Adventure: Worries on the Wall
Quest: Simple Shipments
Engineering Concept: Process and Optimization
Challenge Level: Difficult
What is the problem?
Flynn is going to travel by bike to the Great Wall of China so she can deliver samples she collected from the pandas in the mountains to a scientist’s lab. Flynn needs help to find the fastest route to the Great Wall of China so she doesn’t run out of supplies during the journey. At some point, the desired route may change to accommodate changes in Flynn’s travel plans.
How will the students help?
In the first segment, Flynn will ask the participants to creatively solve the problem by planning out how they will use the household materials required to build a solution. Students are encouraged to build a prototype in this segment.
In the second segment, students will research optimization to understand how it relates to the problem Flynn is facing. They will be asked to answer open-ended research questions using research links provided by Growin’GEERS and additional research they do on their own.
In the third segment, students will rebuild their initial design based on what they learned in the second segment. They will be asked to create a new plan for how they will use their materials. Once their solution is complete, there will be a Test for Success to see if their solution passes.
What will the participants learn?
Optimization
Dijkstra’s algorithm
How industrial engineers apply those concepts
What industrial engineers do
Chinese culture
Chinese fun facts
Why teamwork is important
Why it is okay to fail
What do I need to complete the quest?
Access to a computer to watch the videos and research the concepts
Ability to print the GEERling worksheets for students to plan their design and answer the research questions
Household materials needed to complete the hands-on component
Want to get started?
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