This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Malignant gliomas are the most common and the deadliest type of tumor affecting the central nervous system. Even after surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, gliomas can still have a poor prognosis. But growing evidence is pointing to one promising target for fighting glioma. Exosomes are tiny sacs of cellular matter implicated in numerous cell processes. including signaling and communication and glioma progression. miRNAs are among the most important glioma-related payloads shuttled between cells by exosomes. In addition to increasing the risk of developing glioma. miRNAs can confer chemotherapy drug resistance from one cell to another or they can even help inhibit glioma tumor growth. Researchers are discovering that exosomal proteins may play similar roles. Understanding how exosomes operate and how they might be manipulated. could help researchers and clinicians deliver more powerful anti-cancer therapies to patients with glioma..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multifunctional cells with the ability to reduce inflammation and repair tissue when injected directly. But MSC use is controversial, especially in patients with cancer or in cancer remission, as MSCs can release growth factors that can promote tumor growth. Fortunately, new research is showing that certain MSC contents can exert targeted beneficial effects without these drawbacks, most notably, microRNAs packaged inside exosomes. These loaded exosomes can accumulate at sites of tissue damage, and many studies suggest that MSC exosomes can be applied to cancer therapy, gene therapy, drug delivery, regenerative medicine, and other biomedical applications. Further research could reveal new and more effective ways of packaging and transferring exosomes from MSCs to recipient cells, and thereby lead to new methods of treating and monitoring various diseases..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This unit will explore the concepts of bias and confirmation bias and how they affect people's presentation and interpretation of data. It includes 5 days of lessons and independent work that culminate in students being able to show what bias and confirmation bias are and how they affect the way we interpret data.

Students conduct an experiment to study the acceleration of a mobile Android device. During the experiment, they run an application created with MIT's App Inventor that monitors linear acceleration in one-dimension. Students use an acceleration vs. time equation to construct an approximate velocity vs. time graph. Students will understand the relationship between the object's mass and acceleration and how that relates to the force applied to the object, which is Newton's second law of motion.

In this activity, students will explore two given websites to gather information on Bone Mineral Density and how it is measured. They will also learn about X-rays in general, how they work and their different uses, along with other imaging modalities. They will answer guiding questions as they explore the websites and take a short quiz after to test the knowledge they gained while reading the articles.

Students observe multiple examples of capillary action. First they observe the shape of a glass-water meniscus and explain its shape in terms of the adhesive attraction of the water to the glass. Then they study capillary tubes and observe water climbing due to capillary action in the glass tubes. Finally, students experience a real-world application of capillary action by designing and using "capillary siphons" to filter water.

Students learn about energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, and energy transfer through a series of three lessons and three activities. They learn that energy can be neither created nor destroyed and that relationships exist between a moving object's mass and velocity. The associated activities give students hands-on experience with examples of potential-to-kinetic energy transfers. The activities also provide ways for students to apply the core concepts of energy through engineering practices such as building and testing prototypes to meet design criteria, planning and carrying out investigations, collecting and interpreting data, optimizing a system design, and collaborating with other research groups. The fundamental concepts presented in this unit serve as a good foundation for future lessons on energy technologies and electricity production.

Students are introduced to the concept of energy conversion, and how energy transfers from one form, place or object to another. They learn that energy transfers can take the form of force, electricity, light, heat and sound and are never without some energy "loss" during the process. Two real-world examples of engineered systems light bulbs and cars are examined in light of the law of conservation of energy to gain an understanding of their energy conversions and inefficiencies/losses. Students' eyes are opened to the examples of energy transfer going on around them every day. Includes two simple teacher demos using a tennis ball and ball bearings. A PowerPoint(TM) presentation and quizzes are provided.

Students learn about kinetic and potential energy, including various types of potential energy: chemical, gravitational, elastic and thermal energy. They identify everyday examples of these energy types, as well as the mechanism of corresponding energy transfers. They learn that energy can be neither created nor destroyed and that relationships exist between a moving object's mass and velocity. Further, the concept that energy can be neither created nor destroyed is reinforced, as students see the pervasiveness of energy transfer among its many different forms. A PowerPoint(TM) presentation and post-quiz are provided.

Students are introduced to the definition of energy and the concepts of kinetic energy, potential energy, and energy transfer. This lesson is a broad overview of concepts that are taught in more detail in subsequent lessons and activities in this curricular unit. A PowerPoint(TM) presentation and pre/post quizzes are provided.

Date of this Version
2019

Document Type
Portfolio

Citation
Corey, Samantha and Stephen Yaghmour. “Exploring Engineering.” After school club lesson plans. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2019.

Comments
Copyright 2019 by Samantha Corey and Stephen Yaghmour under Creative Commons Non-Commercial License. Individuals and organizations may copy, reproduce, distribute, and perform this work and alter or remix this work for non-commercial purposes only.

Abstract
Exploring Engineering Club provides an introduction to a variety of engineering problems and piques the students’ interest in engineering by accompanying the information with hands-on problem solving activities mainly related to structural engineering. The activities will often be done in teams which will teach good teamwork skills, as well as problem solving and critical thinking.

Math manipulatives are physical objects that help students to understand abstract mathematical concepts by providing a tangible representation of those concepts. By using math manipulatives, students can visualize mathematical concepts and develop a deeper understanding of them. As a teacher, it is important to have a variety of math manipulatives at your disposal to make your lessons more engaging and effective. In this professional learning activity, we will explore various math manipulatives that can be used to enhance elementary math lessons.

This lesson allows students to construct solar system models showing the comparative sizes of the planets to a scale. The students will also use their models to carry out an investigation to analyze and interpret the distances between planets in the Solar System. This lesson uses common objects easily obtained by teachers. This lesson was created as part of the 2016 NASA STEM Standards of Practice Project, a collaboration between the Alabama State Department of Education and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.

Students explore the methods engineers have devised for harnessing sunlight to generate power. First, they investigate heat transfer and heat storage through the construction, testing and use of a solar oven. With a lesson focused on photovoltaic cells, students learn the concepts of energy conversion, conservation of energy, current and voltage. By constructing model solar powered cars, students see these conceptual ideas manifested in modern technology. Furthermore, the solar car project provides opportunities to explore a number of other topics, such as gear ratios and simple mechanics. Both of these design and construction projects are examples of engineering design.

Students will review their knowledge of tension and focus on tensile loads and failure caused by them.

Students learn the basics of the electromagnetic spectrum and how various types of electromagnetic waves are related in terms of wavelength and energy. In addition, they are introduced to the various types of waves that make up the electromagnetic spectrum including, radio waves, ultraviolet waves, visible light and infrared waves. These topics help inform students before they turn to designing solutions to an overarching engineering challenge question.

Students test and observe the "self-cleaning" lotus effect using a lotus leaf and cloth treated with a synthetic lotus-like superhydrophobic coating. They also observe the Wenzel and Cassie Baxter wetting states by creating and manipulating condensation droplets on the leaf surface. They consider the real-life engineering applications for these amazing water-repellent and self-cleaning properties.

This is an instructional task meant to generate a conversation around the meaning of negative integer exponents. While it may be unfamiliar to some students, it is good for them to learn the convention that negative time is simply any time before t=0.

Species extinction is happening at an alarming rate according to scientists. In this lesson, students are asked to consider why extinction is a problem that we should concern us. They are taught that destruction of habitat is the main reason many species are threatened. The lesson explores ways that engineers can help save endangered species.