Unit 1 Engineering & Technology

Students are finding the combination locks in school hard to use. The students are trying to find a solution that does not cost too much and that they can do right away. Which solution should they choose?

• Buy bigger and better locks online.

• Give students a list of other locks to buy.

• Have students practice using their locks in class.

• Find old locks from other schools that are easier to use.

Joel designed a tool for picking up metal screws that fall while he works on his car. The tool picks up the screws but drops them before Joel can pull them out. Which design change should he try and make?

• Make the tool heavier.

• Make the handle longer.

• Use a different type of screw on his car.

• Attach a strong magnet to the end of the tool.

Paul and Kat work together to test different kinds of popcorn salt to see which one people like the most. Which step should they take to make sure their tests are fair?

• Have one person try each batch.

• Cook each test batch in a different microwave.

• Put the same amount of salt on each test batch.

• Use different kinds of popcorn for each test batch.

Jane and Todd are making a weather vane that tells the direction of the wind. They tested three prototype designs in the same location. They recorded the direction each one was pointing in. They did this every hour for four hours. Jane and Todd compared their data to the data of a local weather station. Which question were they trying to answer?

• Which prototype is the easiest to use in the wind?

• Which prototype gives the most accurate direction?

• Which prototype moves the fastest in one direction?

• Which prototype is more resistant to extreme weather?

Deena compares four different printers for her computer. She wants it to print in color & print more than 6 pages per minute. She wants to spend less than $.13 per copy. Her research is shown in the table. Which printer should she choose?

• brand A

• brand B

• brand C

• brand D

Larry is putting together a small, wooden flower box. He needs something to hold the wood together. It must cost less than $10 and should not rust.

• Iron Nail

• Desk Screw

• Wooden Dowel

• Iron Spike

Le designed a new kind of skateboard that anyone can use. He tested the skateboard with 3 different weights , 65, 80, and 105 pounds. With 105 pounds on it, the center sagged to the grounds. What should Le's next TWO steps be?

• test again

• add bigger wheels

• sell his new skateboard design

• build the board with stronger material

Mr. Jones wants better fans in two classrooms. He can spend up to $40. He writes down information about two types of fans. Which is the best solution?

• Solution 1: Buy six of Fan B, placing three in each classroom. This will cost less than $40 and each room will get at least 1 fan.

• Solution 2: Buy one Fan A for one classroom, and buy 2 Fan B for the other classroom. This will be exactly $40 and both classrooms will be cooler. 2 fans would not be as noisy as 3 fans.

• Solution 3: Buy two of fan B, one for each classroom. This would be the cheapest option.

Farmers want to improve their farms with better technology. Which methods will help them meet this need?

• Use GPS for field mapping.

• Rent old tractors to plow fields.

• Invest in modern milking machines.

• Hire more workers to harvest crops.

• Use computers to control farm equipment.

Jane has a tree house. She wants to build a tool to pull her toys up to the tree house from the ground. Check what 2 tools could help her.

• Basket

• Saw

• Rope

• Hammer

• Boards