Overview

Students will assume the roles of both scientists and engineers to solve a societal problem (define a problem, research possible solutions, perform scientific experiments, analyze the data collected, and present their findings to their class). Students will collect bacteria from shopping cart handles and develop a method for sanitizing them. Along the way student will experience how an engineer might solve the problem.

Learning Activities:

Lesson 1: Collecting the Gook
Lesson 2: When Will I Ever Use Math?

Lesson 3: Engineering a Solution

Lesson 4: Destroying Microbes – Should we? Can we?

Lesson 5: What's Growing on Our Culture Plates?

Pre-Assessment:

Post-Assessment:

Credits and References:

Warlick, David. Citation Machine. 29 Oct. 2000. Landmarks. 19 Jul. 2005 <http://www.citationmachine.net>.
Microban International, Ltd.. 2005. Microban. 11 Aug. 2005 <http://www.microban.com/americas/?lang=en>.
Agion Technologies, Inc.. 2004. Agion Technologies, Inc.. 11 Aug. 2005 <http://www.agion-tech.com/Default.asp>.
Microbe Zoo. 1999. Comm Tech Lab and the Center for Microbial Ecology at Michigan State University. 11 Aug. 2005 <http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/dlc-me/zoo/index.html>.
"Intimate Strangers Unseen Life on Earth." 1999. Oregon Public Broadcasting. 11 Aug. 2005 <http://www.pbs.org/opb/intimatestrangers/index.html>.
National Engineers Week. 2005. National Engineers Week Foundation . 11 Aug. 2005 <http://www.eweek.org/site/Engineers/theengineers/index.shtml>.
RSPB Science. 2004. RSPB Science. 11 Aug. 2005 <http://www.rspb.org.uk/science/conferences/wind.asp>.