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April 2013

Green Engineering 

Earth Day flora and fauna    

When Earth Day debuted in 1970, environmental engineering was barely a sprout on the national landscape. Today, sustainable design and "green" materials crop up everywhere, from energy-efficient homes to electric cars to "smart" appliances. This month's activity will give your eco-engineers a reason to talk trash - and do something about it on April 22. Waste not, want not!

Activity: What a Dump!

 

landfull truch Student teams in grades 5 to 7 learn about civil, environmental, and sanitation engineering by designing and building model landfills that can hold the most garbage and prevent runoff from polluting nearby "homes." Teams test, graph, and compare their designs for capacity, cost, and performance.

 

View Activity

RELATED LESSONS  

Landfills and Contamination (Grades 9-12)

Trash Talkin' (Grades 3-5)

Map the Green Space (Grades 5-9)  

Green Roof Resources & Activities (Grades 3 - 12) 

MORE LESSONS:

Grades K-5  |  Grades 6-8  |  Grades 9-12

 

Feature: Edible Green Screen

   

green wall UW College of Build Environments Ever thought about those bare, exterior walls of your home or school? If so, you'd be up on one of the hottest trends in civil and environmental engineering: Redesigning buildings to take full advantage of natural climate control and solar energy, like this delicious screen created by students at the University of Washington's College of Built Environments. 

 

Read More    

 

RELATED FEATURES:

The Ultimate Green Building    

Reinventing the Toilet 

7th Grader Invents Solar 'Tree'

Earth Day Resources 

 

Spotlight: Mathematics Awareness Month


Sustainability is the theme of this year's Mathematics Awareness Month. Teachers will find plenty of activities, contests, and other free resources that link math with environmental applications, including an Energy Challenge where students learn about their school's energy use and then develop and implement an action plan to reduce energy consumption.

 

Read More 

 

STEM Teachers: Join Us in Atlanta 


artificial habitatMark 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 Ashok Agrawal at [email protected].   


hands on science Three years and many comments later, the final Next Generation Science Standards were released on April 9. They emphasize cross-cutting concepts and "storylines" such as energy or Earth's systems, and include engineering design and practices. If adopted by states, the NGSS could mark a sea change in the way science is taught across disciplines and grades. 

 

Announcements

 

Environmental Photo Contest. -- Submit your snapshots that show how your school or organization is engaging students in environmental education by May 31. Learn more.

 

National Environmental Education Week. -- Learn how mobile devices can enhance children's experience of nature in Greening STEM, this year's EEWeek theme. Learn more

 

Plagiarism Education Week. -- April 22-26 offerings include free webinars with tips for teachers, resources for students on conducting online research, and a student poster contest. Learn more.

 

Explore Our Site: Helpful Links for Teachers

Cynthia Breazeal Wants You to Make Friends with RobotsJetman: Flying Soon to a Landmark Near YouUnderwater Scooters are the New SCUBAEbone Pierce - Mechanical Engineering StudentTurning Air into WaterVertical Forest Coming Soon to Milan
bulletPrepare your students for engineering school with these 10 Essential Steps.
bulletChange your students' perceptions of engineering students.
bulletIntroduce your students to young engineers who are already making a difference in the world.
bulletStay up-to-date with cool engineering innovations.
bulletFind out about the engineering design process.
bulletLearn about the different types of engineering.
bulletRead our magazine online.
bulletCheck out all the items in our online store.
bulletExplore lesson plans and class activities.
bulletView our archive of past newsletters.

   


If I Were an EngineerIt'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!  

 

About the eGFI Teachers' Newsletter

 

Delivered each month to your email inbox, our newsletter is packed with lesson plans and activities, resources, feature stories, and the latest developments in K-12 engineering education. eGFI is part of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), a non-profit organization committed to enhancing efforts to improve STEM and engineering education.   


American Society for Engineering Education 

1818 N Street, N.W., Suite 600

Washington, DC, District of Columbia 20036

 

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