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How to get the most out of Engineering and Design Labs:

1. These classes are for problem-solving skill building and learning to think creatively.  Although the solutions need to solve the problems, they do not have to look and act like anyone else’s answers to be right.

2. When you begin a lab, take in all of the information, read the portfolio, listen to the recording and read up on the subject.  Then, brainstorm solutions to the problem, no matter how outlandish and ridiculous they may seem.

3. Keep a log of your efforts every day, so that you can go back and record your efforts for future use.  Make drawings, talk to people and really dream.  These make the best solutions to any problems.

4.The rubric for grading your solutions is pretty simple:  did your creation solve the problem?  Did it cause any harm?  What positive outcomes did you attain?  Then, when you look back at what you have learned, you will see that there was a great deal of thinking and learning that went on in

Total classes: Each lab is a separate lab, with 5 making up a semester of physical science. Students can choose 5 from the 10-12 offered.Class duration: Each lab is 2 weeksPrerequisite: Algebra 1 and 9th grade EnglishSuggested grade level: 9th to 10thSuggested credit: 1 credit for 5 labsInstructor: Jean Hoeft, MACourse Description:This series of labs is designed to explore physical science.  It is designed like an engineering project to help students problem solve and create solutions based on knowledge and creative problem solving.  Each lab will have a specific problem to be solved (example: build a toothpick bridge) with a design phase with questions to be answered, drawings to be done, and a testing phase to see how well the solution works.  Then, students will create a presentation of their creation and send me (or show their parent) a recording via youtube or a personal recording.Materials: Unique to each lab, but most being household itemsHomework:  The entire project is all inclusive.  The research, designs, building and testing phase should take a week with the reporting and presentation being the second week.