Summer SAVY, Session 1 Day 2, Intro to Chemical Engineering: Engineering With Play Dough (1st-2nd)
It was another great day at SAVY!
We started our morning by learning about the history of play-dough. Did you know that it was once used to clean wallpaper? We then moved into a discussion to define chemistry and a process. Through our discussions, learners determined that a process is a series of steps used to accomplish a goal, and a process in chemistry is similar to following a recipe.
We then read Michelle’s MVP Award to learn that chemical engineers use their knowledge of chemistry and math, and their creativity to solve problems. Sometimes, they work in product design and research. We learned and applied new vocabulary related to chemical engineering and enhanced our understanding of the Engineering Design Process. In doing so, we learned that the process’s steps must be done to ensure a successful outcome. The steps are listed below, so be sure to ask your engineer about each step and how it is integral to the Engineering Design Process.
- Ask a question
- Imagine solutions
- Plan and design the technology to solve the problem
- Create the technology
- Test the process
- Analyze the test
- Improve the technology
This afternoon, students created a goal for themselves and mapped out the steps of the process to accomplish their goal. Goals ranged from learning to spell and decode words to improving at favorite sports. Later, we used our creative engineering imaginations to solve the problem of a stick not being a stick. Students had to ask questions, make observations, and gather information about the stick and all the possible things it could be, then create a new or improved object or tool. Students had such creative solutions to this problem, including levers to secret worlds, ice cream cones, and staircases!
Today, students learned that chemical engineers do everything from creating perfumes to making art supplies. Looking forward to tomorrow, we will continue to explore the roles of chemical engineers in product research and development. Students will become product researchers and will practice their surveying skills.
Dinner table conversation topics for this evening could be:
- How and why was Play-Dough created?
- What is chemistry?
- What is a process, specifically the Engineering Design Process?
- What do chemical engineers do?
- Is a process a technology?
Thanks for another great day!
-Ms. Callis and Ms. Delaney