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FoundationsofTechnology
Unit2Lesson3:DesignPrinciples
File2.3.2:MarshmallowLauncherDesignBrief

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Date:

MarshmallowLauncherDesignBrief

Background

DesignProblem

Specifications

Materials

Deliverables

Designisinfluencedbyphysicalandbiologicalconstraints,in
additiontoaestheticvalues.However,gooddesignincorporatesthe
principlesofuniversaldesignandartisticdesign.

Youwillapplyaestheticandengineering
designprinciplestodesignamarshmallow
launcher.Thelaunchermustbeabletofire
fromthreespecificpositionsforvarious
points.Eachteamwillbegivenaperiodof
30secondstowarmup,priortoa
120secondperiodtoscoreasmanypoints
aspossible.Onlytwomarshmallowscan
beusedduringanygiventestingperiod.

1. TheCourtismarkedwithaline24fromthebasket(1point),a
line42fromthebasket(2points),andaline60fromthe
basket(3points).
2. Thebackboardis12wideand7high.Therimis14highand
hasadiameterofabout4.
3. Themarshmallowlaunchermustfitwithina1x1footprint.
4. Theenergysource(rubberband)mustbeattachedtothedevice.
5. Thedesignmustbeaccessiblebyallpersons,easytouse,
flexibleinuse.

Fifteen(15)craftsticks
Four(4)woodstrips(x1/4x24)
Four(4)rubberbands
One(1)cardboardtube(1.7diameterand11lengthora
standardpapertoweltube)
Glue
1. EachstudentmustdocumenttheEngineeringDesignProcess
usingtheEngineeringDesignFolioortheirEngineeringDesign
Journal.
2. Eachteammustcreateaconceptualmodelofitsdevice.
3. Eachteamwillcreateaprototypeofitsdevice.
4. Eachteammustdeterminetheefficiencyofitsdesignby
completingtheMarshmallowLauncherEfficiencyWorksheet.

2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association

Foundations of Technology, Third Edition /

Technology, Engineering, and Design


ThefollowingrubricwillbeusedtoevaluateyourExtensionactivity:
Category
Below
Average
Excellent
Average

Universal
Design
Principles

The
principlesof
Universal
Designwere
not
incorporated
or
demonstrate
dinthe
designofthe
device.

Theprinciplesof
UniversalDeignare
evidentintheproduct
documentationand
design.Thedeviceis
easyandefficientto
operateandallowsfor
multipleuserstoeasily
operateit.

TheprinciplesofUniversal
Deignareevidentinthe
productdocumentationand
design.Thedeviceiseasy
andefficienttooperateand
allowsformultipleusersto
easilyoperateit.The
deviceissimplydesigned
andhaslittletoleranceof
error.

Define
Problem

Rephrases
theproblem
withlimited
clarity.

Developsaproblem
statementthatincludes
thewho,what,when,
andhowtheproblemwill
beaddressed.Recorded
intheEngineeringFolio
orEDJ.

Developsaproblem
statementthatisclearly
andpreciselystated.The
problemstatementincludes
thewho,what,when,and
howtheproblemwillbe
addressed.Recordedinthe
EngineeringFolioorEDJ.

Brainstorm
Possible
Solutions

Contributes
feworno
ideas.

Contributesseveralideas
whicharerecordedinthe
EngineeringFolioorEDJ.

Contributesmultiple
creativeideas.Allnotesare
recordedintheEngineering
FolioorEDJ.

Research
Ideas/
Explore
Possibilities

Contributes
ideas,but
without
documented
research.
Produces

Contributesseveral
plausibleideasand
includesdocumented
research.Produces
accurateconceptual
modelstoshowthe
designconcepts.All

Contributesseveral
plausibleideasandwith
clearlydocumented
research.Produces
accurateconceptualmodels
toshowthedesign
conceptswithannotated

2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association

Foundations of Technology, Third Edition /

Technology, Engineering, and Design

incomplete
sketches.

notesarerecordedinthe
EngineeringFolioorEDJ.

sketches.Allnotesare
recordedintheEngineering
FolioorEDJ.

Specify
Constraints
andIdentify
Criteria

Doesnot
identifythe
criteria
and/orfails
tospecify
constraints.

Clearlyidentifiesthe
criteriaandspecifiesthe
constraints.Allnotesare
recordedinthe
EngineeringFolioorEDJ.

Clearlyidentifiesthe
criteriaandspecifiesthe
constraintsastheypertain
totheprojectandtheir
suggesteddesigns.All
notesarerecordedinthe
EngineeringFolioorEDJ.

Consider
Alternative
Solutions

Inadequately
analyzesa
varietyof
possible
solutions.

Satisfactorilyanalyzesa
varietyofpossible
solutions,basedon
researchandthe
relationshipofthose
designstothecriteria
andconstraints.Allnotes
arerecordedinthe
EngineeringFolioorEDJ.

Didnotentertheresearch
phasewithapreconceived
ideaofthefinaldesign.
Satisfactorilyanalyzesa
varietyofpossible
solutions,basedon
researchandthe
relationshipofthose
designstothecriteriaand
constraints.Allnotesare
recordedintheEngineering
FolioorEDJ.

Selectan
Approach

Selectionof
solutionis
notbasedon
consideration
ofcriteria
and
constraints.

Selectsapromising
solutionbasedonthe
problemstatementas
wellasthecriteriaand
constraints.Usessome
typeofevaluation
methodtodeterminethe
finaldesign.Allnotesare
recordedinthe
EngineeringFolioorEDJ.

Selectsapromisingsolution
basedontheproblem
statement,criteria,and
constraintsaswellas
evidencecollectedthrough
research.Usessometype
ofevaluationmethodto
determinethefinaldesign.
Allnotesarerecordedin
theEngineeringFolioor
EDJ.

Developa
Written
Design
Proposal

Design
proposalis
inadequate
andlacking
pertinent
information.

Designproposalcontains
thewho,what,when,
where,andhowthe
solutionwillbedeveloped
aswellashowthe
solutionwillbeevaluated
andwhattestswillbe
conductedtodetermine
success.Includes
annotatedsketches,
notes,andtechnical
drawings.Recordedin
theEngineeringFolioor
EDJ.

Designproposaliswritten
technicallyandprecisely
andcontainsthewho,
what,when,where,and
howthesolutionwillbe
developedaswellashow
thesolutionwillbe
evaluatedandwhattests
willbeconductedto
determinesuccess.
Includesannotated
sketches,notes,and
technicaldrawings.
Recordedinthe
EngineeringFolioorEDJ.

MakeaModel
orPrototype

Themodelor
prototype

Themodelorprototypeis Themodelorprototypeis
neatlyandprecisely
neatlyandprecisely

2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association

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Technology, Engineering, and Design

meetsthe
taskcriteria
toalimited
extent.

developedtomeetthe
problemstatementand
thegivencriteriaand
constraints.Arecordof
theconstructionprocess
canbefoundinthe
EngineeringFolioorEDJ.

developedtomeetthe
problemstatementandthe
givencriteriaand
constraints.Arecordofthe
constructionprocessaswell
ashowthedesignwas
improvedduring
constructioncanbefound
intheEngineeringFolioor
EDJ.

Testand
Evaluate

Testingand
evaluation
processes
are
inadequate.

Testingandevaluation
processesareclearly
definedintheDesign
Proposalandaligntothe
problemstatement.The
datacollectedduring
evaluationcanbeusedto
improvethedesign.All
notesarerecordedinthe
EngineeringFolioorEDJ.

Testingandevaluation
processesareclearly
definedintheDesign
Proposalandaligntothe
problemstatement.The
datacollectedduring
evaluationisclearly
documentedandusedto
improvethedesign.All
notesarerecordedinthe
EngineeringFolioorEDJ.

Refine/
Improve

Refinement
basedon
testingand
evaluationis
notevident.

Refinementsweremade
fromdatacollected
duringtestingand
evaluation.Datadriven
decisionmakingisclearly
evident,andthesolution
hasimprovedbasedon
testing.Allnotesare
recordedinthe
EngineeringFolioorEDJ.

Refinementsweremade
fromdatacollectedduring
testingandevaluation.
Datadrivendecision
makingisclearlyevident
anddocumented.
Refinementstothesolution
aredocumented,andthe
solutionhasimproved
basedontesting.Allnotes
arerecordedinthe
EngineeringFolioorEDJ.

Create/
MakeProduct

Finished
solution
(product)
failstomeet
specifications
.

Finishedsolution
(product)alignstothe
designproposaland
reflectstheEngineering
DesignProcessand
includesevidenceof
refinementbasedon
testingandevaluationof
thedesign.The
process(es)usedto
createtheproductare
recordedinthe
EngineeringFolioorEDJ.

Finishedsolution(product)
alignstothedesign
proposalandreflectsthe
EngineeringDesignProcess
andincludesevidenceof
refinementbasedontesting
andevaluationofthe
design.Thesolution
(product)iswell
constructedandeasily
meetstheproblem
statement.Theprocess(es)
usedtocreatetheproduct
arerecordedinthe
EngineeringFolioorEDJ.

Communicate
Results

Solution
presented
withlimited

Solutionispresented
accuratelyandprecisely
usingtheEngineering

Solutionispresented
accuratelyandprecisely
usingtheEngineeringFolio

2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association

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Technology, Engineering, and Design

accuracy.
Limited
supporting
evidenceon
howthe
solution
meetsthe
taskcriteria.

FolioortheEDJ.The
EngineeringDesign
Processiswell
documented,with
supportingevidence.All
informationalignstohow
thesolutionmeetsthe
problemstatementas
wellasthecriteriaand
constraints.

2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association

ortheEDJ.TheEngineering
DesignProcessiswell
documented,with
supportingevidence.All
informationalignstohow
thesolutionmeetsthe
problemstatementaswell
asthecriteriaand
constraints.Amoreformal
presentation/showcasewas
developedtosupportthe
solution.

Foundations of Technology, Third Edition /

Technology, Engineering, and Design

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FoundationsofTechnology
Unit2Lesson3:DesignPrinciples
File2.3.2:MarshmallowLauncherDesignBrief,continuedDesignFolio

1. DefinetheProblem
Whatneedorwantmustbemetbythesolution?

2.

3.

Brainstorming
List/sketch
possiblesolutions
thatmightbeusedinyourfinaldesign.Clearlyidentifyand
describehoweachoftheseideasrelatestotheproblemstatement.

2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association

Foundations of Technology, Third Edition /

Technology, Engineering, and Design

Researchandgeneratingideas
Inthespacebelow,documentyourresearch.Besuretoincludepropercitationsatthe
endofyournotes.

Notes

Citations/References

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Technology, Engineering, and Design

2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association

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Technology, Engineering, and Design

4.

Identifyingcriteriaandspecifyingconstraints
Whatarethecriteriaandconstraintsofthedesignproblem?

Criteria
Constraints

5.
Exploringpossibilities
Reflectonyourbrainstormedideasandresearchnotesanddescribetheplussesand
minusesofeachdesignapproachyouhaveconsidered.

BrainstormingIdea Pluses
Minuses

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Technology, Engineering, and Design


6. Selectinganapproach
a. Entertheconstraintsandcriteriaoftheprojectinthefirstcolumn.
b. Scoreyourbrainstormingideasagainsteachconstraintorcriterionandindicatehow
welltheideameetsthecriteriaandconstraints.
3pts=easilymeets,2pts=somewhatmeets,1pt.=doesnotmeet
c.
Totalthecolumnsandcirclethehighestscoretoindicateyourbestdesignidea.

Constraint/Criterion

Total

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7. Developingadesignproposal
Basedontheevaluationofyourideas,developadesignproposalforthehighestscoring
idea.Includeworkingdrawings(sketcheswithdimensions,sothatyoucouldbuildyour
project).Attachyourworkingdrawingstothissheet.Determinethematerialsyouplan
tousebasedonyourdesign.Listthematerialandquantitybelow.

MaterialtobeUsed
Qty

8. Makingamodelorprototype
Inthespacebelow,documenttheconstructionofthemodel/prototype.Besureto
includesketches/picturesasappropriate.

ConstructioninProcess
ConstructioninProcess

ConstructioninProcess

FinalProduct

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Technology, Engineering, and Design


9. Testingandevaluatingthedesign,usingspecifications
Asyoucreateyoursolution,youwillperformteststomakesurethatthesolutionis
meetingtheneedsofthegivenproblem.Ifyoursolutiondoesnotwork,youmayneed
torepeatthepreviousstepsoftheEngineeringDesignProcessuntilyoufindafunctional
design.Inthespacebelow,documentthetypeoftestsyouconductedandtheresults.

TestPerformed
TestResults

10.Refiningthedesign
Basedonyourtests,whatdesignrefinementsshouldbemadetotheprototypeto
ensurethatitcansatisfyallofthecriteriaandconstraintsofthedesignproblem.

Refinements

11.Creatingormakingit
Modifyyourmodel/prototypetoincorporatethedesignrefinementsyouidentifiedin
section10.Whatadditionalstepswouldbenecessarytoproducethefinalproductfor
thecustomer?

2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association

Foundations of Technology, Third Edition /

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2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association

Foundations of Technology, Third Edition /

Technology, Engineering, and Design

12.Communicatingprocessesandresults

a) DemonstratetheoperationofyourMarshmallowLauncherdevicetotheclass.As
partofyourdemonstration,describethestepsinvolvedincreatingyourdevice.
b) DocumenthowtheUniversalDesignPrincipleswereincorporatedinyourdesign.
c) CompletetheMarshmallowLauncherEfficiencyWorksheet.

2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association

Foundations of Technology, Third Edition /

Technology, Engineering, and Design