Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Activity 5: Slow Down, Curves Ahead, David Hernandez, Peg Steffen

Theme 2: Around Town

Highway curves are banked so the outside edge of the roadway is elevated above the inside edge. This provides additional centripetal force to keep the car on the road and following the proper path. The faster a car is moving, the more banking it will need.

Activity 3: Warning!, Elizabeth Martinez

Theme 5: Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

More factors than previously mentioned must be considered in the design of an animal crossing structure, such as temperature, precipitation, vehicle traffic, noise, and vehicle exhaust. Consideration of these environmental factors and events will require modifications to the original design. This is a common practice in engineering. The original design might go through several revisions as modeling, testing, and experience reveal the need for modifications.

Actividad 4: Prueba De Las Cubiertas De Hormigón Fabricadas Por Los Estudiantes, Patrick Young

Tema 1: Estructura y proceso

Cuando una viga estructural se carga desde arriba, la fuerza crea compresión en la superficie superior y tensión en la superficie inferior. El hormigón puede soportar la compresión diez veces más que la tensión. Como el hormigón tiene menos capacidad para soportar la tensión, el refuerzo de acero es más importante en la parte inferior.

En esta actividad, los estudiantes realizarán una prueba de carga en 3 puntos para ver cuánto peso pueden soportar sus losas.

Actividad 3: Curva Pronunciada, Patrick Young

Tema 2: Por la ciudad

La forma de una curva afecta la facilidad con la que un automóvil puede circular con seguridad por ella. Las colisiones son más probables cuando la curva es demasiado cerrada. La curva debe ser suave, la transición entre los tramos rectos y curvos de la carretera también deben ser suaves.

En la imagen anterior, el automóvil experimenta una fuerza (llamada “fuerza centrípeta”) que lo empuja hacia el centro del círculo. Se trata de una fuerza de fricción proporcionada por la carretera que actúa sobre los neumáticos. Cuanto más cerrada es la curva, más fricción se necesita para mantenerse en la …

Activity 1: Build It Strong!, Patrick Young

Theme 1: Structure and Process

Materials like concrete and steel are important components of highway construction, but so are management tools such as planning and scheduling. This theme, Structure and Process, attempts to integrate these components using the construction of a highway overpass as an example. Activities should be done in the order presented. The concrete made in Activity 1 will need two days to cure before being tested in Activity 4.

Activity 1: Adela Valley Highway, Patrick Young, David Hernandez

Theme 2: Around Town

If you ask a longtime resident of your neighborhood what the town was like 30 or 40 years ago, they will tell you that there were a lot of empty spaces or fields. Ask them if they are happy with the numerous homes, businesses, roads, and industries that now exist. They may say that they lost part of their community. At the same time, they gained jobs, property value, and infrastructure improvements.

Whether to build more roads through a town is not an easy decision. There has to be a clear implementation plan, local or state funding, city code agreement, …

Activity 2: Cost Analysis, Patrick Young, David Hernandez

Theme 2: Around Town

The unit cost of highway construction varies tremendously, but state departments of transportation often publish estimates. For this activity, we assume that a four-lane divided highway will cost $5 million per mile across flat farmland.

Activity 3: Navigation, Patrick Young, David Hernandez

Theme 2: Around Town

Highways of the future will be more than ribbons of concrete and asphalt. They will have an information infrastructure that includes sensors, computers, and wireless connection with the computers in every moving vehicle. In the same way that people are connected by the internet, vehicles will be connected with each other through the highway’s network. This will enable drivers using navigation software to get real-time updates and suggestions. It will also increase the safety and efficiency of driverless vehicles.

In this activity, students will use mathematics to examine the types of calculations that navigational computers use to redirect drivers to …

Activity 2: Anger Management, David Hernandez, Peg Steffen

Theme 3: Traffic Management

Road rage is anger caused by inconveniences, incidents, or irresponsibility while driving. It can result in yelling, honking, tailgating, weaving, and blocking traffic. Road rage fatalities are increasing but there are strategies to help lessen road rage. These include overhead signs warning of upcoming traffic, weather, and car or truck incidents. Traffic and travel apps, which offer various route suggestions, travel times, and road hazards, may help as well. This activity will examine personal behaviors that drivers should exhibit to reduce road rage and then asks students to consider strategies to reduce this growing issue.

Activity 4: Information Board, David Hernandez, Peg Steffen

Theme 3: Traffic Management

In 1969, the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) began collecting data about Americans’ travel habits. During the survey period, each household was sent a travel diary and asked to report all travel by household members on a randomly assigned “travel day”. Data were weighted to correctly reflect the day of week and month of travel to allow comparisons of weekdays or seasons. The type of transportation used, length and distance of trips and the purpose of travel are some examples of data gathered through the surveys. Organizations such as insurance companies, transportation agencies, and the government analyze and use the …

Activity 2: A Little Bit Salty, Karen Ye

Theme 4: Please Pass the Salt

Density is defined as the amount of mass that takes up a certain amount of volume. Adding salt or sugar to water increases its density since there are more particles (mass) packed into a similar amount of space (volume). Cooling water can also increase its density since the particles move more slowly at lower temperatures and will be more packed together. When two substances with different densities are combined, the one with a lower density will float whereas the one with a higher density will sink. The greater the difference in density, the more distinct the layers and the harder …

Activity 1: A Day In The Life, Patrick Young

Theme 5: Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

All highways run through animal habitats. Fencing highways can provide drivers some protection from animal-related accidents, but they fragment the habitat, causing problems for wildlife. In this activity, students learn some of the reasons that animals will attempt to cross highways.

Activity 2: Just Passing Through, Elizabeth Martinez

Theme 5: Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

Animal passages for wildlife are becoming more prevalent. Their purpose is to provide a safe path for animals to cross man-made barriers, in this case roadways. Fish ladders, patented in 1837, are an early example of this type of intervention. In addition, passages provide animal access to resources on the other side of the barrier. Crossings help to connect habitats to avoid habitat fragmentation, which can restrict the gene pool resulting in lower and more at-risk populations, as well as potential extinction. Vehicle and wildlife collisions account for many injuries and deaths for humans and other animals, property damage, and …

E2: Equity And Excellence Framework, Adrienne Coleman, Traci Ellis

Publications & Research

Both the United States and the United Nations have identified, examined, and put out a call to action to address the educational inequities that have disproportionately and negatively affected racially minoritized students, as well as those from a lower socioeconomic background, and poorer countries. Data from the Nations Report Card and the Global Monitoring Report provide evidence of disparities in academic performance and access to equitable educational resources. The outcome of these inequities impacts countries throughout the world, as their residents will not possess the skills and knowledge to thrive in a rapidly evolving global society, nor possess the critical …

Ftc Titans #17576 Engineering Portfolio, Gautham Anne '23, Michael Meng '25, Ebba Kaulas '24, Jayant Kumar '23, Neev Patel '25, Ankit Walishetti '25, Shawn Crimmins '24

Distinguished Student Work

IMSA's FTC Robotics Team, the FTC TITANS, was recently recognized at an educational STEM conference presenting to the student body of Orrington Elementary and invited to present at professional meetings for Molex and Caterpillar/Trimble Connectivity to spread robotics to almost 100 engineers and STEM professionals, both at the student and professional levels.

We have used STEM education and robotics to inspire over 6300 people across the globe. The team was recently awarded the 1st Place Connect Award for professional outreach and 2nd Place Inspire (Championship) Award and is excited to be competing at the State Competition.

Actividad 3: ¡Advertencia!, Patrick Young

Tema 5: ¿Por qué la gallina cruzó la calle?

En un ciclo de ingeniería y diseño se producen múltiples repeticiones de diseño. Esto es así desde el inicio de la idea hasta la instalación de una estructura de paso para animales. En el diseño hay que tener en cuenta más factores que los mencionados anteriormente, como la temperatura, las precipitaciones, el tráfico de vehículos, el ruido y los gases de escape de los vehículos.

Actividad 3: ¡Construye Rápido!, Patrick Young

Tema 1: Estructura y proceso

Uno de los costos de cualquier proyecto de carretera es el impacto económico de desviar el tráfico durante la construcción. Los métodos que minimizan las interrupciones reducen costos y suelen mejorar la seguridad. Los métodos de construcción acelerada de puentes (ABC, por sus siglas en inglés) incluyen la prefabricación de la mayor parte posible del puente fuera del lugar de la obra. Las piezas grandes se llevan al lugar y se instalan según un plan que minimiza el tiempo necesario para desviar el tráfico.

Activity 4: Testing Student-Made Concrete Decks, Patrick Young

Theme 1: Structure and Process

When a structural beam is loaded from above, the force creates compression on the upper surface and tension on the lower surface. Concrete can withstand ten times as much compression as it can tension. Since concrete is much less capable of supporting tension, it is along the bottom that steel reinforcement is most important.

Activity 3: Traffic Management, David Hernandez, Peg Steffen

Theme 3: Traffic Management

Traffic management in busy urban areas is an extremely complex problem. Issues such as traffic congestion from home to work, suburban growth, preservation of scenic landscapes and historic neighborhoods, and the ability to walk, bike, and access public transit make traffic management a challenge. Traffic Management can include lane closures, detours, pedestrian access, and speed limits. It also includes intersections engineered for safe passage of vehicles in a stream of traffic that must cross each other's paths. Complicating factors for intersections include bikes, pedestrians, and emergency vehicles.

Activity 3: Rooting For You, Karen Ye

Theme 4: Please Pass the Salt

Snow and ice removal are needed in winter for safe roads. Salt is very effective along with other chemicals, but these may cause harm to plants, wildlife, and humans. Salt seeps into groundwater and may create problems with water resources. High levels of salt affects the amount of oxygen in water, organism growth, reproduction, and food sources. Whether the chemicals cause harm to an organism depends on the amount of chemicals and how long the organism is exposed to them. Salt can also reduce soil minerals and absorb water that plants need. Other impacts on plants include leaf damage, stunted …

Activity 1: Cooler Than Me, Karen Ye

Theme 4: Please Pass the Salt

All matter is made up of atoms and molecules. Even though we can’t see them with our bare eyes, these tiny particles are constantly moving. The temperature of a substance is a measure of its average kinetic energy (the energy it has due to the motion of the particles). As the temperature increases, particles gain more energy, move more quickly and spread further apart.

No matter where one lives in Illinois, you are impacted by winter weather. Deicing and snow removal account for a large portion of state and local highway budgets. Salt is commonly used for melting snow and …

Actividad 3: Ayudándote A Crecer, Patrick Young

Tema 4: Por favor, pásame la sal

Es necesario quitar la nieve y el hielo en invierno para que las carreteras sean seguras. La sal, junto con otros productos químicos, es muy eficaz para hacerlo, pero estos pueden ocasionarle daño las plantas, a la vida silvestre y a los seres humanos. La sal se filtra al agua subterránea y puede ocasionar problemas con los suministros de agua. Los niveles elevados de sal afectan la cantidad de oxígeno en el agua, el crecimiento de los organismos, la reproducción y las fuentes de alimentos. La posibilidad de que las sustancias químicas le ocasionen daño a un organismo depende de …

Actividad 4: Consejo De Información, Patrick Young

Tema 3: Tráfico

En 1969, la Encuesta Nacional Sobre los Viajes de las Familias (NHTS, por sus siglas en inglés) comenzó a recopilar información sobre los hábitos de viaje de los estadounidenses. El tipo de transporte utilizado, la duración, la distancia y el propósito del viaje son algunos ejemplos de información recopilada a través de las encuestas. Organizaciones como compañías de seguros y de automóviles, agencias de transporte y el gobierno analizan y utilizan la información para tomar decisiones.

Actividad 4: Invierno Ecológico, Patrick Young

Tema 4: Por favor, pásame la sal

Además de la sal, existen otros materiales que se utilizan para mitigar los peligros del hielo y aumentar la tracción. Estos materiales adicionales incluyen arena, cloruro de calcio y una mezcla de salmuera y jugo de remolacha. El uso de cada método conlleva contrapartidas.

Actividad 1: Crear Una Criatura, Patrick Young

Tema 5: ¿Por qué la gallina cruzó la calle?

La fauna salvaje representa un peligro para los conductores. Los animales implicados en los accidentes de carretera tienen una gran variedad de formas, tamaños, métodos de locomoción, tolerancia al ruido y patrones de migración, así como necesidades de comida, agua y espacio.

Actividad 2: Un Poco De Sal: Folleto Para El Estudiante, Patrick Young

Tema 4: Por favor, pásame la sal

La densidad se define como la cantidad de masa que ocupa una cierta cantidad de volumen. Agregar sal o azúcar al agua aumenta su densidad, ya que hay más partículas (masa) empaquetadas en una cantidad similar de espacio (volumen). El agua de enfriamiento también puede aumentar su densidad, ya que las partículas se mueven más lentamente a temperaturas más bajas y estarán más empaquetadas. Cuando se combinan dos sustancias con diferentes densidades, la de menor densidad flotará mientras que la de mayor densidad se hundirá. Cuanto mayor sea la diferencia de densidad, más distintas serán las capas y más difícil …

Actividad 2: Control De La Ira, Patrick Young

Tema 3: Tráfico

La furia al volante suele ser el resultado de una ira explosiva causada por inconvenientes, incidentes e irresponsabilidad mientras se conduce. En su mayor parte, la furia al volante genera gritos, bocinazos, pegarse al coche de adelante, zigzaguear y bloquear el tráfico. Sin embargo, las muertes por furia al volante están aumentando. Existen estrategias para ayudar a disminuir la furia al volante. Los carteles aéreos advierten sobre el tráfico, el clima y los incidentes de coches o camiones que se avecinan. Las aplicaciones de tráfico y viaje, que ofrecen varias sugerencias de rutas, tiempos de viaje y peligros en la …

Actividad 3: Red De Semáforos, Patrick Young

Tema 3: Tráfico

La organización del tráfico en las zonas urbanas congestionadas es un problema extremadamente complejo. Uno de los desafíos fundamentales tiene lugar en las intersecciones en las que los vehículos de un flujo de tráfico deben cruzarse entre sí. Los factores que complican la situación incluyen bicicletas, peatones y vehículos de emergencia.

Una de las formas más comunes de controlar el derecho de paso en las intersecciones es el semáforo. Es más barato que construir numerosas rampas y pasos elevados, pero restringe el flujo de tráfico básicamente a una dirección a la vez. Un sistema de control activo es útil para …

Actividad 1: Romper El Embotellamiento, Patrick Young

Tema 3: Tráfico

Los modelos informáticos pueden ser excelentes herramientas para analizar sistemas complejos. En esta actividad, los estudiantes utilizarán un modelo informático basado en la web para explorar la relación entre el volumen de tráfico y el tiempo que tardan los vehículos en llegar del punto A al punto B. Luego, utilizarán el modelo para evaluar dos posibles soluciones para su ejemplo particular de congestión del tráfico. Los estudiantes compararán muestras pequeñas con muestras globales para así apreciar los beneficios de utilizar muestras aleatorias grandes.

Activity 3: Build It Fast!, Patrick Young

Theme 1: Structure and Process

One of the costs of any road project is the economic impact of rerouting traffic during the construction. Methods that minimize the disruption will reduce costs and often improve safety. Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) methods include prefabricating as much of the bridge as possible at an off-site location. Large parts are brought to the site and installed according to a plan that minimizes the time required to reroute traffic.