the main structural proteins in connective tissue that is very elastic.
THANK YOU
This project was very different from our other projects because everyone was solving a separate world problem. It was a good change, and I really enjoyed this project and the people I worked on it with. We had no arguments whatsoever and no problems with our project, which gives me no "pits" to report. This also gives many peaks to tell. One of the many peaks was time management. Unlike the first three projects where my past groups and I had a problem with this, I felt that in this project we really succeeded in managing our time. We broke the days down so we had enough time to research, make our presentation, make our prototype, and practice our presentation. We felt very happy when we accomplished this. Another peak was cooperation and team work. Since our group had no arguments, like mentioned above, I believe that this help finish our project efficiently and completely. Everyone did their part, and no one felt like they were doing more work than each other. And when one person needed help, everyone else would help them complete their task. I was very joyful when this project was a success.
CONCEPTS
Engineering design cycle~ this is a seven step cycle that engineers use to complete projects. For more on the engineering design cycle, see above.
Ligament~ a band of tough, flexible, elastic connective tissue that connects two bones, or holds two joints together.
Collagen~ one of the main structural proteins in connective tissue that is very elastic.
THANK YOU