From potato chips to blood banks to America's first traffic signal, inventions by African Americans stand as important milestones of our nation's progress. The spirit of innovation lives on among members of Purdue University's National Society of Black Engineers chapter, shown here perfecting their entry in a Rube Goldberg competition. This month's activity, which honors pacemaker inventor Otis Boykin, will set your aspiring bioengineers' and physicians' hearts soaring. Happy Valentine's Day!
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Activity: No Valve in Vain
Student teams in grades 6 -8 learn about engineering design and how a one-way valve operates by creating a heart valve from plastic tubing and other materials.
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RELATED LESSONS
Build a Prosthetic Limb (Grades 4-8)
Build a Model Lung (Grades 6-8)
Robot Hand, Please Tie My Shoe (Grades 1-12)
The Beat Goes On (Grades 3 - 5)
MORE LESSONS:
Grades K-5 | Grades 6-8 | Grades 9-12
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Feature: Flying Solo
In 2007, Barrington Irving became the first African American to fly solo around the world -- and also, at 23, reportedly the youngest. The former aerospace engineering student plans to take to the skies again aboard a "flying classroom" to teach kids STEM.
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RELATED FEATURES:
African-American Innovators
Meet Ursula Burns, From Poverty to CEO
Garrett Morgan, Traffic Signal Inventor
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Spotlight: National Engineers Week
This year's theme -- Celebrate Awesome -- salutes the amazing things engineers, engineering students, and technicians do everyday to make the world a better place. You can celebrate by participating in a local event, do a hands-on activity with your students, or introduce a girl to engineering Feb. 21.
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STEM Teachers: Join Us in Atlanta
Mark your 2013 calendars for Saturday, June 22, when ASEE's 10th Annual K-12 Workshop kicks off at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. K-12 teachers, administrators and engineering educators from across the nation will find engaging hands-on lessons and interactive activities to share with students, takeaway materials for the classroom, and networking opportunities. Certificates of completion at the end may entitle teachers to CPE credits. For details, contact Libby Martin at k12workshop@asee.org.
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Announcements
Nominate a Great STEM Teacher. -- Submit candidates for the 2013 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching by April 1. Learn more.
The Science of Innovation. -- A new NBCLearn - National Science Foundation video series highlights how scientists and engineers turn ideas into inventions like 3-D printers. Learn more.
NASA Essay Contest -- Feb. 28 is the deadline for students in grades 5 to 12 to explain why the next big mission should go to either Saturn's moon - or to Jupiter's. Learn more.
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It's never too early to learn about engineering. Along with our 5th Edition magazine and classroom cards, Engineering, Go For It offers an engaging children's book in its collection of learning materials. "If I Were an Engineer," from the American Society for Engineering Education, is a fun, 40-page rhyming book that introduces engineering to kids 5 to 8 years old. It includes a parent page that explains the various engineering disciplines. Price: $7.95 Now available in our store and on Amazon.com! |
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