ENGINEER IT!: January 31 - September 7, 2009
ENGINEER IT! is a 5,000 square-foot exhibit that explores the fun and creative sides of engineering, allowing visitors of all ages to design boats, buildings, bridges, windmills, airplanes and more, and then test their performance in wind tunnels, earthquake simulators, and water tanks. In addition, visitors experiment with gears and pulleys, operate a jib crane, and learn about careers in engineering through
video presentations.
ENGINEER IT! is a highly interactive, entertaining and educational exhibit that presents science as an open-ended discovery process by utilizing a wide variety of adaptable components and multiple-outcome-based activities. There is never a right or wrong answer—visitors are free to set their own challenges and design and test devices of their own creation to meet those challenges. Creativity, experimentation and problem solving are promoted within ENGINEER IT!
There are three major testing areas in ENGINEER IT! that provide opportunities for visitors to investigate the design and engineering process: Water, Structures
and Wind.
Water Area
Visitors experiment with buoyancy and propulsion in three huge water tanks and design boats for specific functions. Each water tank features a different activity.
Learn more…
Structures Area
Here future designers learn how to construct buildings that can withstand the
powerful forces of a simulated earthquake. The area consists of a large walk-on earthquake platform and electric shake tables that simulate earthquake conditions, plus free-standing bridge and arch building interactives, and basic activities using a cargo
crane, gears, and pulleys. Learn more…
Wind Area
Visitors explore aerodynamic qualities in a large walk-in wind tunnel and by testing their paper airplanes and windmill designs in two other small wind tunnels. Learn more…
Video Kiosk
In addition to the three testing areas, ENGINEER IT! incorporates videos to encourage children to consider engineering as a career choice. At the kiosk, visitors view young people involved in classroom engineering discussions and hands-on engineering projects. Two videos from the PBS “Futures” series feature nationally-recognized mathematics teacher Jaime Escalante and his class while they explore the topics of architectural engineering and automotive engineering.
Links & Other Info
Events & Activities at Mid-America Science Museum
Teacher Resources
Exhibit Correlations to AR Science Frameworks K-12 (PDF file)
Teacher Resources
ENGINEER IT! Credits and Sponsorships
ENGINEER IT! was made possible through a grant from the National Science Foundation and was created and designed by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OSMI). This exhibit is locally sponsored by Yellowbook.
|
