Introduction
1 Course Details
Tuesday 30th July or Monday 19th August
Morning LEGO MINDSTORMS® EV3 - Basic Robotics
Students have to think creatively and scientifically to use the blocks and sensors available to create a viable robot. During the robot construction they will be testing and adapting their design to meet the given brief. Participants are investigating a real world problem for which there are many possible solutions.
Students will be given a design brief and an explanation of Students will be given a design brief and an explanation of how to use the LEGO MINDSTORMS® visual programming system. They will then be given a MINDSTORMS® kit containing building materials and sensors, so they can design their robot. Once their design has been approved they will construct their robot, testing how well it works throughout the construction process, using their reflections to refine their design. Robots can be further adapted and calibrated to become more efficient and precise in their completion of the set task.
Afternoon Rocket design
Students have to think creatively and scientifically to use the materials available to create viable rockets. During construction they will be testing and adapting their design to meet the given brief. Participants are investigating a real world problem for which there are many possible solutions.
Students will be given a design brief and an explanation of what is meant by ‘aerodynamics’ and how it is used. They will then be given a list of available materials and a short period of time to design their rockets before constructing them. They will then test their designs and refine them. At the end of the session the designs will be tested by the session leader to see which have been the most successful. Rockets will be tested to see how high they can travel and how straight their flight is.
Monday 26th August
Morning Mechanical Advantage with pulleys – building a crane
Students have to think creatively and scientifically to use the materials available to create a viable crane.
During the crane construction they will be testing and adapting their design to meet the given brief.
Participants are investigating a real world problem for which there are many possible solutions.
Students will be given a design brief and an explanation of what is meant by ‘mechanical advantage’ and how it is used. They will then be given a list of available materials and a short period of time to design their crane. Once their design has been approved they will construct their crane, testing how well it works throughout the construction process, using their reflections to refine their design. Cranes can be further adapted to become more efficient and to use fewer constructions materials.
Afternoon Testing Aerodynamics
Students have to think creatively and scientifically to use the materials available to create viable parachutes, paragliders and rockets
During construction they will be testing and adapting their design to meet the given brief
Participants are investigating a real world problem for which there are many possible solutions.
Students will be given a design brief and an explanation of what is meant by ‘aerodynamics’ and how it is used. They will then be given a list of available materials and a short period of time to design their parachutes/paragliders before constructing them. They will then test their designs and refine them. At the end of the session the designs will be tested by the session leader to see which have been the most successful. Parachutes and paragliders will be tested by how slowly they return to the ground and how straight their flight is.
Tuesday 27th August
Morning Water transport
Students have to think creatively and scientifically to use the materials available to create viable watercraft
During construction they will be testing and adapting their design to meet the given brief
Participants are investigating a real world problem for which there are many possible solutions.
Students will be given a design and a short talk on designing watercraft. They will then be given a list of available materials and a short period of time to design their boats before constructing them. They will then test their designs and refine them. At the end of the session the designs will be tested by the session leader to see which have been the most successful. To be successful watercraft will have to transport the given load using an on-board propulsion system.
Afternoon Structures
Students have to think creatively and scientifically to use the materials available to create viable watercraft
During construction they will be testing and adapting their design to meet the given brief
Participants are investigating a real world problem for which there are many possible solutions.
Students will be given a design and a short talk on designing structures (towers and bridges). They will then be given a list of available materials and a short period of time to design their structures before constructing them. They will then test their designs and refine them. At the end of the session the designs will be tested by the session leader to see which have been the most successful. To be successful the structure will have to meet height/width requirements and be able to support the applied loads.
2 You will learn:
Learn about the mechanical advantage of pulleys
Learn how to design a stable, load bearing, structure
Learn about how to increase the efficiency of the crane
Learn about how shape affects how aerodynamic an object is
Learn the effects of changes in design on aerodynamic performance
Learn the effects of different materials on aerodynamic performance
Learn about how shape affects how an object floats and moves in the water
Learn how the distribution of a load affects how a water craft moves
Learn about different propulsion methods
Learn how to design a stable, load bearing, structure
Learn how the distribution of a load affects the stability of a structure
Learn how tension and compression affect the effectiveness of a structure
Others:
Learn how to work in a group
Developing designing and testing skills
Working with the constraints of a design brief
3 Tutor:
Dr Jinx St. Léger has degrees in Physics, Music, Mechanical Engineering and Education. She is a member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers and the Women’s Engineering Society. She has spent much of her career in teaching and education management, running award winning SEND and STEM departments.
After leaving her post of assistant principal of a science college in 2016 she worked as a consultant advising colleges and schools how to develop their STEM provision. She also advises on making the work environment compliant with the Equalities Act 2010.
Dr St.Léger is a qualified Teacher Status, Qualified SENDCo status, Chartered Engineer (Mech Eng)
Agenda
9:30-10:45 Introduction of project 1
10:45-11:15 Break
11:15-12:30 Design and test
12:30-13:30 Lunch
13:30-14:45 Introduction of project 2
14:45-15:15 Break
15:15-16:30 Design and test
Time
9.30am-4.30pm, 30th July/19th August, 26th August, 27th August, 2019
Location
Museum of Technology, Old Pumping Station Cheddars Lane, Cambridge, CB5 8LD
Age
8+
Price
One-day ticket: 55 pounds/person (Course of each day is relatively independent, you can choose any day);
Two-day ticket: 100 pounds/person(Course of each day is relatively independent, you can choose any two days) ;
Please bring your packed lunch
At least 12 people in each workshop. If the number is insufficient, we will cancel the registration and rearrange the course. Thank you
* photos courtesy of Cambridge LaunchPad
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