Group Leader Discussion Sheet

Instructions: Have your group read a case study about a girl who used the steps of the engineering design process
to solve a problem at her school. At each stop, lead your group in discussing what they just read. Use this sheet to
guide your discussions, while also letting your group members to ask their own questions if they want clarification.

Everyday Engineering: Using the Engineering Design Cycle to Organize a Locker

Questions for Stop 1
Ask members of your group to read to Stop 1; then ask them:
1. What stage of the engineering design process did Marisol just engage in?
Please explain your answer.

-First, Marisol takes part in the Identify and Define Problems phase of the
engineering process, as the issue we've identified is the need for more
storage space in Marisol's locker. She told herself mentally that she had to
find a solution for her locker's disarray. The key issue, then, is how she
might improve her cleaning and organizing abilities.

2. If you were Marisol and you wanted to develop a solution to this

problem, what would your next steps be? Please explain.

-If I were in Marisol's shoes, my next move would be to try to come

up with a better answer to the problem. The first thing I have to do is
figure out is the right frame of mind to use. I need to learn self-
control and get my life in order. I'm going to make a list of things I
need to get done before I can start organizing my school supplies and
putting the books where they go. So that I may progress, I intend to
educate myself further.
Questions for Stop 2
Ask members of your group to read to Stop 2; then ask them:
1. How did your recommended next steps compare to what Marisol did?

-The next stage, in our opinion, is to calculate how many wooden planks are required and shop around for
high-quality garments that can last a long time and hold a lot of weight.

2. What stages of the engineering design process did Marisol just engage in? Please explain.

-Since we realized that Marisol's problem is with the way she arranges her locker and the need for extra
space, we have moved on to the Define and Specify Problems step of the engineering process. In her mind,
she was saying, "I need to find a strategy to arrange my locker." Therefore, how she may become more
organized and make things more orderly and better is the most pressing concern.

3. What are the criteria, or positive features, that Marisol’s design must meet?

-Marisol's criterion must be less expensive, more spacious, and more organized than what is in her friend's
locker because her parents don't have enough money to buy the stuff that her friend has in her locker that
arrange it.

4. What are the constraints that limit Marisol’s design?

-Marisol has only limited resources and those are a crate her parents once used, some scrap wood from her
engineering teacher's workshop, and a repurposed basement rock from seven years ago which is not that
effective to build a table.
 5. Based on your school’s lockers, if you were to make a locker organizer of your own, what criteria
and constraints would apply to your project?

-Since I assume that I will have a medium-sized locker, I will have to get creative with how I put my
personal and school supplies. And I'll need extra funds and other assets to put that plan into action.
Questions for Stop 3
Please ask members of your group to read to Stop 3; then ask them:
1. How did your recommended next steps compare to what Marisol actually did?

-My recommended steps was actually close to what Marisol did, the difference is that, Marisol only focused
on the quality she wanted for her locker and not the quantity of the needed materials to meet her desired
outcome.

2. What stages of the engineering design process did Marisol just engage in? Please explain.

-Marisol engaged with the Specify criteria and Constraints, because she enlisted some criteria for her locker
to meet and build while constraining the budget to what she can afford.

3. Marisol and her mother decided to use a cloth organizer and a shelf in order to organize Marisol’s
locker. Do you agree with their idea or do you have any better ideas that would meet the criteria
and constraints? Please explain your answer.

-I agree with their idea, since cloth doesn't weight a lot, it could help Marisol to lessen the weight in her
locker, it also help to reduce the stress for the locker door since cloth weight less than any other items
that can be used.

4. The engineering design process often includes testing ideas. If you were Marisol, how would you test
your ideas for a cloth organizer and shelf?

-I would try the cloth organizer first to see if it would fit, so that I can remeasure and fix the cloth
organizer if it is not fitted for the locker door and I will test it if it can hold the weight I speculate it can.

5. Brainstorm some organizer ideas and share them with the group. Try to make a table similar to the
ones Marisol and her mother designed that describes the characteristics of each of the materials you
could use to build a locker organizer.
Shelf Materials Under 5$ Holds 28 pounds Fits in Locker

Box crate Yes Yes Yes

Plywood Yes Yes No

Shoe rack Yes Yes Yes

 Locker Door Under 5$ Holds 5 pounds Fits in door
Organizers
Table cloth Yes No Yes

Cardboard attached Yes Yes Yes

with pins
Papers with strings Yes No Yes

Questions for Stop 4

Ask members of your group to read to Stop 4; then ask them:
1. How did your recommendations for testing compare to what Marisol actually did?

-My recommendations are almost the same with Marisol in terms of testing compare since we also
included factors to be noted in order for us to budget and meet the standards as well.

2. What stages of the engineering design process did Marisol just engage in? Please explain.

-Marisol engaged in Optimizing process, after testing the materials she used, she found out that some
materials aren’t strong enough to support her product that’s why she came to think on a better material.

3. The engineering design process often includes optimizing, or evaluating and improving ideas for the
design. If you were Marisol, what would you do to improve the shelf and the cloth organizer?

-If I were Marisol, to improve the shelf and cloth organizer I will canvas different materials first at a
cheap cost and compare how strong they are to support the shelf and cloth organizer so that I can have a
budget for it rather than spending big amount.

Questions for Stop 5

Ask members of your group to read to Stop 5; then ask them:
1. How did your recommendations for improving the shelf and the cloth organizer compare to
what Marisol actually did?

-Our recommendations and the ideas that came from Marisol are close considering that we put
factors on choosing the materials to improve the shelf and cloth organizer.

2. What stages of the engineering design process did Marisol just engage in? Please explain.

-Communicating. After making a successful product, of course Marisol will show it to her friends because
of what she accomplished by being creative. She also helper her friends to do their own by saying her
ideas and giving tips on how to build one.

3. As a “junior engineer,” what advice would you give to Marisol in order to make her problem solving
processes better? What praise would you give to Marisol?

-Our recommendation is to learn from the experiences of other people to gain more knowledge. Keep a
sunny disposition at all times; your thoughts will determine your reality. Thinking critically would also
help Marisol think a better solution to solving problem. Marisol is a great kid, not all students have those
kind of iq which is why we adore her for her creativity because it helped her a lot.
4. Do you have any other comments or remaining questions about this case study?

-We do not have further comments or questions about this case study because it is almost perfect as it met
various steps in engineering design.

5. After reading this case study, what ideas do you have for using engineering design processes to
improve other problems at your school or in your community?

-The ideas that we learned in this case study is that, following the steps in creating an engineering
design will surely create a useful product which one can benefit of. Using these will also help us
expand our ideas creating solutions to a problem. All in all, it will help us a lot throughout our
college life since we already have ideas how we can use the engineering design process in school.

Solving Everyday Problems Using the Engineering Design Cycle Activity—Group Leader Discussion Sheet