Unit Checkpoint
Learn
Congratulations on completing the Engineering Design unit! This checkpoint will help you review all the key concepts from the unit and test your understanding before moving on.
Key Concepts to Review
- The Design Process: The steps engineers follow to solve problems (identify, research, brainstorm, choose, build, test, improve)
- Building Solutions: How to create prototypes and turn ideas into working designs
- Guided Practice: Applying the design process step-by-step with real examples
- Primary Source Analysis: Reading and understanding engineering documents and data
- Claim-Evidence Writing: Communicating findings using claims, evidence, and reasoning
Important Vocabulary
- Prototype: A model or sample of a design built for testing
- Criteria: Requirements that a successful design must meet
- Constraints: Limitations on a design (time, money, materials)
- Iteration: Repeating the design process to make improvements
- Evidence: Data and observations that support a claim
Examples
Review these examples that bring together concepts from across the unit.
Complete Design Process Example
Problem: Design a container that keeps an egg from breaking when dropped from 6 feet.
Criteria: Egg must survive the drop, container must fit in a shoebox, must be reusable
Constraints: Only use recycled materials, complete in one class period
Test Results: Design 1 failed at 4 feet, Design 2 succeeded at 6 feet, Design 3 succeeded at 8 feet
Claim with Evidence: "Design 3 was the most effective because it protected the egg at the highest drop height. In testing, Design 3 kept the egg safe when dropped from 8 feet, while Design 2 only succeeded at 6 feet and Design 1 failed at 4 feet."
✏️ Practice
Test your understanding with these practice questions.
Practice Questions
0/3 correctWhat is the scientific method's first step?
A hypothesis is:
Which is a property of matter?
Check Your Understanding
Test yourself with these unit review questions. Click each question to reveal the answer.
1. List the seven steps of the engineering design process in order.
Answer: 1) Identify the problem, 2) Research, 3) Brainstorm solutions, 4) Choose the best solution, 5) Build a prototype, 6) Test and evaluate, 7) Improve the design.
2. What is the difference between criteria and constraints? Give an example of each.
Answer: Criteria are what a design must do to be successful (example: a bridge must hold at least 10 pounds). Constraints are limitations on the design (example: can only spend $20 on materials). Criteria describe goals; constraints describe limits.
3. Why is it important to test a prototype before creating a final design?
Answer: Testing reveals whether the design actually works and meets the criteria. It helps identify problems and areas for improvement before investing time and resources in a final version. Testing with a prototype is cheaper and faster than fixing a finished product.
4. A student tested a paper bridge design three times. The bridge held 5 lbs, 7 lbs, and 6 lbs. What is the average, and why is calculating an average useful?
Answer: The average is 6 pounds (5+7+6=18, divided by 3=6). Calculating an average gives a single representative number when individual trials vary. It helps make fair comparisons between different designs.
5. Write a strong claim about the following data: Cup A kept ice frozen for 2 hours, Cup B kept ice frozen for 3 hours, Cup C kept ice frozen for 1.5 hours.
Answer: "Cup B was the most effective insulator because it kept ice frozen for the longest time. In testing, Cup B maintained frozen ice for 3 hours, which was 1 hour longer than Cup A (2 hours) and 1.5 hours longer than Cup C (1.5 hours)."
6. What should an engineer do if their prototype fails during testing?
Answer: The engineer should analyze why it failed, identify what went wrong, brainstorm improvements, modify the design, and test again. Failure is a normal part of the design process and provides valuable information for making the design better.
7. Name three types of primary sources that engineers use, and explain what information each provides.
Answer: 1) Design sketches show what a design looks like and how parts fit together. 2) Test data tables show numerical results from experiments. 3) Engineering reports explain the design process, results, and conclusions in written form. Other answers include patent drawings and material specifications.
8. Why is reasoning important when writing a claim-evidence statement?
Answer: Reasoning explains the connection between the evidence and the claim. It shows your thinking and uses scientific concepts to explain WHY the evidence supports what you are claiming. Without reasoning, the reader might not understand how you reached your conclusion.
9. How is the engineering design process similar to and different from the scientific method?
Answer: Similarities: Both involve asking questions, researching, testing, analyzing data, and making improvements. Both are iterative. Differences: The scientific method focuses on answering questions about how things work, while the engineering design process focuses on solving practical problems by creating solutions.
10. A student says: "My design is better because I like it more." Explain why this is not valid engineering reasoning and suggest what they should say instead.
Answer: Personal preference is not valid engineering reasoning because it is subjective and cannot be measured or tested. Valid reasoning uses evidence from tests and connects it to the criteria. A better statement would be: "My design is more effective because it met the criteria of holding 15 pounds, while the other designs only held 10 pounds."
Next Steps
- Review any lessons where you felt unsure about the concepts
- Complete any practice problems you may have skipped
- Move on to the next unit when you feel confident with this material
- Remember: engineers learn from failure, so keep practicing!