|
When engineer George Ferris unveiled plans for a giant steel wheel to showcase American innovation at the1893 Chicago World's Fair, critics called him crazy. But his 264-foot-tall creation, which debuted 120 years ago on June 21, proved a huge hit. It drew some 38,000 riders daily and inspired today's towering mega-wheels like the London Eye, above. This month's activity will set your designers' minds in motion. Happy birthday, Ferris wheel!
|
| Activity: Build a Big Wheel
 In this activity, teams of students in grades K-12 learn about the history and engineering behind big Ferris wheels by constructing a working model using pasta, glue, and teabags.
View Activity
RELATED LESSONS
Build a Roller Coaster (Grades 3-6)
Float a Hot Air Balloon (Grades 6-8)
Learn About Torque (Grades 6-8)
Balloon-Powered Car (Grades 4 - 8)
MORE LESSONS:
Grades K-5 | Grades 6-8 | Grades 9-12
|
|
Feature: Engineering Summer Fun
 School's out and it's time to hit the amusement parks. Luckily, when it comes to dreaming up the wackiest, scariest rides and slides, engineers have got you covered. The Intimidator 305, the mega-coaster in the photo from King's Dominion in Doswell, Va., reaches speeds of 90 mph. Design tweaks fixed early G-force issues that had caused some riders to black out.
Read More
RELATED FEATURES:
Roller Coaster Physics
Build it Bigger: Rollercoaster [video]
Bicycling in the Sky
Ideas at Play
Engineering is: Defying Gravity
|
| Spotlight: Teachers TryScience
 Teachers TryScience, a website hosted by the New York Hall of Science for K-12 STEM educators, has free, engaging lessons, teaching strategies, collaboration tools, and other resources designed to spark student interest in STEM. Accessible in English and Spanish.
Read More
|
| STEM Teachers: Join Us in Atlanta June 22!
 Teaching literacy and math through design, 3-D visualizations, and a CSI workshop for teachers are among the engaging, hands-on engineering activities on the program when ASEE's 10th Annual K-12 Workshop kicks off Saturday, June 22 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Join K-12 teachers, administrators, and engineering educators from across the nation for a full day of interactive projects 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 k12workshop@asee.org.
|
 Rhode Island and Kentucky are the first to approve the Next Generation Science Standards. Both are among the 26 states that helped develop the new standards, which include engineering design and emphasize problem solving and cross-cutting concepts. Meanwhile, a new study examines how well states have aligned graduation requirements with Common Core state mathematics standards. |
Announcements
Kids.gov Summer Learning. Beat the summer slide with videos, games, and other U.S. government educational resources. Live @kidsgov Twitter chat June 20 at 1 pm. Learn more.
Women in Geoscience Scholarship. -- The AWG Minority Scholarship provides up to $6,000 for women interested in pursuing hydrology other geoscience field. Deadline June 30. Learn more.
Free Intro to Engineering Workshop. -- Widener University hosts a free, interactive workshop for high school teachers, guidance counselors, and administrators July 30-Aug. 1. Learn more.
Coles Family Engineering Scholarship. -- Created to honor engineer Leroy Anthony Coles III, the scholarship awards up to $2,500 to students pursuing engineering. Learn more.
|
 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! |
|
ADVERTISEMENTS  |
|
