Junior Environmental Engineering: Thinking Green
Are you ready to get down and dirty searching for solutions to some of our biggest environmental problems? In Junior Environmental, students ponder some truly “hot” environmental issues. Students in this class save endangered animals, help plants grow and create protection from the sun’s heat. By investigating natural process like erosion, animal adaptations, and plant growth; we discover ways that we as engineers can be inspired by the world around us to take on all sorts of challenges.
*Appropriate for Grades K - 2
In the lesson, students will work as an environmental engineer to design afishing net that reduces the number of endangered sea turtles caught by commercial fishermen. In thelesson extension, students get inspired by animal characteristics and build their very own boat.
During the Thinking Green lesson, students will design a house using natural materials, showing that "thinking green" takes a lot of creative thinking and problem solving. Students will also explore the concept of camouflage and see how engineers have borrowed this animal characteristic in designs for protective clothing and gear.
For this activity, students will investigate beach erosion and create a design that willprotect their beach from eroding when exposed to water and air. In the extension, students design anirrigation canal that will transport water over land from a river to a farm.
How can we reuse materials to cut down on the trash we create? What is thedifference between reuse and recycle? These questions and more are explored during Reuse andRecycle where students brainstorm ways to reuse materials and recycle some of those materials to builda model car and recreate their favorite toy.
In Solar Power, students discuss the positive and negative effects of sun light and createa design to insulate Heat Sensitive Hypercolor thinking putty and prevent it from changing colors whenexposed to heat. In the extension, students create their very own Sun Painting print using everydayobjects further demonstrating the power of the sun.
Not every plant can grow in every environment. In Greenhouse, students explore dirtdiscovering that there are many different kinds of soil. Working as environmental engineers, studentswill design their very own functioning greenhouse and work to create the perfect soil recipe for theirplants.
At Engineering For Kids of Central Pierce, we aim to make access to our programs equally available to kids from all socioeconomic backgrounds. An Engineering For Kids of Central Pierce Scholarship provides full financial support for one child to attend a 6-week program of after school classes. Applications are first come, first served and scholarships are limited. To apply, please check the box at the top left of this field and submit to us your Notice of Eligibility for Free or Reduced-Price Meals Program letter. You will receive a response to your application within one week.
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