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Project Goals: This Summer Program has the primary goal of generating new
knowledge and excitement about the fields of math, science, and engineering for middle
school students, and the project is based around three main objectives:
For the student participants, we
plan to meet these goals by introducing them to math, science, and engineering principles
in a context-based environment where they'll have the opportunity to develop their
cognitive awareness through a hands-on learning environment.
For the teacher participants, we
plan to model innovative methods of teaching math. science, and engineering principles
with high-tech manipulative linked to concrete research-based theories of education.
Additionally, we plan to model instruction of problem solving and critical thinking
methodologies which these teachers can extend and modify to their own classrooms.
For the project leaders, we plan to
begin the groundwork for increasing community interest and awareness in university-level
opportunities to learn about the fields of math, science, and engineering through our work
with these participants. We want to show them that math. science, and engineering careers
can be much more than just work.
Group Photos - Week 1 (June 18 - 22, 2001)
Bridge Building Groups and Energy-in-Motion Groups
Group Photos - Week 2 (July 16 - 20, 2001)
Bridge Building Groups and Energy-in-Motion Groups
Group Photos - Week 3 (July 23 - 27, 2001)
Bridge Building Groups, Energy-in-Motion Groups, and Robotics
Team-Building Exercises - Program
team-building activities take place frequently throughout the Joy curriculum in order to
foster group cohesion and make learning fun. Brainstorming sessions start with individual
ideas that sometimes result in a variety of designs.
Integration of Writing Component - The
Joy of Engineering’s program is designed to support the content delivery by frequent
comprehension checks as measured through student writing. Students write at least 4 times
during each class day, teachers respond to the writing personally and immediately,
ensuring that any gaps or points of misunderstanding can be quickly remedied.
Special Awards - Each day an
award is given to the student in each section with the best writing for the day. This
award is based on the quality of the writing, not necessarily the quantity.
Collaborative Activities - Teachers and students
work together as teams to design and construct structures. Each structure is then tested,
and the group works together to analyze the data and make modifications to the
group’s final design.
Teachers at Work - Our Joy of
Engineering Teachers teach by doing—they model "hands-on" innovative
curricular methodologies designed to integrate math, science, and engineering in
authentically-based engineering projects. While it may look like play, it’s also
engineering!
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