Discover Engineering Kit
Discover Engineering Kit
- Recommended Grades: 4-8
- Number of Students: 1-4
- Contact Hours: 25+
- Lesson Plan Sample PDF
The Discover Engineering kit is the perfect tool for introducing students to engineering concepts with engaging hands-on activities. With exciting cutting-edge curriculum, every student can develop new skills as they build confidence, explore various disciplines, and improve problem solving abilities. These projects teach students about topics including gear trains, power ratios, and complex machines while they build trebuchets, cart launchers, transmission models, and more!
Discover Engineering now features the new 3-dimensional interactive curriculum, the 3DIC™. Step by step instructions, video playback, and the ability to highlight individual pieces in builds helps students work through engineering projects quickly and with confidence. Each Discover Engineering Kit comes with 2 licenses for the complete 3DIC-Discover Engineering (3DIC-DE).
Materials Included:
- 642 fischertechnik Building Elements
- Compartmentalized Storage Bin with Lid
- Instructor Guide
- Student Guide
- 12 Build Plans
STEM Applications:
Science: A worm gear motion is not reversible. A worm can drive a gear to reduce speed but a gear cannot drive a worm to increase it. As the speed is reduced the power to the drive increases correspondingly. Worm gears are a compact, efficient means of substantially decreasing speed and increasing power. Ideal for use with small electric motors.
Technology: The use of the worm gear with guitar strings and crescent wrenches - enabling the devices to lock. Breaks for conveyor systems. Many worm gears have an interesting property that no other gear set has: the worm can easily turn the gear, but the gear cannot turn the worm. This is because the angle on the worm is so shallow that when the gear tries to spin it, the friction between the gear and the worm holds the worm in place.
Engineering: Simple Machines: Screw—A screw is a mechanism that converts rotational motion to linear motion, and a torque (rotational force) to a linear force. It is one of the six classical simple machines.
Math: Gear ratios—A worm can be used to reduce speed. For each complete turn of the worm shaft,the gear shaft advances only one tooth of the gear. In this case, with a twelve tooth gear, the speed is reduced by a factor of 12. Also, the axis of rotation is turned by 90 degrees.
Next Generation Science Standards
- MS-ETS1-1: Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
- MS-ETS1-2: Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
- MS-ETS1-3: Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.
International Society for Technology in Education
- Creativity and Innovation
- Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
- Communication and Collaboration with a Digital Portfolio
- Research and Information Fluency
Common Core State Standards for Language Arts and Math
- ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.3 Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical task
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.NF.A.2 Compare two fractions with different numerators and different denominators, e.g. by creating common denominators or numerators, or by comparing to a benchmark fraction such as 1/2.
Downloading and Unlocking 3DIC:
3DIC Software Downloads
Step 1: Purchase the Discover Engineering Kit
Each Discover Engineering kit comes with 2 licenses for the complete 3DIC-DE™ software install. You may purchase additional licenses to install full versions of the 3DIC-DE™ curriculum on more devices. Each device requires a purchased license to access the complete curriculum.Step 2: Receive Email with Username and Password
Those who purchase Discover Engineering online will receive the email with username and password immediately after the transaction is processed. For those who submit a PO or pay by check, an email will be sent upon processing of the payment and transaction.Step 3: Download 3DIC-DE™ Free Trial App
Download the free 3DIC-DE™ app, which includes the sample curriculum. If you have already downloaded the free 3DIC-DE™ app skip to step 4. Links for download below.Step 4: Enter Username and Password
Open the 3DIC-DE™ app you just downloaded and enter in your username and password.Step 5: Unlock 3DIC-DE™
Once username and password have been entered, you will have access to the complete 3DIC-DE™ curriculum. All licenses will be managed through your account with your username and password. This gives you the flexibility to purchase multiple licenses at one time and activate them on various devices at your convenience. After the first license activation is complete, start on Step 3 for all subsequent devices associated with this account.
