Think it, Build it, Test it Stantonsburg Library Summer Reading Program 2014 Goal: To think like engineers! What is engineering? Engineering involves the application of creativity in partnership with math, science, social studies, language arts and fine arts to search for quicker, better and less expensive ways to use the forces and materials of nature to meet today's challenges. Engineers are problem solvers who use every resource possible to bring into existence things and ideas that they imagine. Engineers must... Think creatively Be problem solvers Work well in teams Have an interest in helping change the world by making it a better place Does this sound like you? By Andrea Beaty What do engineers do? Can engineers build space shuttles? Yes! An astronautical engineer could! Can engineers build a stronger superglue? Yes! A materials engineer could! Can engineers create a faster dirt bike? Yes! An automotive engineer could!! Are engineers super cool? TOTALLY! By Andrea Beaty What else can engineers do? What kinds of things can engineers build? What happens if an engineer does a bad job of building something? Tacoma Washington Bridge Disaster (1940) Sinking of the Titanic (1912) Levee failures during Hurricane Katrina (2005) By Steven Guarnaccia Do engineers have to think about the types of materials they use when building something? Which houses did the wolf blow down? What did the pigs do wrong? By Gianna Marino Do engineers have to think about height when building skyscrapers? Why did the houses collapse? What could Rabbit and Owl have done differently? Your Turn! Build it! Test it! Think it! Earthquake-Proof Engineering for Skyscrapers Using... Legos!!Legos!! Ground Rules Just have some fun! Keep the Legos separated from those of another group! Do not put Legos in your mouth! You are a team! Everybody gets to participate so lets share! Scenario You are all engineers. The mayor of Library Town (me) has hired you and your team of engineers to build the town a skyscraper! You have already spent all the money the town gave you on the materials in front of you. With your team, build the tallest, but also the safest, skyscraper you can! *Note: This town experiences earthquakes at least 5 times a year. STOP! Summer Challenge For each fact that you find out about engineers and/or engineering this summer (that you can prove), your name will be entered into the grand prize drawing at the end of the summer. I will accept up to 5 facts. Next Week?!? Bubble to the Top!!! You will be given a small loaf of bread to take home. The ingredients: Enriched White Flour Milk Shortening Sugar Salt Yeast Some facts about engineers The practical application of science to commerce or industry Engineers apply scientific and mathematic knowledge to create solutions for various technical problems. Engineers and scientists are slightly different, with engineers focusing more on the application of science. They are often seen as the link from scientific discoveries to their application in the real world. Important subjects related to engineering include physics, chemistry, biology, algebra, calculus and English. Engineers are typically in demand and receive good salaries. Engineers usually specialize in one or more disciplines of engineering. Different disciplines of engineering include chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. These disciplines can be further broken down into even more specialist roles such as molecular engineering and structural engineering. As an engineer you may work on the production of products, the building of structures, the design of computer systems, the manufacturing of vehicles and other roles. When building structures, materials, systems and machines, it is important for engineers to be practical with regards to safety and cost. Engineers can be in charge of large projects that rely on safety and reliability. Engineering societies often have codes of practice and ethics put in place that help maintain good practices and work of a high quality among engineers. The word engineer comes from Latin words meaning devise and cleverness.