IntroductionK

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What Is Engineering Design?

Students will develop an understanding ofengineering design.

echnological Literacy Standard #9

products or systems that will satisfythe opportunity; and selecting, mak-

ing, evaluating, and modifyingthe solution.

One model of thisengineering process has

seven steps. These are:1. Identify the problem:

Most engineering problemsstart with a problem that has

no clear solution. Peopleknow that the situation needs

improving but don’t know how.For example, they may know that a

kitchen utensil constantly slips fromthe operator's hand, the light in theroom is too dim to read by, that trafficis snarled during rush hour, or anappliance uses too much electricity.The first step in engineering design isto clearly describe the problem andthe requirements a solution mustmeet.

2. Gather information:The engineering de-sign process is anongoing pro-cess. It is basedon advances inscientific andtechnologicalknowledge and prod-

Each of us lives in a designedworld. We spend most of our timein artificial or human-builtenvironments that seekto reduce the negativeimpacts of the naturalworld. We use heatingsystems and air condi-tioning units to makeour homes morecomfortable. Moderntransportation ve-hicles move us andour possessionsrapidly from place to place.Farms provide us with an array offood choices that people in someother countries cannot believe. Ourretail stores present us with count-less options for clothing, appli-ances, entertainment, and house-hold goods.

This human-built world aroundus is the product of a process wecall engineering design. It is theresult of human creativity, innova-tion, and inventiveness.

The engineering design is,essentially, a process of recogniz-ing a human need or want; seekinginformation needed to understandthe situation; identifying possible

KITSPage 2

This issue of the

Kids Inventing Technology Serieswas written by

Phyllis Wright

and published by the

International Technology Education

Association

1914 Association Drive

Reston, VA 20191

© 2002

Series staff:

Thomas Wright, DTE, DirectorITEA Resources in Technology Education Project

Katie de la Paz, EditorKathie Cluff, Assistant Editor

ITEA Publications

Kendall Starkweather, DTEITEA Executive Director

Brigitte Valesey, DTE, DirectorITEA Center to Advance the Teaching of

Technology and Science

5. Modeling: The designer needs toknow that the selected solution will ad-equately address the problem. Since mostengineering designs are developed forproducts that will be produced in largequantities, often a model is built to see if thedesign can be manufactured and if it willfunction properly.

6. Evaluation: The design model isassessed to see that it functions properly,can be operated easily, and can be safelyused.

7. Refine and release: The results of thedesign evaluation are used to alter andrefine the final design. The refined solutionmay be modeled and tested again. Finally,it is released for pilot or full-scale produc-tion.

ucts already developed. Agood designer reviews howother people solved similarproblems and gathersinformation that could beused to solve the designproblem.

3. Develop possiblesolutions: With almostevery problem there ismore than one adequate solution. Designersgenerally develop several product or systemdesigns that could solve the problem.

4. Select a promising solution: Onlyone solution can be used at a time to solvea problem. Designers and engineers usetheir knowledge of the problem to select thebest solution from the several they haveidentified.

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Grades K-2

BenchmarkThis activity will help students reach thefollowing benchmark:

The engineering design processincludes identifying the problem,looking for ideas, developingsolutions, and sharing solutionswith others.

IntroductionEngineering design is a creative processthat challenges designers to develop aproduct or system that meets some statedlimitations or criteria. The designers mustidentify the specific problem they are facingand then develop a solution that addressesthe challenge. Quite often the designers willfirst explore a number of possible solutions,then select and refine the best solution. Yourstudents will play the role of product de-signer as they design a tile they can use fora wall tile or a trivet (hot dish holder).

Teacher PreparationTo prepare to introduce the students to thisactivity, you should:

● Gather some simple products that havebeen designed. (All products are theproduct of engineering design.)

● Prepare a transparency that presents thesteps of engineering design. See Trans-parency #1 on page 6.

● Gather samples of sev-eral decorative wall tiles.

● Gather the toolsand supplieslisted at right.

Designing a SimpleWallTile

Supplies and Tools NeededThe following tools and supplies are neededto complete this activity:

● Air-dry clay

● 1/4" thick x 1" wide wood or plastic strips

● Rolling pins or 8" lengths of 2" diameterPVC pipe

● Plastic table knife

● Poster paint

● Round end pens (stylus for forming tiledetails)

● 4" x 4" template (wood, posterboard, orplastic)

Preparing the StudentsIntroduce the students to design by:

● Explaining that all products and struc-tures are designed by people.

● Discussing the use of criteria to limit ordirect a design effort.

● Explaining that design starts with adesigner identifying a need or a want.

● Explaining that designers createsketches of possible solutions to a de-sign problem (brief).

KITSPage 4

Think AboutThink About

Conducting the Activity1. Show the students samples of clay tile.

2. Discuss the design challenge:

Develop a 4" x 4" wall tile that isattractive to look at.

How has the design of the following objects changedduring your lifetime?

✔ Computers

✔ Automobiles

✔ Lunch boxes

✔ Televisions

3. Introduce the design process shown onTransparency #1:

a. Write the problem.

b. Develop at least two designs that willsolve the problem.

c. Select the best design.

d. Make a model of the design.

4. Have the students:

a. Write the design problem on a prod-uct design worksheet like the oneshown on page 6.

b. List the limitations or criteria for thedesign (i.e., 4" x 4" square, 1/4"thick, attractive.) You may want todevelop these using a class discus-sion.

4"

4"

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5. Have the students draw two possibledesigns on their product designworksheets.

Examples of possible designs are shownon page 4.

6. Have each student select his or her bestdesigns and show it to a fellow class-mate.

7. Demonstrate how to make a blank tile asshown in the drawings below:

a. Place two strips of 1/4" thick plastic orwood about 6" apart.

b. Place a lump of clay between thestrips.

c. Use a rolling pin or piece of PVC pipeto roll out the clay. Keep each end ofthe rolling pin on the strips.

8. Have each student:

a. Make one or two blank clay tiles.

b. Decorate the tiles by either:

(1) making indentions with a round-tipped object (pen cap, etc.) andletting the tile harden OR

(2) letting the tile harden and thenpainting a scene with poster paint.

9. Have each student evaluate his or hertile by showing it to a fellow classmate.He or she should ask for suggestions forways to improve the design.

Each student should complete the "Im-proving the Design" section of theirdesign worksheet.

Making a 1/4" thick slab of clay.

d. Use a table knife to cut around a 4"square template.

Make a blank tile from a 1/4" thick slab ofclay by cutting around a 4" x 4" template.

4” x 4”Template

Checking for Understanding

Throughout the activity, encourage studentsto be as creative as possible. Ask how theirdesigns meet the design problem. Ask themto relate their designs to the constraints orcriteria they have developed.

When the activity is completed, ask thestudents about the steps in the engineeringdesign process and how they used them todesign their tiles.

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Design Problem (Statement)

What is your design problem?

Design Limitations (Criteria)

What limitations must the design meet?

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4.

Designing a Wall Tile

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Designing a Wall Tile

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Possible Designs

Sketch two designs for wall tiles on the grids below. Each line equals a 1/2" space.

Design Evaluation:

How could you improve your design?

Grades 3-5

BenchmarkThis activity will help students reach thefollowing benchmarks:

The engineering design processinvolves defining a problem, generat-ing ideas, selecting a solution, testingthe solution(s), making the item,evaluating it, and presenting theresults.

When designing an object, it isimportant to be creative and considerall ideas.

Designing a Setof Wall Tiles

IntroductionEngineering design is a creative processthat challenges designers to develop aproduct or system that meets some statedlimitations or criteria. The designers mustidentify the specific problem they are facingand then develop a solution that addressesthe challenge. Quite often the designers willfirst explore a number of possible solutions,then select and refine the best solution. Yourstudents will play the role of product de-signer as they design a multi-tile set theycan use for a wall tile or a hot dish holder.

ITEA

make a pattern. These can be geometricor pictorial tiles.

● Select a type of tile that the students willdesign. Examples would be commemo-rative, geometric, and pictorial.

● Gather the tools and supplies listed inthe next section.

Supplies and Tools NeededThe following tools and supplies are neededto complete this activity:

● Air-dry clay

● 1/4" thick x 1" wide wood or plastic strips

● Rolling pins or 2" dia. x 8" long PVC pipe

● Plastic table knife

● Poster paint

● Round end pens (stylus for forming tiledetails)

● 4" x 4" template (wood, posterboard, orplastic)

● Copies of all handouts

Teacher PreparationTo prepare to introduce the student to thisactivity, you should:

● Gather some simple products that havebeen designed. (All products are theproduct of engineering design.)

● Prepare a transparency that shows thesteps of engineering design. See Trans-parency #2 on page 12.

● Gather samples of several decorativewall tiles that can be placed together to

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KITSPage 10

Preparing the StudentsIntroduce the students to design by:

● Explaining that all products and struc-tures are designed by people to meet anidentified need or want.

● Discussing how designers use criteria tolimit or direct their design efforts.

● Explaining that:

a. Designers start their work with a needor a want statement. This is some-times called a design brief.

b. Designers create sketches of manypossible solutions, then select thebest solution.

c. Designers use models to test andevaluate their solution.

Conducting the Activity

1. Introduce the design challenge to thestudents.

Design a set of decorative clay wall tilesthat go together to produce a desiredeffect.

Four single tilesarranged to makea pattern

Single tile

Note: This is an extension of the K-2activity in this package. This activity forgrades 3-5 requires the students todesign a set of tiles that fit together toform a pattern or a picture. See theexamples below. You may want to reviewthe K-2 activity before you introduce thisdesign challenge.

2. Work with the students to enlarge thisstatement to include:

a. A focus or theme (commemorative,kitchen decorative, fine art decora-tion, etc.).

b. A set of criteria that limits the size ofthe tiles (4" x 4"), number in a set (4or more), etc.

Have them include the results of thisstep on a Design Brief sheet like the onefound on page 13.

3. Have each student use a PreliminaryDesign worksheet like the one on page14 to:

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a. Prepare at least two overall designsfor the set of tiles.

b. Prepare an enlarged drawing of onekey tile in the set.

4. Have each student:

a. Present the set oftile designs to twoother classmates.

b. Ask the classmatesfor suggestions forimproving the designs.

c. Select the best design.

d. Prepare a final design using aworksheet like the one shown onpage 15.

5. Demonstrate techniques for producingtiles. See the illustrations and directionsincluded in the K-2 Activity in this pack-age.

6. Have the students work in pairs to pro-duce sets of tiles.

7. Have each student:

a. Present his or her tiles to the class.

b. Ask for suggestions for improving thedesigns.

c. Complete the design review sectionat the bottom of his or her DesignBrief worksheet.

Checking for Understanding

At various times during the activity, ask thestudents which step of the engineeringdesign process they are working on. Askthem why the step is important.

Ask them why they are developing a specificdesign. (The answer should relate to thedesign brief—the design statement andconstraints.)

Did You Know?

✔ Did you know that the word ceramic comes from theGreek word 'Keramos´? It means "potters earth."

✔ Bricks have been used from at least 2300 BC.

✔ Porcelain was first made in China 1,000 years ago.

✔ The world of ceramics includes the manufacturingof dinnerware and cookware, building materials,such as a wide range of bricks; wall and floor tiles;bathroom fittings; pipes for drainage and sewerage;and a range of speciality products.

✔ A layer of ceramic tiles provides the thermal protec-tion, that enables the space shuttle to return safelyto earth.

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Write a statement of the problem.

Prepare a set of constraints or criteria that will direct the design effort.

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Design Brief

When you have finished the design process, list ways that the designcould be improved.

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Preliminary Designs

How the set will look Design for repeating tile

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Sketch several designs for the set of tiles on the grids below.

Special directions and notes:

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Final Design

Select the best ideas from your preliminary designs and sketcha final design for the tile set on the grid below.

KITSPage 16

Evidence of Attainment

Connections to Other Subjects

Have the students design a set of tiles that commemorates special events in theschool. Have them use commercial clay and have the tiles fired by a local potter ora school's art department. This will require an initial (bisque) firing followed byapplying glaze (colors) and another firing of the tiles.

Have the students prepare and fire sets of tile that commemorate special people andtheir accomplishments. These people could be community leaders, teachers in theschool district, etc.

Students who have developed an understanding of engineeringdesign are able to:

✔ Identify the steps in an engineering design process.

✔ Develop a design statement with appropriate criteria andconstraints.

✔ Develop preliminary and final solutions to a design challenge.

✔ Develop and test a model of a design solution.

✔ Recommend ways to improve an engineering design.

Science: Material properties and their use in designing products.

Mathematics: Using standard or metric measurements to indi-cate linear distances.

Social Studies: How designs can be used to commemoratepeople and events in a community.

Language Arts: Writing design requirements, technical writing.

Art: Artistic design, color, balance, sketching.

Extending the Activity Commemorating Special Events or People

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Key TermsKey TermsKey TermsKey TermsKey TermsKey Terms

Technology Using tools, materials, andknowledge (know-how) toextend the human poten-tial.

Design A creative process used todevelop solutions to aproblem.

Engineering Developing a new or im-Design proving an existing product

or system to meet a statedneed.

Problem A situation that can beimproved by a new orimproved product or tech-nological system.

Opportunity A situation in which a newor improved product ortechnological system willbe accepted and used.

Design Key features and opera-criteria tional characteristics that a

design must have.

Design Market, regulatory, eco-constraints nomic, and engineering

limits placed on the design.

Sketch A two-dimensional graphicrepresentation of a three-dimensional device.

Model A representation of anobject used to test ideas.

Books

ResourcesWeb resources

Hutchison, J. and Karsnitz, J. (1994) Designand Problem Solving in Technology. Albany,NY: Delmar. ISBN: 0-8273-5244-1.

Moss, M. (1991). Fashion Designer. NewYork: Macmillian Publishing Company.ISBN: 0-89686-610-6.

Peter, R. (1995). Models. New York:Thomson Learning. ISBN: 1-56847-214-5.

Wright, R. T. (2000) Technology. TinleyPark, IL: Goodheart-Willcox. ISBN: 1-56637-50-0

Engineering and design sites such as:

American Institute of Graphic Arts.URL: http://www.aiga.org

Bad Human Factors Designs.URL:http://www.baddesigns.com/

Centre for Sustainable Design Homepage.URL:http://www.cfsd.org.uk/

Core77 Design Magazine.URL: http://www.core77.com

Industrial Designers Society of America.URL:http://www.idsa.org/

Praxis Product Design.URL:http://www.praxisdesign.com/