Lesson 71 of 84 · Human Impacts on Earth
Experiment⭐ 30 XP🌿 Wild JungleThe Engineering Design Process (Part 4)
Human Impacts on Earth.
🎯 Your mission
Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.
⚡ The twist
Every species solves the same problem differently.
Mind = Blown
🌳 Trees can talk to each other through underground fungus networks.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you watch: what do you think it'll do?
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
Materials Needed
- cups
- aluminum foil
- ruler
- markers
- popsicle sticks
- pennies
Safety First
- Wash hands after handling materials.
- Be careful with scissors — ask an adult for help if needed.
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 is why plants grow toward windows and why scabs form.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Watch a plant or pet for 5 minutes today and write down what you noticed.
For the dinner table
“Tell me something you noticed about your own body 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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