Learn . Create . Succeed

Introducing The STEM Academy

  I was fortuante to meet with educators this week at the ACTE conference in Nashville.  What a great time to be in technology and engineering education with the importance of making math and science relevant for all students.  That is why I wanted to take a few minutes to talk about our latest partnership with the STEM Academy www.stem101.org .     The STEM academy is an applied for US national not-for-profit 501 c3 status education program featuring curriculum for middle school and high school students.  The STEM Academy's education program develops a technology and engineering pipeline and qualifies for ARRA Race to the Top funds.

From my perspective as a mechanical engineer and an engineering educator, the STEM Academy offers educators and administrators a flexible, cost effective, and exciting option for their students .   The inclusion of sustainable design will empower all students to understand their influence on our environment in a global economy.

With industry partners and mentors, the STEM Academy offers students an important introduction to technology to make them competent adults with an excitement for math and science.  Some students will go on to be engineers, but more importantly, all student will have an understanding of solving problems, that is a life long skill.

Marie Planchard

The STEM Academy Overview: Download The STEM Academy

Math2Go Accelerated Curriculum

Math2Go Accelerated Curriculum applies science and mathematics concepts to designing a race car. With 10th scale RC Cars, students maximize performance and drive farther, faster, and all while exploring concepts in physics. The Upside Down Wings  exercise takes  a student through the design and analysis of a spoiler on a car, creating a downward force. Three iterative  activities guide the student  through design and optimization. Contributed by Ten80Education.

Sample Parts:

Download m2g_accel_platechallenge.zip

Polygons with SolidWorks

  This exercise will assist students in visualizing and discovering how to find the formula to figure the sum of the interior angles of an n-gon.  For both algebra and geometry students for an exercise in discovery learning.  Contributed by Paul Reetz, Oregon.

Lesson Plan: SolidWorks-geometry-Lesson.DOC

Sample Parts: Download Polygons.zip

Extrusions and Extuded Cuts

This lesson examines the extrusion of a cube then removes the material from each side using different geometrical shapes.  Applications in basic math, algebra and drafting.  Contributed by Gary Mills.

Lesson Plan: solidworksextrusion_hatc2.doc

Sample Parts: Cube1.SLDPRT ; Cube2.SLDPRT   

Boe Bot Base

This lesson develops the procedure to create a mounting plate for the robot kit, Boe bot.  Applies formulas for area of a rectangle and surface area.  Contributed by Michael Garland.

Lesson Plan:   Boe_bot

Sample Drawing: boebot_base  (1.5Mbytes)

Lesson Plan: Parabola from Algebra to Calculus

This lesson develops two examples with a parabola. The first example explores graphing a parabola from an equation, finding the area bounded by the x axis, center of mass, and volume of a solid in revolution about a line parallel to the x-axis. Understanding a parabola in algebra can lead to success in Calculus and Calculus based science classes such as physics, engineering mechanics and dynamics. The second examples bounds the parabola by both the x and y axis, explores the centroid and volume in revolution.

Lesson Plan: Parabola_From_Algebra_to_Calculus

Sample Parts: Parabola_Solid_in_Revolution   

Sample Parts:Centroid_Solid_in_Revolution

Video:Parabola_in_Revolution.wmv (4.3Mbytes)

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Lesson Plan: Overview of Course & Technology Tools

This lesson provides an overview to the SolidWorks - STEM online course. The course supports teachers developing their 3D skills in SolidWorks while applying theoretical concepts in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum. Basic math, algebra, geometry, trigonometry and calculus based exercises explore concepts in life science, chemistry, physics and engineering principles. 

Once you complete your lessons and the elearning tutorials, submit a lesson of your own to the SolidWorks-STEM community.  Download the SolidWorks-Lesson-Template.doc and email the completed lesson to SolidWorks STEM Coordinator, cmorse2@solidworks.com.

Lesson Plan:   SolidWorks_Lesson_Overview

Instructions_for_the_Solidworks_Stem_Course.

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Lesson Plan: Surface Area

This lesson develops the total surface area of a cylinder. Total surface area is calculated by added the quantities, lateral surface area, the area of the top circle and the area of the bottom circle. Total surface area sums all surfaces of a 3D model.  Algebraic factoring is illustrated simplify the equation. Work with variables h and r and the coefficiant PI.

Lesson Plan: SolidWorks_Lesson_Surface_Area 

Sample Parts:  Cylinder

Video: Cylinder-SurfaceArea.wmv (1.8Mb)

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