Engineering University: Big Ideas from Tuesday and Wednesday
How could I drink fish water if I was stranded in the forest?
On Tuesday, our budding engineers explored how environmental engineers work to address the different types of issues that affect our environment. Our environment includes many things, some of which are plants, animals, and water! In our classroom, we tested different ways to prevent or remove contamination from water and we designed our very own filter systems. To continue the learning at home, test out creating filters using different types of materials like tissue, foil, or a plastic sandwich bag with holes of varying sizes! Together, you and your scientist can see how materials made up of different properties work when trying to sift out dirt and and debris from a cup of water.
How can I create a nightlight to help me read under the covers before bedtime?
Wednesday was all about diving into the problems that electrical engineers help us to solve! Kids love their iPads and remote control cars, but how do these things work? Electricity is the flow of electrical charge from one place to another. As electrical engineers, we had to figure out how we can bring electricity to different places like our homes, schools and KSL! Only materials that are conductors will allow electricity to move. We tested materials like wires, crayons, legos, cotton balls, and scissors to see which materials are conductive. Our engineers discovered that metals often make great conductors and used this knowledge to wire their own functioning electrical circuits! At home, dust off some of your old phones, computers, or gaming systems to investigate how electrical engineers have helped us develop technology that is smaller, faster, and more efficient!
*Please note that your child’s take-away project may have a few small parts and parental supervision is recommended with these objects.
