PC

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Concept:
Modern society relies on an effective distribution system. The US Commerce Department reports that "Spending in the U.S. logistics and transportation industry totaled $1.33 trillion in 2012, and represented 8.5 percent of annual gross domestic product (GDP)." Furthermore, the EPA reports that "packaging constitutes as much as one-third of the non-industrial solid waste stream." This makes packaging an important topic, from both an economic and an environmental viewpoint.
 * Find a way to protect a single Pringle chip sent through the mail.
 * Work with a partner OR by yourself.
 * Make your container economically viable and environmentally responsible.
 * Document your process of design, engineering, and manufacture according to educationally appropriate standards.
 * Assess your success and compare it to other projects completed at Upper Merion Area High School.

Contest:
Points || Points || Points || Points || Points || Points ||
 * In addition to the grade you receive, we will measure your project in class, calculate its "protection score", and compare your results with other projects.
 * These measurements will NOT reveal your grade for the project, and it is possible to win the Contest without getting a good grade, and it is possible to earn a good grade even if your Pringle arrives damaged.
 * The contest will make one judgement and two measurements in order to assign a score. The equation to calculate your score will be: **Score = (Intact-ness)/(Mass*Volume)**
 * "Intactness" is judged according to the chart below:
 * **Intactness** || **Description** || **Score** ||
 * Perfectly Intact || Like it just left the factory || 100 Million
 * Slightly Damaged || Cracked, but still in one piece || 50 Million
 * Chipped Chip || Broken along the edges, but less than 5 pieces || 10 Million
 * Split Chip || The chip is broken into two fairly equal pieces || 10 Million
 * Significantly Damaged || Chipped and/or cracked into less than 20 pieces || 5 Million
 * Pringle Dust || Too many pieces to count (more than 20) || 1 Million

Deadlines:
There will be three deadlines associated with the project, and missing these deadlines will result in a reduced letter grade for the project.


 * On Tuesday, September 25, a Project Proposal will be filled out in class describing plans for the project and identifying any partnership formed.
 * On Tuesday, October 9, a Progress Report will be filled out in class documenting the project's current status, the results of preliminary testing, and which of the Three Rs was the focus of your design.
 * On Tuesday, October 16, the **Finished Project** will be brought to class to participate in the Pringle Challenge.

Grades:

 * **Documentation:** Good engineering work requires good documentation, and thorough examination of alternatives.
 * An **average** project will create a form and function diagram for your container.
 * A **good** project will document at least three alternative containers considered for the project, along with an evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses.
 * An **excellent** project will perform at least three tests on each container to evaluate its ability to protect its contents.


 * **Production:** Good engineering work requires attention to detail and attempts to improve upon prototypes.
 * An **average** project will result in a container that matches the form and function diagram.
 * A **good** project will be delivered with an anticipated contest score within 10% of the actual contest score.
 * An **excellent** project will document efforts to increase contest score from first prototype to final product.


 * **Reflection:** Good engineering work involves multiple attempts, and learning from experience.
 * An **average** reflection discusses the success or failure of each element in the form and function diagram.
 * A **good** reflection will identify strengths and weaknesses of the project compared with "industry standards".
 * An **excellent** reflection will propose a new design in response to "changing market conditions".

Depth of Knowledge
DOK 1: Recall & Reproduction
 * Students will correctly apply the terms reduce, reuse, and recycle to the materials used in their container.
 * Students will distinguish between form and function in their container.

DOK 2: Skills & Concepts
 * Students will measure dimensions of distance and calculate volume of a rectangular solid.
 * Students will produce a form and function diagram.
 * Students will compare different containers according to a set of criteria (the "protection score").

DOK 3: Strategic Thinking & Reasoning
 * Students will use criteria (the "protection formula") to optimize the economic viability of their container (according to the "protection score").
 * Students will use criteria (the Three Rs) to minimize waste (according to the "industry standards").

DOK 4: Extended Thinking
 * Students will consider the effect of "changing market conditions" on the viability of their container.