Stay Cool
In this engineering design unit, students are guided through the fundamentals of electronic circuits, energy transfer, and programming, culminating in a grade-appropriate engineering project. Students begin by learning about various forms of energy transfer and microelectronics, including their real-world applications and components. They progress to understanding basic circuitry, exploring both series and parallel circuits through hands-on activities. Students engage in interactive exercises and block coding using MakeCode to practice programming concepts, including sequences, conditions, and loops. Finally, the unit culminates with an engineering design project.
Core Content: energy transfer, electrical circuitry, computer programming,
Grade Levels: 3-5
ME Connection: Students learn about integrated circuits through investigating how regular-sized electronic series and parallel circuits work.
Engineering Design Project: Students design, implement, and test an electrical system to protect a gaming device from overheating. Throughout the unit, students maintain engineering notebooks, engage with real-world scenarios, and develop communication skills while being exposed to relevant career paths in software engineering and computer science.
