Traveling Engineering Activity Kit TEAK Energy and the Environment

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Traveling Engineering Activity Kit (TEAK)Energy
and the Environment
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Project Goal The aim of the Traveling Engineering
Activity Kit (TEAK) project is to create
portable kits that safely and interactively
teach middle school students about engineering,
energy and the environment
Group Members Patrick Kelley (CE) Shannon
Perkins (ID) Mallika Ramaswamy (IE) Nick Ryczko
(ME) Timothy Schriefer (ME) Michael Sterling
(EE) John Wocial (IE) Melissa Zaczek
(ME) Faculty Advisors Dr. Margaret Bailey,
P.E. Dr. Elizabeth DeBartolo
Project Sponsor American Society of Heating
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers
(ASHRAE)
Motivation America needs to build a strong,
technologically focused workforce. The TEAK
Project provides a tool that educators can use to
get students excited about science, technology,
and engineering from a young age, with the goal
of shaping them into active global citizens who
are aware of environmental and energy issues.

• Kit Contents
• Background energy related materials
• Role of engineers
• Interactive activities (four per kit)
• Scientific experimentation
• Take-home packet for students
• Lesson plans for presenters
• Assessment tools
• Girl/Boy Scouts badge requirements met

• Research
• NYS Science Curriculum
• Blooms Taxonomy
• Rochester Museum and Science Center
• Ontario Science Center
• Middle School teachers and Scout leaders
• Alternative/renewable energy sources

• Kit Development
• Brainstorm energy concepts and benchmark
  existing products
• Associate each kit with different energy concept
  
• Brainstorm for central, hands-on component for
  each kit
• Feasibility analysis of component concepts
• Develop and document activities for each kit
• Design learning objectives, lesson procedures
  and assessment tools
• Create appropriate student and instructor
  manuals
• Perform engineering analysis, create dimensioned
  drawings and develop bill of materials
• Build, test and evaluate

Current Kit Development Topics

• Contents of Prototype Kit
• Heat Transfer Kit - Learning Objectives
• Basic difference between heat and temperature
• How heat moves through an environment
• Basic states of matter
• Insulating properties of materials
• Real world applications
• Energy costs
• Home insulation
• Heat Transfer Kit - Activities
• Heat vs. Temperature
• Thermal Crystals
• Insulation House
• Heating Bills

• Proof of Concept
• Analysis of Education
• Heat Transfer kit chosen to build and test
  before constructing remaining kits
• Kit tested by group of middle school students to
  verify learning objectives are being reached
• Engineering Analysis
• Engineering design and calculations done to
  ensure activities run as designed

Sample Calculations for Wind and Water kit design

• Preliminary Testing
• Heat Transfer Kit tested by a group of nine
  sixth-grade students from Bay Trail Middle School
  in Penfield, NY
• Students given preliminary assessment
• TEAK team members presented material and
  activities to students
• Students used scientific method and performed
  activities
• Students given post-assessments with same
  questions from preliminary assessment
• Based on assessments and observations made by
  TEAK team members, a troubleshooting list was
  created and design changes were considered

Construction of Activities and Instructional
Documentation

• Instructional Materials
• Preparation Guide
• Overview of activity objectives
• Additional materials not provided
• Estimated preparation times
• List of required handouts
• Concept Explanation
• Lesson Plan
• Detailed activity description
• Concept explanation for students
• Additional resources for more information
• Expected results
• Additional information to present to students
• Handouts
• Scientific Method Worksheet
• Activity Instructions
• Assessments
• Take-Home Packet
• Role of the Engineer

TEAK Team assembling dirt walls
Photographs from the Initial Testing of the Heat
Transfer Kit Students assembling insulation house
(left) Student hypothesizing best insulator
(right)

• Conclusion
• Preliminary results show students learned and
  were excited about science and engineering.
• The remaining five kits are currently in the
  construction phase and will be tested on
  audiences upon completion.
• Great enthusiasm has already been expressed by
  teachers and Scout leaders to utilize the kits
  developed by the TEAK Team.

Acknowledgements Dr. Margaret Bailey and Dr.
Elizabeth DeBartolo who have always been
available, provided us with valuable information
and direction, and encouraged us every step of
the way. Our project sponsor, ASHRAE. The
middle school students, teachers, and
presenters who we have worked with in
developing these kits.