Per demo (or per group of 4 students if you are brave!)

• 4 raw eggs
• 4 drinking glasses filled with water (It is preferable that the glasses have a slightly wider top and do not taper). The glasses should be about ¾ full.
• 4 rolled playing cards. Roll the cards so that the shorter sides are at the top and bottom and tape shut
• 1 cafeteria-style tray or cookie sheet

Before class set up:

• Place the four glasses in a square pattern approximately 10 cm apart. Make sure the table they are placed on is level and does not roll.
• Place the tray on top of the four glasses.
• Next, Place a rolled card directly above the center of each glass.
• Lastly, Place a raw egg, narrow end down, on top of each card.
• The final set-up should look like this from the side:

Set up for the egg drop demonstration

• Practicing before class is recommended!

With the students:

- Review the need to solve a problem

• Talk about what you have been doing in the last week with the students. Ask "What did you learn from the game we played?", "Do you think there is a world energy problem?, and "If you said yes, could you describe it/What is it?"
• Explain that engineers solve problems all of the time. They have developed procedures to think through problems and possible solutions so they can make the most effective decisions possible

- Introduce Technological Method of Problem Solving

• Pass out Problem Solving Spiral handout
• Use an overhead or draw the Technological Method of Problem Solving on the board
• Go through the spiral step by step. Ask the students "What is a problem that you face everyday?" (What to wear?, What to get a friend for their birthday?, etc.)
• Connect the steps to other methods that they are familiar with. The most common method they learn is the Scientific Method.

- Egg Demo This can be done either in groups or as a class

• Have the students watch the demo and participate in engineering process to solve the problem. They should write notes for each of the steps
• Tell the students the problem - (step 1) The eggs represent radioactive materials that need to get into the water to cool down before a melt down. Clearly, touching the eggs would represent an unacceptable human health risk.
• Step 2: describe the results that you want: a) You want to get the eggs into the glasses without touching the eggs and glasses. b) Have the students identify the constraints and possible problems they face. (The eggs are unstable, the tray is in the way, etc)

• Step 3 Go over what they know about the problem and what they need to learn. (They know that the eggs are directly above the glasses, they now that they can't touch the eggs or glasses but can touch the tray and cards, etc.)
• Step 4 Have them brainstorm solutions. Go over the pros and cons of each solution and let them debate as a class. You will probably get a lot of ideas about balancing the eggs on the cards while you move the tray.
• Step 5 Chose the best solution - Ultimately you want to lead them to the solution of hitting the tray out from under the eggs and cards. (leading them can include a wrong answer and failure to illustrate re-entering the spiral.)
• Step 6 Implement the solution - Hit the tray sideways to see what happens! This will take the cards with it and allow gravity to move the eggs into the glasses. Re-evaluate and repeat if necessary

- Discussion and Closure

• Discuss with class why this worked - Physics and gravity!
• What would have happened if you just tried things randomly with out going through this logical process. Lots of broken eggs and a mess!

Activity embedded assessment: discussion throughout activity should provide the teacher with a sense that the students understand the problem solving steps. This is pre-requisite knowledge for the next activity.