Culminating Experience
Purpose: Students will be able to exhibit an overall knowledge of
the use of plastics in a practical sense based on the knowledge gained in this
module.
Standards: Technology and Engineering: The sections enumerated below as 1.1, 2.4
and 7.1 refer to the sections in the Massachusetts Science and
Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework published by the Massachusetts
Department of Education, May 2001.
1.1: Identify and explain the steps of the engineering
design process, i.e.: identify the problem, research the problem, develop
possible solutions, select the best possible solution, construct a prototype,
test and evaluate, communicate the solution, and redesign.
2.4: Identify and explain the engineering properties of
material used in structures, e.g. elasticity, plasticity, thermal conductivity,
and density.
7.1: Explain the manufacturing process of casting and
molding, forming, separating, conditioning, assembling and finishing.
Platforms: These
should be teacher driven based on the needs/interests of the students involved.
Ideas:
1. Science Fair format
2. Class Project
3. Individual/small group project
4. Community science fair
5. Collaboration with an adult/industry mentor
Culminating Experience Assessment Rubric
|
Scale |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Development |
Research thoroughly developed with purpose |
Well-developed Research with purpose |
Research incomplete and purpose unclear |
Poor/little Research No clear goals/ purpose |
|
Content |
Clear objectives Topic covered Coherently with at Least 3 facts And/or applications |
Clear objectives With slight gaps in coverage, two facts/applications |
Objectives Unclear/gaps One fact/application |
No apparent Objective and Little content |
|
Focus |
Issue/usage Clearly defined |
A valid issue with Some focus |
A valid issue |
Unfocused and/or Invalid issue |
|
Science/ Plastics |
Demonstrates Clear understanding Of science relationships to
topic |
Demonstrates Understanding Of some relationships |
Demonstrates Knowledge of a relationship but
not making clear connections |
No understanding Science/ Plastics connections very
limited |
|
Technology |
Effective use of Tools and industrial/ practical
usage for topic |
Sufficient use of technology and
industrial/practical usage |
Insufficient use of technology
tools |
Lack of technology usage |
|
Presentation |
Created prototype or visual to
portray practical usage |
Demonstrates suitable Visual to show Practical usage |
Insufficient usage Of visuals to portray Practical usage |
No visual aides |
|
Deliverance Written/oral |
Effective/clear oral and Correct grammar written format great sense of audience |
Clear oral but written Needs grammatical Work(vice-versa) Attention to audience Knowledge of interest |
Oral/written not completely
clear/ Language errors |
Weak sense of audience Many language errors |
The
student or group of students is to choose a topic of interest to him regarding
the usages of plastics in today’s world.
They are to research several topics and choose one they have the
greatest information and interest on.
Once the student has decided upon a topic an outline must be submitted
for approval by the teacher. Then they
are to design the best course of action for submittal by referring to the
rubric requirements.
The
student will then begin by establishing parameters for their research. They will seek out industrial help when
necessary, mentor an adult, visit sites, interview people or groups involved in
order to gain as much practical and background information as possible. Then they will formulate a hypothesis about
their topic, test this hypothesis using the tools available and reach a
conclusion. The end product should
demonstrate and exceptional knowledge between plastics in the world, their
usages and the manufacturing processes they can undergo.
The student will be required to
present both an oral and written project to culminate this unit on
Plastics. They will be graded in
accordance to the attached rubric.