Is seeing still believing? Not in today's era of computer-aided design and graphics. From happy-footed penguins and movie special effects to 3-D architectural plans and digital prototyping, engineers can turn far-out ideas into realistic creations with the click of a mouse. Turn your graphical magicians loose on this week's lesson. See if any fool the teacher! For Navy-related student research opportunities, check out the Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) and the Naval Research Enterprise Intern Program (NREIP). Download our Teacher Guide for more ideas! |
| Lesson: That (Motion) Captures It!
 In this activity, students in grades 5 - 7 learn how motion capture technology (mo-cap) enables computer animators to create realistic effects. They learn the importance of center of gravity in animation and how to use the concept in writing an action scene.
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Feature: Making Movies Purrrfect
 Cartoons have come a long way since the hand-drawn moving pictures of decades past. Now, the animated films at your local cineplex are made possible by sophisticated computer software created by engineers. Modeling the realistic textures and movement of such things as fur, hair and fabric, for example, takes serious computing power. Without it, the swashbuckling hero of Puss in Boots would look decidedly less so.
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| K-12 News: Alarm Over Cal. Science Squeeze
 California officials and business leaders want to correct what they say is a failure to invest enough time, money and training to teach science well. Only 10% of elementary students regularly receive hands-on science lessons, a recent survey found. Just one-third of elementary teachers said they feel prepared to teach science, and 85% said they have not received any training during the last three years.
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| Special: ASEE Partners with NSTA
 The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) has put together a public/private partnership to develop ways of engaging elementary, middle, and high school students in engineering. Participants will learn about innovative, hands-on, project-based engineering at three events during National Science Teachers Association regional conferences.
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 What do the blockbuster "Avatar," high-performance sports gear, Angry Birds phone app, and pollution-eating bacteria have in common?
They are among a host of cool innovations developed by engineers and featured in the new fifth edition of the American Society for Engineering Education's Engineering, Go For It magazine. The kid-friendly magazine is part of ASEE's campaign to inspire more K-12 students, particularly young women and underrepresented minorities, to pursue engineering majors and careers. Now available in our store! |
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