Technology & Engineering Resources
Engineering is Elementary: Designing Walls
Yi Min's Great Wall: A Materials Engineering Story
Everywhere around us, earth materials like pebbles, soil, sand and silt are used in our creations. What properties make an earth material useful? Students learn how different materials were combined to create the Great Wall of China and explore which earth materials they would make the strongest, sturdiest wall. For the design challenge, students construct their own "mini wall of China." Different materials have different properties, making them appropriate for different uses.
| Format | Book |
| Grades | K – 5 |
| Author | Museum of Science (Engineering is Elementary Team) |
| Source/Publisher | Museum of Science |
| ISBN | n/a |
| Shelving Location | E 620 |
| Location | n/a |
| Website | Earth Materials & Materials Engineering |
Engineering is Elementary: Designing Walls
+ View Detailed Standard Connections
Primary Connections:
MA Science and Technology/Engineering Framework (2006)
(Massachusetts)
- Technology/Engineering > Engineering Design (Grade: 3 – 5)
- Technology/Engineering > Engineering Design (Grade: 3 – 5)
- Technology/Engineering > Materials and Tools (Grade: K – 2)
- Technology/Engineering > Materials and Tools (Grade: 3 – 5)
- Technology/Engineering > Materials and Tools (Grade: K – 2)
ITEA Standards For Technological Literacy (2000)
(National)
- Understanding Design > Engineering design (Grade: K – 2)
- Understanding Design > Attributes of design (Grade: 3 – 5)
- Understanding Design > Attributes of design (Grade: 3 – 5)
- Understanding Design > Attributes of design (Grade: K – 2)
- Understanding Design > Attributes of design (Grade: K – 2)
- The Nature of Technology > Relationships among technologies (Grade: 3 – 5)
- The Nature of Technology > Core concepts of technology (Grade: 3 – 5)
- The Nature of Technology > Core concepts of technology (Grade: 3 – 5)
- The Nature of Technology > Core concepts of technology (Grade: K – 2)
- The Nature of Technology > Core concepts of technology (Grade: K – 2)
- Understanding Design > Engineering design (Grade: K – 2)
- Understanding Design > Engineering design (Grade: 3 – 5)
- Understanding Design > Engineering design (Grade: 3 – 5)
- Abilities for a Technological World > Apply the design process (Grade: 3 – 5)
- Abilities for a Technological World > Apply the design process (Grade: 3 – 5)
- Abilities for a Technological World > Apply the design process (Grade: K – 2)
- Abilities for a Technological World > Apply the design process (Grade: K – 2)
- Understanding Design > Problem solving (Grade: 3 – 5)
- Understanding Design > Problem solving (Grade: K – 2)
Secondary Connections:
ITEA Standards For Technological Literacy (2000)
(National)
- The Nature of Technology > Characteristics and scope of technology (Grade: 3 – 5)
- The Nature of Technology > Characteristics and scope of technology (Grade: 3 – 5)
- The Designed World > Construction technologies (Grade: K – 2)
- Technology and Society > Influence of technology on history (Grade: K – 2)
- Technology and Society > Role of society in the development and use of technology (Grade: K – 2)
- The Nature of Technology > Relationships among technologies (Grade: K – 2)
- The Nature of Technology > Core concepts of technology (Grade: K – 2)
- The Nature of Technology > Characteristics and scope of technology (Grade: K – 2)
- The Nature of Technology > Core concepts of technology (Grade: 3 – 5)
– View Concise Standard Connections
Primary Connections:
MA Science and Technology/Engineering Framework (2006)
(Massachusetts)
- Technology/Engineering > 2.3 Engineering Design (Grade: 3 – 5)
Identify relevant design features (e.g., size, shape, weight) for building a prototype of a solution to a given problem. - Technology/Engineering > 2.1 Engineering Design (Grade: 3 – 5)
Identify a problem that reflects the need for shelter, storage, or convenience. - Technology/Engineering > 1.2 Materials and Tools (Grade: K – 2)
Identify and explain some possible uses for natural materials (e.g., wood, cotton, fur, wool) and human-made materials (e.g., plastic, Styrofoam). - Technology/Engineering > 1.2 Materials and Tools (Grade: 3 – 5)
Identify and explain the appropriate materials and tools (e.g., hammer, screwdriver, pliers, tape measure, screws, nails, and other mechanical fasteners) to construct a given prototype safely. - Technology/Engineering > 1.1 Materials and Tools (Grade: K – 2)
Identify and describe characteristics of natural materials (e.g., wood, cotton, fur, wool) and human-made materials (e.g., plastic, Styrofoam).
ITEA Standards For Technological Literacy (2000)
(National)
- Understanding Design > 09.A Engineering design (Grade: K – 2)
The engineering design process includes identifying a problem, looking for ideas, developing solutions, and sharing solutions with others. - Understanding Design > 08.D Attributes of design (Grade: 3 – 5)
Requirements for a design include such factors as the desired elements and features of a product or system or the limits that are placed on the design. - Understanding Design > 08.C Attributes of design (Grade: 3 – 5)
The design process is a purposeful method of planning practical solutions to problems. - Understanding Design > 08.B Attributes of design (Grade: K – 2)
Design is a creative process. - Understanding Design > 08.A Attributes of design (Grade: K – 2)
Everyone can design solutions to a problem. - The Nature of Technology > 03.C Relationships among technologies (Grade: 3 – 5)
Various relationships exist between technology and other fields of study. - The Nature of Technology > 02.J Core concepts of technology (Grade: 3 – 5)
Materials have many different properties. - The Nature of Technology > 02.H Core concepts of technology (Grade: 3 – 5)
Resources are the things needed to get a job done, such as tools and machines, materials, information, energy, people, capital, and time. - The Nature of Technology > 02.E Core concepts of technology (Grade: K – 2)
People plan in order to get things done. - The Nature of Technology > 02.D Core concepts of technology (Grade: K – 2)
Different materials are used in making things. - Understanding Design > 09.B Engineering design (Grade: K – 2)
Expressing ideas to others verbally and through sketches and models is an important part of the design process. - Understanding Design > 09.C Engineering design (Grade: 3 – 5)
The engineering design process involves defining a problem, generating ideas, selecting a solution, testing the solution(s), making the item, evaluating it, and presenting the results. - Understanding Design > 09.D Engineering design (Grade: 3 – 5)
When designing an object, it is important to be creative and consider all ideas. - Abilities for a Technological World > 11.G Apply the design process (Grade: 3 – 5)
Improve the design solutions. - Abilities for a Technological World > 11.F Apply the design process (Grade: 3 – 5)
Test and evaluate the solutions for the design problem. - Abilities for a Technological World > 11.C Apply the design process (Grade: K – 2)
Investigate how things are made and how they can be improved. - Abilities for a Technological World > 11.B Apply the design process (Grade: K – 2)
Build or construct an object using the design process. - Understanding Design > 10.E Problem solving (Grade: 3 – 5)
The process of experimentation, which is common in science, can also be used to solve technological problems. - Understanding Design > 10.A Problem solving (Grade: K – 2)
Asking questions and making observations helps a person to figure out how things work.
Secondary Connections:
ITEA Standards For Technological Literacy (2000)
(National)
- The Nature of Technology > 01.D Characteristics and scope of technology (Grade: 3 – 5)
Tools, materials, and skills are used to make things and carry out tasks. - The Nature of Technology > 01.C Characteristics and scope of technology (Grade: 3 – 5)
Things that are found in nature differ from things that are human-made in how they are produced and used. - The Designed World > 20.B Construction technologies (Grade: K – 2)
The type of structure determines how the parts are put together. - Technology and Society > 07.A Influence of technology on history (Grade: K – 2)
The way people live and work has changed throughout history because of technology. - Technology and Society > 06.A Role of society in the development and use of technology (Grade: K – 2)
Products are made to meet individual needs and wants. - The Nature of Technology > 03.A Relationships among technologies (Grade: K – 2)
The study of technology uses many of the same ideas and skills as other subjects. - The Nature of Technology > 02.C Core concepts of technology (Grade: K – 2)
Tools are simple objects that help humans complete tasks. - The Nature of Technology > 01.B Characteristics and scope of technology (Grade: K – 2)
All people use tools and techniques to help them do things. - The Nature of Technology > 02.K Core concepts of technology (Grade: 3 – 5)
Tools and machines extend human capabilities, such as holding, lifting, carrying, fastening, separating, and computing.
Engineering is Elementary: Designing Walls
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Engineering is Elementary: Designing Walls
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Engineering is Elementary: Designing Walls
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