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April 2016

Moving Mountains

trash heap
Waste not, want not, or so the saying goes. But in our disposable society, the average American generates 4.4 pounds of trash per day - about 1.6 pounds more than in 1960. The good news? A third of that annual 254 million tons of junk now gets recycled. Your environmental engineers will put garbage to good use in this month's activity marking Earth Day. See who makes a splash! 
Activity: Trash Sliders

trash sliders at 2015 ASEE K12 Workshop
Middle school students express their creativity while learning the fundamentals of engineering design, sustainability, and the basic physics of forces and motion by working in teams to build a vehicle out of recycled trash that is capable of transporting liquid over rough terrain with as little spillage as possible.

Note: Activity can be scaled for high school or upper elementary students. 

RELATED LESSONS   
The Energy of Decay (Grades K-5)
Trash Talkin'  (Grades 3-5)
What a Dump! (Grades 5-8)
Life After Trash (Grades 6-8)

MORE LESSONS:
 
 
Manhattan_s Union Market composts food waste
The world wastes 1.4 billion tons of food annually. Engineers, industrial designers, and even restaurants like Manhattan's Urban Market are shrinking the global garbage heap with innovations ranging from "smart" food packaging to urban composting. 
  
Read More    
  
RELATED FEATURES:  
 
     
Spotlight: Integrated STEM Videos 

Engineering is Elementary Video Snippet What does it mean for fourth graders to plan and carry out investigations? How can you help students develop engineering habits of mind? Engineering is Elementary's new "video snippets" lets teachers see what integrated STEM and Next Generation Science Standards look like in real classrooms.
 
 
Announcements

Space Food Contest. -- Star Trek and NASA ask students to "boldly go" into creating 3-D models of a food-related item for future astronauts. Designs due May 1. Learn more.

Mega-Engineering Video Contest. --  Big projects like sustainable cities are the focus of this year's Engineering 4 U contest. Submit by May 31. Learn more.

Google Science Fair. -- Students 13 to 18 can win $50,000 in scholarships, a trip to the Galapagos, and more in this global contest. Projects due May 18. Learn more.
 
Jazz Up Your STEM Classes this Summer

Whether you're seeking fun, hands-on activities for your STEM students or opportunities to network with peers from across the country, the American Society for Engineering Education's annual K-12 Engineering Workshop is the place to be!

When: Saturday, June 25
Where: New Orleans Convention Center 

New for 2016: Half-day Sunday session on Making! 


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 eGFI magazine online.
bulletCheck out the eGFI kids' book, If I Were an Engineer, and a host of other items in our
online store.
bulletExplore lesson plans and class activities.
bulletView our archive of past newsletters.

   

 

eGFI cover 2015  

From 3-D-printed body parts to Hollywood visual effects, engineers are on the cutting edge of discoveries that make our world a healthier, happier place.  

 

Help inspire the next generation of innovators with the latest edition of ASEE's Engineering, Go For It magazine. Filled with engaging features, gorgeous graphics, and useful information about engineering colleges and careers, eGFI is sure to get your students fired up about learning - and doing - engineering!

 

Price: $6.95


 

Order your copies today!    


 

About the eGFI Teachers' Newsletter
 
Delivered each month to your email inbox, our newsletter is packed with lesson plans and ASEE logo 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 nonprofit organization committed to enhancing efforts to improve STEM and engineering education.   

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