Lesson 71 of 84 · Waves
Experiment⭐ 30 XPThe Engineering Design Process (Part 4)
The Engineering Design Process (Part 4).
🎯 Your mission
Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.
⚡ The twist
Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.
Mind = Blown
🔬 The more you look, the more nature shows you.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.
What You'll Learn
Engineers use the design process to solve problems: identify the problem, research, brainstorm solutions, build a prototype, test it, evaluate results, and improve the design.
Key Words
- data
- observation
- experiment
Materials Needed
- pennies
- plastic wrap
- cardboard
- tape
- scissors
- straws
Safety First
- Do not look directly at the sun or bright lights.
- Clean up spills immediately to prevent slipping.
Steps
Study the diagram and label the parts you recognize.
Create a solar oven from a pizza box lined with foil. Measure the temperature inside on a sunny day. Try melting chocolate or cheese.
Draw a detailed diagram of what you observe.
Write a conclusion: what did your results show? Did they match your prediction?
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What is the first step of the engineering design process?
Where you see this in real life
This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Try one experiment in real life this week — even a tiny one.
For the dinner table
“What's the most surprising thing you learned today?”
Next Smart Experiment
We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.
Share this experiment
Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
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