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Learning Standards for Mathematics, Science, and Technology at Three Levels

Standard 5-Technology - Elementary

Students will apply technological knowledge and skills to design, construct, use, and evaluate products and systems to satisfy human and environmental needs.
 

Engineering Design

1. Engineering design is an iterative process involving modeling and optimization used to develop technological solutions to problems within given constraints.

Students:

     describe objects, imaginary or real, that might be modeled or made differently and suggest ways in which the objects can be changed, fixed, or improved.
     investigate prior solutions and ideas from books, magazines, family, friends, neighbors, and community members.
     generate ideas for possible solutions, individually and through group activity; apply age-appropriate mathematics and science skills; evaluate the ideas and determine the best solution; and explain reasons for the choices.
     plan and build, under supervision, a model of the solution using familiar materials, processes, and hand tools.
     discuss how best to test the solution; perform the test under teacher supervision; record and portray results through numerical and graphic means; discuss orally why things worked or didn't work; and summarize results in writing, suggesting ways to make the solution better.

This is evident, for example, when students:

     read a story called Humpty's Big Day wherein the readers visit the place where Humpty Dumpty had his accident, and are asked to design and model a way to get to the top of the wall and down again safely.
     generate and draw ideas for a space station that includes a pleasant living and working environment design and model footwear that they could use to walk on a cold, sandy surface.