PLTW EES Unit 1 Vocabulary

Match the following

• innovative

• A systematic problem-solving strategy, with criteria and constraints, used to develop many possible solutions to solve a problem or satisfy human needs and wants and to winnow (narrow) down the possible solutions to one final choice.

• consensus

• General agreement.

• engineering mindset

• A visual display that demonstrates relationships between facts, concepts, or ideas. A graphic organizer guides the learner's thinking as they fill in and build upon a visual map or diagram.

• graphic organizer

• A way of thinking that affects how someone interacts with a challenge, comes up with a solution to a problem, and innovates on current technologies or systems.

• design process

• Improving an existing technological product, system, or method of doing something. 

Match the following

• sustainable

• A situation in which there is a choice to be made between two (or more) options, neither of which resolves the situation in an ethically acceptable fashion.     

• ethical dilemma

• Collaboration is the action of two or more people working together through idea sharing to accomplish a common goal.

• vaccine

• A view or opinion that is incorrect because it is based on faulty thinking or understanding.

• collaboration

• A method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged and will still be available for future generations.

• misconception

• A substance used to stimulate the production of antibodies and provide immunity against one or several diseases.

Match the following

• systems model

• A group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements or parts that function together as a whole to accomplish a goal.  Change happens if you add or remove a part.

• patent

• A government authority or license conferring a right or title for a set period, especially the sole right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention.

• systems thinking

• An abstract representation of a system that identifies interacting elements and components of the system and the relationships among those components and elements.

• system

• Understanding a system by examining the connections between the parts that compose the entirety of the system.

Match the following

• spatial

• A pictorial representation (such as a picture, map, or technical drawing) used to convey detailed information. In engineering, graphical models are created using standards of engineering graphics to document a design and are often referred to as technical drawings.

• graphical model

• Relating to, occupying, or having the character of space. Spatial describes how objects fit together in space or down here on Earth.

• conceptual model

• The sideways and downward movement of the edge of a plate of the Earth's crust into the mantle beneath another plate.  

• subduction

•  A visual representation of an idea. A conceptual model can be a sketch, concept map, schematic, flow chart, or any other visual representation.   

Match the following

• optimization

• Habits that help people solve problems with computers. Computational thinking habits encourage a person who is facing a problem to ask how computers could help them be more creative, to communicate, collaborate, use data or the internet, or use crowdsourcing or simulation, to solve a problem.

• logistics

• The detailed coordination of a complex operation involving many people, facilities, or supplies.

• computational thinking

• Creating a sequence of steps to solve a problem or accomplish a task.

• algorithmic thinking

• Making the best or most effective use of resources to get the best possible solution.

Match the following

• ethical issue

• A method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged and will still be available for future generations.

• sustainable

• A problem or situation that requires a person or organization to choose between alternatives that must be evaluated as right (ethical) or wrong (unethical).

• ethical dilemma

• A clear and concise identification and description of the design problem or opportunity.

• problem statement

• A situation in which there is a choice to be made between two (or more) options, neither of which resolves the situation in an ethically acceptable fashion.     

• constructive criticism

• The process of offering valid and well-reasoned opinions about the work of others, usually involving both positive and negative comments, in a friendly manner rather than an oppositional one.

Match the following

• dependent variable

• A variable that represents a quantity that is being manipulated in an experiment. The letter x is often the variable used to represent the independent variable in an equation.

• variable

• Controls used as the standards for comparison and providing baseline data. All experimental data is compared to the control data in order to determine if the independent variable has an effect.  

• experimental controls

• A proposed explanation that can be affirmed or disproved based on scientific testing using the experimental design process.

• testable hypothesis

• A variable that represents a quantity whose value depends on how the independent variable is manipulated. The letter y is often the variable used to represent the dependent variable in an equation.

• independent variable

• A factor in an experiment that changes and may impact the experimental outcome.

Match the following

• experimental controls

• Data dealing with descriptors and characteristics, such as color, texture, odor, etc.

• quantitative data

• Data dealing with numbers, such as height, volume, length, time, temperature, etc.

• qualitative data

• Controls used as the standards for comparison and providing baseline data. All experimental data is compared to the control data in order to determine if the independent variable has an effect.  

Match the following

• validate

• Percentage of an object that is solid material inside.

• infill density

• Able to maintain structure and function during a life span.

• composite material

• Consistently able to perform as expected.

• durable

• To check or prove the accuracy of (something).

• reliable

• A material made by combining two or more materials, often ones that have very different properties. The materials work together to give the composite unique properties. However, within the composite you can easily tell the different materials apart as they do not dissolve or blend into each other.

Match the following

• design brief

• Design criteria that provides a precise indicator of a quantifiable characteristic so that a design can be compared to the criteria and deemed acceptable or unacceptable.

• stakeholder

• A written plan that identifies a problem to be solved, its criteria, and its constraints. The design brief is used to encourage thinking of all aspects of a problem before attempting a solution.

• measurable

• An individual, group, or organization who may affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a decision, activity, or outcome of a project.