This is our catalog of courses. We will occasionally adjust the course listing to reflect the addition of new courses and the retirement of others.
Based on the book by David Macaulay, this high-interest course dives into the physics of how everyday objects work – showing us how technology that seems magical is really man’s engineering working with God’s design.
Total classes: 14
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 6th to 9th grade
Suggested credit: One full semester Engineering or Applied Science
Special notes: This course starts before Labor Day (students who miss the first day can catch up by watching the class recording). This is Part One of a two-part course. Students are expected to also register for Part Two offered in the Spring semester.
Description
Using David Macaulay’s book, The Way Things Work Now, we will explore how everyday objects work. Too often the technology around us seems like magic. In this course, we will learn everything from doorknobs to sewing machines to computers!
Outline
Week 1: Mechanics of Movement / The Inclined Plane
Week 2: Levers
Week 3: Wheels, Gears, Belts
Week 4: Cams, Cranks & Pulleys
Week 5: Screws
Week 6: Rotating Wheels
Week 7: Springs and Friction
Week 8: Review for Midterm
Week 9: Floating
Week 10: Flying
Week 11: Pressure Power
Week 12: Exploiting Heat
Week 13: Nuclear Power
Week 14: Review for Final
Materials and Homework
Materials: The Way Things Work Now by David Macaulay, ISBN: 978-0544824386 (https://amzn.to/3qoQTt1 or BookFinder.com).
Homework: Each week students will be required to read a selection from the textbook, take a short 10-question quiz, and attempt to find and examine a machine in their own home that uses the principles talked about in class
Important Dates
Class dates: Fridays, August 30 to December 13, 2024 (No class Nov. 1 & Nov. 29)
Starting time: 11:30 AM Eastern (10:30 Central; 9:30 Mountain; 8:30 Pacific)
Duration: 45 minutes per class
