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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
Student Handout: Project #1 Introduction to Engineering/Technology Careers
Problem Scenario
Objectives

Research information about career options for
technicians, technologists, and engineers and
develop a multimedia report (i.e., brochure,
videotape, research report, presentation, etc.)
suitable for high school juniors and seniors

Use computer software for page layout and design

Investigate and report information about technical
career paths

Summarize characteristics or electrical, mechanical
and other physical systems
Performance Expectations

Instructors will evaluate student teams and individual
students on the project; the evaluation will include
problem-solving and teaming skills used by students
and student teams.

Students will have the opportunities for selfevaluation; peer evaluation, and team evaluation.

Individual instructors will test and grade students
individually on content workshops and activities.

The team product (brochure, report, or other product)
will be evaluated and graded by the faculty team.
©2003 STLCC at Florissant Valley
Your team is in charge of communicating to
high school juniors and seniors occupational
differences of engineers, technologists, and
technicians using a PowerPoint presentation.
These high school students will need brief
information in the electrical, mechanical, fluids,
thermal, optics, and materials areas to help them
make suitable career choices. Information about
job opportunities and career paths, salaries,
physical ability requirements, education
requirements, work environment, and other
relevant information about these careers should
also be included.
Graphics or data charts should be used to
compare the benefits for technicians with two-year
degrees with other jobs requiring four-year
degrees. To locate information about these
occupations, your team should consult state and
federal publications and web sites, on-line
databases, professional journals, and other
sources. Each team will choose a different
technical or engineering career area.
The terms engineer,
technologist, and
technician are frequently
used interchangeably;
however, in the
industrial/engineering
field, they do not have the
same meaning. Education
requirements, job duties,
salaries, and many other
characteristics of these
occupations vary widely.
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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
Project 1—Team Career PowerPoint Presentation
Research three careers from the Engineering or Technology listings at Florissant Valley. These
careers should be those that your team thinks will be vital ones in the 21st century. You may use
career magazines, library materials, internet resources, field research, college brochures, whatever
you wish. As a team present your findings in a short PowerPoint presentation that would be
interesting to college or high school students (about 12-15 slides or so). Make sure that each person
in the team has a part in the presentation. Look at these careers (perhaps an engineer, a technician
and a technologist) from various perspectives. Some ideas are listed below.
1. Importance for future industry, business, medicine, etc.; trade unions/professional
affiliations
2. Education/training required
3. Demand in the job market
4. Salary and benefits
5. Duties, responsibilities, etc.; job hours
Some Career Links
America's Career Kit (http://www.acinet.org)
This is a Department of Labor sponsored web page for working people.
from every state in the US, including Missouri.
It contains information
FV Career Counseling http://www.stlcc.edu/fv/graphics/resources.html
This site has numerous career links
Department of Engineering and Technology at Florissant Valley http://www.stlcc.edu/fv/engtech
This site has much information about the career choices at FV.
©2003 STLCC at Florissant Valley
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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
Creating A PowerPoint Presentation
This lesson is designed to help you create an oral presentation using a powerful but easy-to-use
feature of the Microsoft PowerPoint application. You can use an already drafted outline, put it into
slides, overhead transparencies, or even a webpage in order to present your ideas to an audience.
PowerPoint allows text, sound, clip art, animation, and movies to be integrated into a presentation.
Make a simple outline in Microsoft Word first. Organize the outline the way you want to present
your material later in PowerPoint.
Create the presentation:
1. Open PowerPoint from the Office Menu.
2. When the application opens, select AutoContent Wizard from the “Create a new presentation
using:” dialog box. Click OK.
3. When the next window opens, from the left side options, select the first square, “Presentation
type.” On the right side of the window you have a number of choices for types. Select one.
4. Go to the next square, “Output options, “ and unless you are making a webpage presentation,
click the first choice, “Presentations, etc.”
5. Select the next square, “Presentation style,” and click on the type of presentation you want to
make, on-screen or overhead transparencies. Also you can click an option to make handouts
for your audience.
6. At the last square, “Presentation options, “you can type in the title of your presentation, your
name and any other information you want to include in your presentation. Click the Finish
button.
7. An outline of the presentation format will display. Now you can add your content.
For inserting your outline into the preformatted presentation:

From the Insert menu, select Slides from Outline. When the dialog box opens, select your file
named “outline.doc” or “outline.” Look in Drive A if you do not readily see your file listed.

Your outline content will fill into the presentation format. You can view the presentation in several
ways besides the outline. On the horizontal scroll bar in the lower left-hand corner of the window
are several view buttons: “Slide View,” “Slide Sorter View,” “Notes Page View,” and “Slide Show
View.”

To change the order of the slides or pages, you can drag & drop or delete them in the “Slide
Sorter View.” To rearrange a page, do so just as you would in Word.

You can use the menu at the top of the PowerPoint window to add clip art, sounds (even your own
voice-overs), animation graphics, or even movie clips to enhance your presentation.

Save your file as “slideshw.ppt” or “slideshow.”
EVALUATION (5 C’s—Clear, Coherent, Complete, Concise, and Correct):
1. Clear and Concise (understandable, not wordy)
20%
2. Cohesive (organized and unified)
15%
3. Competent and complete (content)
50%
©2003 STLCC at Florissant Valley
Gateway to Technology
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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
4. Correct standard English
©2003 STLCC at Florissant Valley
15%
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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
Criteria for Team Career Exploration PowerPoint Presentation (student designed):
1 = Weak 2 = Moderately Weak 3 = Average 4 = Moderately Strong 5 = Strong
Career Exploration Problem:
The team determined the problem and found information is needed to meet the requirements of the assignment.
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Content contains accurate and appropriate information
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Information is presented clearly enough for audience to understand.
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Teamwork is evident with individual work combined effectively.
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Career information is specialized for each team member's preferences
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Presentation:
Thesis statement gives main idea at beginning of presentation.
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Presentation is organized with not too much information or too little on each slide and in overall project.
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Information is presented in various visual ways like lists, tables, graphs in addition to sentences and short
paragraphs.
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Specific material borrowed form outside sources is documented.
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Presentation uses standard English grammar, mechanics, spelling, and sentence structure.
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Additional Comments: ___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Instructor: ______________________
Total Points/Grade: __________
©2003 STLCC at Florissant Valley
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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
Student Handout: Project #2 Basic Electricity
Problem Scenario for Basic Electricity
You are a new engineering school graduate who
wants to rehab a two-car garage room into a comfortable
recreation room. You know you will be living here for a
couple of years until you can afford something better.
You want to make the place comfortable and fun to live
in and entertain friends. You'll need a list of all the
electrical items you want to use in the room. The power
for the storage room is a single 120-volt line from a 20amp circuit breaker on the main line. Two fluorescent
lights (60 watts each) are in the garage now. Some of
the items on the list can be..
TV/VCR
Microwave oven
refrigerator
toaster
stereo
Objectives

Investigate the power needed to support a
number of electrical appliances, and determine
a plan to equip a recreation room using
available electrical power and budget.

Measure voltage and current in an electrical
circuit, and determine power in an electrical
circuit.

Investigate Ohm's Law series and parallel
circuits.
Your team will investigate the power
requirements of these appliances and develop a plan
that will make the most effective use of the room's
electrical circuit yet still meet local electrical codes. What
kind of circuit is needed? The plan will indicate capital
expenditures not to exceed $1,000 (or an amount
decided by you?) and will predict monthly operational
costs.
You will submit to your landlord (parents, etc) a
comprehensive report describing the process necessary
to complete the renovation, including time and cost
projections as well as any foreseeable problems.
1. Write an interoffice memorandum
2. Write a process-based report
Performance Expectations




©2003 STLCC at Florissant Valley
Instructors will evaluate student teams and individual
students on the project; the evaluation will include
problem-solving and teaming skills used by students
and student teams.
Students will have opportunities for self-evaluation,
peer evaluation, and team evaluation.
Individual instructors will test and grade students
individually on content workshops and activities.
The team presentation will be evaluated and graded
by the faculty team.
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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
Background Information for Project 2
In a mechanical system, you have seen that the
work done is the product of the force (F) applied in the
direction of the motionand the distance (d) moved.
Therefore, work (W) can be thought of as the product of
a quantity that causes motion and the measure of the
resulting motion.
F
F
W=Fd
d
In electrical systems, the amount of electrical energy
used isimportant. In fact, the bills that we receive from
the electric company are based on the energy that we
use. In many electrical systems, however, not only is the
energy used important, but so is the rate at which the
energy is delivered. All electrical devices are rated on
the rate of use of electrical energy. This rate is called
power (P) and is measured in watts.
Power = work/time
Power = (voltage x charge)/time
This concept can be applied in an electrical system
as well. The quantity that causes motion is the voltage
difference and the measure of the motion is the charge.
Therefore, work in an electrical system can be calculated
by:
Power = voltage x charge/time
Power = voltage x current
Work = (voltage difference) x charge
W = Vq, where V = voltage difference and
q = charge
Electric motors transform electrical energy into
mechanical energy to perform tasks. Motors may turn
fans to move air, operate pumps to move fluids, and turn
metalworking machines such as lathes, mills, and drills.
Therefore, the purpose of most electrical devices is to
convert electrical work into other forms ofwork or energy,
such as energy of motion, heat, light, or sound.
The motion of charge through conductors will
transform some of the electrical energy into heat. In
devices such as toasters, ovens, and hair dryers, the
heat is wanted and is useful. In other devices such as an
incandescent light bulb, computers, and televisions, the
heat is an unwanted byproduct caused by the operation
of the device.
©2003 STLCC at Florissant Valley
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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
ENG: 101-5GT Assignment for Basic Electricity Project
Internal Proposal Report
A proposal is a process/problem-based report, usually five to six sections including a memo-type heading. You
will want to include the overall dollar budget.
Parts of a Proposal:
HEADING:
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: (similar to a title) Proposal for ………….
INTRODUCTION:
Present main idea of report and summarize proposal in one paragraph. (Paragraph)
PROBLEM:
Summarize problem to be solved in one or two paragraphs. Explain the present state of the space and
what electricity and electric use is in it now. Be specific in your descriptions.
SOLUTION OR RECOMMENDATION:
Explain process you are planning to carry out to solve problem (what you want to do with the present
space). You will want to include the following:
LIST OF ITEMS TO BE INSTALLED AND SPECIFICATIONS: you'll need to list the items and
the volts, amps, power, etc. (List or Table)
LIST OF ELECTRICAL REFITTINGS NEEDED: tell what needs to be done to be able to use the
above items. (Table)
COSTS: In this section you explain what the cost of each expense is and how the overall amount fits
within the budget. A table is a good feature to use here. Introduce it with a sentence or two. (Table)
SCHEDULE/TIMETABLE: In this section you show how much time your proposed process will take
and on what schedule it will be completed. (Table)
CONCLUSION:
Tell what you above proposal will accomplish and why it is a good idea to follow through with it. You
may want to explain when budgeted costs may change, for example, in 60-90 days. (One short
paragraph)
EVALUATION: by teaching team according to student team-created rubric
©2003 STLCC at Florissant Valley
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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
Criteria for Electric Project Proposal (student designed)
1 = Weak 2 = Moderately Weak 3 = Average 4 = Moderately Strong 5 = Strong
Electricity Problem:
1. The student has determined the facts of a problem and what additional information is needed to
understand it.
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2. The student develops reasons to support the answers.
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3. The student makes a proposal for solution of the problem based on the answers.
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4. The student’s problem solving employs the appropriate information or facts.
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5. The student’s problem solving shows an understanding of the concepts or topics in the electricity unit.
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Written Proposal Assignment:
6. Each paragraph in the proposal starts with a topic sentence.
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7. The organization of the proposal is clear and easy to follow.
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8. The proposal’s content fulfills all the requirements of the project.
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9. The proposal is concise (not wordy) and explained in clear paragraphs, lists and tables.
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10. The proposal is neatly typed.
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11. The spelling, punctuation, and grammar are in acceptable standard English.
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12. Overall, the student’s solution of the problem demonstrates his or her full potential in applying this skill.
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Additional Comments: ___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Total Points/Grade: __________
©2003 STLCC at Florissant Valley
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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
Student Handout: Project #3 Simple Machines
Problem Scenario for Simple Machines
Some fifty-pound boxes (2’x2’x2’) need to be
unloaded from trucks and moved to a second-floor
storage area. Eight-hundred boxes need to be moved.
One solution is to walk them up a narrow flight of
stairs. A second possibility is for you to develop humanpowered simple machines to make this project more
comfortable for the three employees responsible for the
move. A large window is located approximately fifteen
feet above the ground.
Performance Expectations
1. Instructors will evaluate student teams
and individual students on the project;
the evaluation will include problemsolving and teaming skills used by
students and student teams.
2. Students will have opportunities for selfevaluation, peer evaluation, and team
evaluation.
3. Individual instructors will test and grade
students individually on content
workshops and activities.
4. The team presentation will be evaluated
and graded by the faculty team.
A general misconception is that machines can
decrease the amount of work
required to complete a
specific task. Work in science
deals with force and distance.
Even though holding a
five-gallon bucket full of water
may be difficult, you are not
doing work in science
because no distance is
involved. When you lift or
move the bucket, however,
you are doing work.
We find that machines can only make the work we
do easier, but they can never decrease the work that we
do. In industry, having an understanding of work and
simple machines allows us to use these devices
efficiently without wasting energy.
©2003 STLCC at Florissant Valley
Examine three alternatives for lifting the boxes.
Levers, lifts and pulley systems are among the choices
you might consider. What equipment is currently used
for lifting?
This problem addresses the topics of force,
acceleration, velocity, displacement, work, energy, and
power. It also builds upon the discussion of power in the
electronics problem #2.
Objectives





Investigate the mechanical advantage of simple
machines, and devise a plan for moving bulk
materials from a storage basement to a loading
dock.
Measure/calculate length, area, volume, and
force in SI and US Customary systems.
Apply the conservation of energy to the
operation of the simple machine.
Determine the amount of work done by a simple
machine.
Make an oral presentation supported by visuals.
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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
Types of Simple Machines
Lever
Gear
Two tooth-edged wheels fit together so that one
wheel will turn the other. A gear may also have a
screw or a tooth-edged shaft instead of another
wheel.
Examples: clock, bicycle, drill, automobile
Inclined Plane
The inclined plane is the simplest machine because
nothing moves except you to make it work. Other
terms for an inclined plane are slope and ramp. An
incline plane is used to change the distance and effort
involved in doing work, such as lifting loads.
Examples: Ramp, staircase, sink drain
A lever is a stick that is free to pivot or move back
and forth at a certain point. Levers are very common
because just about anything that has a handle on it
has a lever attached. The point on which the lever
moves is called the fulcrum. By changing the position
of the fulcrum, you can gain extra power with less
effort.
Examples: see-saw, hammer, door on hinges, bottle
opener
Wheel and Axle
A wheel and axle is really two machines in one: a
larger wheel connected by a smaller cylinder (axle),
which is fastened to the wheel so that they turn
together. Wheels make it easy to move an object
across the ground because they cut down on the
amount of friction between what is being moved and
the surface it is pulled against. When the axle turns,
the wheel moves farther than the axle, but less force
is needed to move it. The axle doesn’t move as far,
but more force is needed to move it.
Examples: wagon, car, door knob, sink faucet
Wedge
A wedge is an inclined plane turned on its side or two
inclined planes joined back to back. But instead of
helping you move things to a higher level, a wedge
helps you split or push things apart.
Examples: knife blade, axe, zipper
Screw
The screw is really an inclined plane wrapped around
a shaft or cylinder with a wedge at the tip. Screws are
used in many different places to hold things together.
Examples: bolt, spiral staircase
©2003 STLCC at Florissant Valley
Pulley
The pulley is really a wheel with a groove around the
outside edge and an axle with a rope or chain
attached. A pulley affects the direction of motion to
work with gravity so it makes work easier.
Examples: flag pole, crane, mini-blinds
Spring
A spring is a resilient coil that can be compressed or
extended.
Examples: fish scale; pogo stick, clocks and watches,
piston engines, shock absorbers
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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
Simple Machines Presentation Assignment
Problem-Solving Report Oral Presentation (PowerPoint--Multimedia)
As you work on the problem for Project #3, come up with three alternative solutions using
simple machines.
Make a working outline of your presentation in Microsoft Word. Fill in subsections as you
complete the research and work needed for solving the problem. Then you can import your
outline into PowerPoint slides. Use a report format using sections like the following:
Introduction
State your thesis idea (hypothesis with three alternatives) for solving the simple machines
problem in one sentence. This is the main purpose for writing this report. You should also
include a short summary (one or two sentences only) of the problem.
Problem
Describe the problem in depth. You may want to include drawings and diagrams of the
storage building and its physical features as well as the boxes that have to be moved
there. The drawing tools in Word allow you to do some simple drawings. Try to describe
the physical limitations for the three employees having to move the boxes. You should
have one-two paragraphs in addition to your visuals.
Process
In this section you will have three parts, each of which is a solution to the problem. Show
your formulas and computations as you work on each alternative. Use the terminology
and formulas to describe force, acceleration, velocity, displacement, work, energy, and
power. Draw or use clip art for each machine. Make diagrams as necessary. Excel charts
and graphs may be helpful. You may want to use the animation features of PowerPoint as
you explain each alternative.
Alternative One
Alternative Two
Alternative Three
Preferred Alternative
Explain which alternative solution you would use and tell why.
Conclusion
You may want to explain what you learned about simple machines in this project. You
may also tell how your learning may help you in a future career as an engineer or
technician.
©2003 STLCC at Florissant Valley
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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
Simple Machines Project Evaluation Criteria (student designed)
1 = Weak 2 = Moderately Weak 3 = Average 4 = Moderately Strong 5 = Strong
Problem Solving
1. The student first determines the facts of a problem and what additional information is needed to
understand it.
1 2 3 4 5
2. The student develops reasons to support alternative solutions and assesses the supporting and refuting
reasons to identify the most effective alternative.
1 2 3 4 5
3. The student’s problem solving employs the appropriate and accurate calculations
1 2 3 4 5
4. The student’s problem solving shows an understanding of the concepts in the simple machines unit.
1 2 3 4 5
Presentation
5. The topic of the presentation meets the requirements of the assignments.
1 2 3 4 5
6. The presentation is well organized and cohesive.
1 2 3 4 5
7. The presentation indicates an understanding of the simple machines.
1 2 3 4 5
8. The presenter delivers ideas in a clear and concise fashion
1 2 3 4 5
9. The presenter speaks clearly and in a loud voice and maintains eye contact with the audience.
1 2 3 4 5
10. The presenter and the presentation use correct standard English sentence structure, mechanics, grammar
and spelling.
1 2 3 4 5
Additional Comments: ___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Total Points/Grade: __________
©2003 STLCC at Florissant Valley
Gateway to Technology
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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
Student Handout: Project #4 Recycled Design
Project
Reduce waste; Reuse products over and over
again: Recycle used materials creatively
Problem Scenario
Waste management is one of the critical challenges of
the twenty-first century. Landfills are growing and taxing
our resources while recycling has not lived up to its
promise. This project is a recycling challenge. Students
are asked to construct a chair capable of supporting an
adult weighing 250 pounds. The chair must be
constructed of common waste materials. Metal and
wood products are unacceptable as part of the design.
The students should also design a chair that is
aesthetically pleasing and comfortable. The final project
will be judged on the following criteria:







Objectives
Determine shape and size of chair to be
created from recycled materials,
including plastics.
Assemble chair using recycled materials
Use measuring devices
Investigate recycling opportunities
Estimate cost and time of reproducing
product
Write an email report memo




Does the chair support the required 250pound weight? Yes or No (20 points)
On a scale of 1to 20 (with 20 being most)
how aesthetically pleasing is the chair?
What is the weight of the chair compared to
other designs? (15 points for the lightest
chair)
Does the written email report detail the
design process, the cost, and testing of the
chair? Is it well written? Are sketches
included (25-point scale)
Is the oral presentation clear and complete?
(20-point scale)
Background Information for Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle
Source: http://www.EPA.gov
"Each year, Americans generate millions of tons of trash in the
form of wrappings, bottles, boxes, cans, grass clippings,
furniture, clothing, phone books, and much, much, more.
Durable goods (tires, appliances, furniture) and nondurable
goods (paper, certain disposable products, clothing) account
for several million tons of the solid waste stream. Container
and packaging waste is a significant component of the nation’s
waste stream as well. This material includes glass, aluminum,
plastics, steel and other metals, and paper and paperboard.
Yard trimmings such as grass clippings and tree limbs are also
a substantial part of what we throw away. In addition, many
relatively small components of the national solid waste stream
add up to millions of tons. For example, one percent of the
nation’s waste stream can amount to about two million tons of
trash each year."
"Individual consumers can help alleviate America's mounting
trash problem by making environmentally aware decisions
about everyday things like shopping and caring for the lawn.
Across the country, many individuals, communities, and
businesses have found creative ways to reduce and better
manage their trash through a coordinated mix of practices that
includes source reduction. Empty cans and jars can be reused
to store many items, such as nails or thumbtacks. The baking
soda bought to bake a cake also can be used to scrub kitchen
counters. The container that began its life as a plastic milk jug
can be washed and reused to water plants, create an arts and
crafts project, or be transformed. Eventually, the milk jug can
be recycled to create a new plastic product. Reusing products
is just one way to cut down on what we throw away."
©2003 STLCC at Florissant Valley
Performance Expectations




Instructors will evaluate student teams
and individual students on the project;
the evaluation will include problemsolving and teaming skills used by
students and student teams.
Students will have opportunities for selfevaluation, peer evaluation, and team
evaluation.
Individual instructors will test and grade
students individually on content
workshops and activities.
The student project and short email
report will be evaluated and graded by
the faculty team.
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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
Vocabulary of Recycling
(www.epa.gov)
Biodegradable -describes material that can be broken down naturally by microorganisms into simple, stable
compounds.
BTU (British Thermal Unit) - A measurement of the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one
pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit at or near 39.2 degrees F.
Buy Recycled- Purchasing products and packaging made from post-consumer materials.
Compost- Decayed organic materials which decompose into humus.
Contamination- process by which something is made impure.
Decompose- To break down, change form by the action of living things or microorganisms.
Earth Day- a day set aside (April 22 in the USA) to promote a healthy environment and a peaceful, just,
sustainable world.
Environment- The natural world around us, including the air, water, land, animal, plants, etc.
Environmentalism-Advocacy of the preservation or improvement of the natural environment; the movement to
control pollution.
Landfill- a secure site for the environmentally sound burial of solid waste in which the waste is buried between
layers of earth to build up low-lying land.
Litter- is unsightly, unsanitary, unappealing waste products that can be hazardous or degrade the quality of life
by corrupting the environment.
Microorganism- Organisms that are too small to be seen with the naked eye.
Natural Resources- naturally occurring assets such as plants, animals, minerals, water, air, etc.
Organic- derived from living organisms, or having a carbon base; or when referring to agricultural products.
Pre-Consumer- describing materials that are diverted from the waste stream that are generated during
manufacturing
Pollution- harmful substances deposited in the air, water or land leading to impurity or unhealthful conditions
Post-Consumer - describing materials that are collected for recycling after having been purchased by a
consumer that would have otherwise been incinerated or taken to a landfill.
Recycle-To process in order to regain material for human use
Returnable Container- a beverage container able to be returned for a money deposit.
Waste- garbage or other material that is not used anymore.
Waste Stream- The entire process that solid waste goes through from generation to disposal or recycling.
Yard Waste- leaves, grass clippings and other organic materials that are collected from yards.
©2003 STLCC at Florissant Valley
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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
All About Plastic
Source: http://www.obviously.com/recycle/ (Internet Consumer Recycling Guide)
With a little bit of care much plastic can be recycled, and collection of plastics for recycling is increasing rapidly.
Plastic recycling faces one huge problem: plastic types must not be mixed for recycling, yet it is impossible to
tell one type from another by sight or touch. Even a small amount of the wrong type of plastic can ruin the melt.
The plastic industry has responded to this problem by developing a series of cryptic markers (See above
graphic), commonly seen on the bottom of plastic containers. These markers do not mean the plastic can be
recycled, these makers do not mean the container uses recycled plastic. Despite the confusing use of the
chasing arrow symbol, these markers only identify the plastic type.
Virtually everything made of plastic should be marked with a code. Not all types can actually be recycled.
Types 1 and 2 are widely accepted in container form, and type 4 is sometimes accepted in bag form. Code 7 is
for mixed or layered plastic with virtually no recycling potential.
Plastic Containers (milk, soap, juice, fresh pasta, water, etc.)
All plastic containers you purchase should be marked with a large and clear recycling code . This code must be
molded into the plastic and located on the bottom surface of the container. Ideally the entire container should
be made of the same plastic to avoid confusion, but often the caps are of a different type. Caps should be
separately marked, but few are. Note that most caps are NOT of the same type as the bottle they sit on.
Grocery sacks, produce bags, and other packaging
Plastic grocery and produce sacks are commonly, but not always, made from plastic types 2 or 4. These bags
are often collected in barrels at grocery stores, and turned into plastic lumber.
Other Plastic Items
Any product made of a single plastic type should be marked -- after all the product may one day break or be
replaced. This includes toys, plastic hangars, trash cans, shelves, baskets, rain ponchos, and many other
products. Many products, such as compact discs, video tapes, and computer discs, are made from mixed
materials which can't be recycled unless first disassembled.
The plastic types were defined by the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI):
Type 1 - PETE Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Soda & water containers, some waterproof packaging.
Type 2 - HDPE High-Density Polyethylene Milk, detergent & oil bottles. Toys and plastic bags.
Type 3 - V Vinyl/Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Food wrap, vegetable oil bottles, blister packages.
Type 4 - LDPE Low-Density Polyethylene Many plastic bags. Shrink wrap, garment bags.
Type 5 - PP Polypropylene Refrigerated containers, some bags, most bottle tops, some carpets, some food
wrap.
Type 6 - PS Polystyrene Throwaway utensils, meat packing, protective packing.
Type 7 - OTHER Usually layered or mixed plastic. No recycling potential - must be landfilled.
Types 1 and 2 are commonly recycled. Type 4 is less commonly recycled. The other types are generally not
recycled, except perhaps in small test programs. Common plastics polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrilebutadiene-styrene (ABS) do not have recycling numbers.
Understand that plastic recycling is really in infancy. The process is messy and inefficient. Numerous problems
exist. For example plastic from a "blow mold" (the neck of the bottle is narrower than the body) has a slightly
different structure from the exact same plastic used in an "injection mold" (where the opening is the widest part
of the product). Because of low processing temperatures plastic is highly vulnerable to contamination by food,
labels and different plastics.
Much recycled plastic ends up as low grade plastic lumber.
©2003 STLCC at Florissant Valley
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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
Assignment Project #4 Recycled Design Project
Design a chair using recycled materials such as plastic, cardboard, etc. Determine its size, shape, and the type of products that will be
used. Explain the process you used to create the chair. Use various measuring devices mathematical calculations for size, endurance,
etc. Investigate related recycling opportunities, for example, companies that are making similar recycled products. Estimate the cost of
the finished product and the time it took to make it.
HEADING
Write a correct memo heading for this short report:
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
INTRODUCTION
Describe problem in a short introductory paragraph
BODY
Write a body paragraph with the content needed to describe your creation. Explain the design process: shape and size of chair, which
recycled materials were used, and how it was assembled. Tell which measuring devices and mathematical formulas were used and for
what reasons. Show any calculations used. Describe any similar recycling opportunities that are currently being used. List estimated
cost and time to reproduce the product. You may want to attach a sketch, jpeg photo, etc., of the actual product.
CONCLUSION
Write a sentence or two telling what you learned from this project.
EMAIL
Put the report into e-mail format and send it to your instructors. See syllabus for email addresses.
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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
Criteria for Evaluation for Design Project Email Memorandum (Student Designed)
1 = Weak 2 = Moderately Weak 3 = Average
4 = Moderately Strong 5 = Strong
Design Project:
1. The student has explained the project in terms of problem solving and has clearly described its results.
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2. The student’s project makes use of, recycled materials.
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3. The student develops an appropriate design process for the assignment, which follows the assignment directions.
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4. The student’s problem solving employs accurate information or facts.
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5. The student’s problem solving shows an understanding of measurement concepts.
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Memorandum:
6. The memo starts with a purpose statement.
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7. The organization of the memo is clear and easy to follow. It is paragraphed appropriately with an introduction, a
body and a conclusion.
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8. The content of the memo covers the design process of the assignment.
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9. The memo is concise (not wordy) and uses appropriate terminology.
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10. The memo is neatly typed and spaced attractively. It has been sent to instructors via email for evaluation.
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11. The spelling, punctuation, and grammar are in acceptable standard English. Sentences are correct and varied.
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Additional Comments: ___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Total Points/Grade: __________
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Gateway to Technology
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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
Final Career Report (Microsoft Word)
Put together an individual one-two page career report with an attached résumé for a final project in the Gateway
to Technology program. In this report you will decide on a technical or engineering career that you can pursue.
Use some outside sources to support your ideas and document them accordingly in the text. It should be in
report format with several sections such as the following:
Introduction
Write your thesis statement explaining what career path you plan to follow. You may want to summarize
how you came to this decision. (One paragraph)
Description of Career
Tell the name of the career you are interested in. You may want to give alternate names for this career if
applicable. What education (degrees, certificates, etc.) is required for this career? What local schools
include the program? (You may want to mention all in-state schools but perhaps also some in nearby
states). How many years of college will be required for this career? What types of jobs are available for
this career? What are the average salaries and benefits for this career? Can you interview someone who
is already in this career? You may want to find some web sites and text references on this career, just as
you did in your Oral Report #1. Graphs and charts are very useful here. You can include any other
applicable information in this section. (One-three paragraphs)
Career Plan
Using the information you just listed above, make a plan for your own pursuit of this career. Include
necessary courses to get into programs at both the community college and four-year college level. You
may want to use tables and/or lists in this section. (one-two paragraphs)
Opportunities for Internships, Scholarships, Co-ops, etc.
Research opportunities for various internships, scholarships, co-ops, and apprenticeships that are
available for this career. What local companies offer them? What are the requirements for each? How do
you apply for them? Do you need references? Who will you ask to be a reference? You can use a table
or list here also. What are the benefits of an internship? Explain what valuable work experience or new
skills you can learn and how it can help you with your career--get special experience in a real work
environment, network with professionals, obtain work references for future employment, and perhaps
even get a permanent job offer. You will want to do some research with both college advisor/counselors
and department faculty. (One-two paragraphs).
Attachments
Include an updated résumé with this report. It should include everything from this semester and be one
page only.
Conclusion
You may want to predict how this career decision will affect your life. How has the Gateway to
Technology program helped you in this career choice?
©2003 STLCC at Florissant Valley
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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley: Gateway to Technology: An integrated study of Mathematics, English, Reading and Engineering/Tech
Criteria for Final Career Report (student designed)
1 = Weak 2 = Moderately Weak 3 = Average 4 = Moderately Strong 5 = Strong
Written Career Report:
1. The report starts with a clear thesis statement.
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2. The report is organized and easy to follow. It is paragraphed appropriately with an introduction, body paragraphs
and a conclusion. It uses headings that help the reader follow its pattern of organization.
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3. The content of the report covers the assignment requirements and is accurately expressed.
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4. The report is concise (not wordy) and uses appropriate, correct vocabulary with varied sentences.
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5. The report is neatly word-processed and spaced well on the page.
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6. Any outside resources are cited and documented accurately, avoiding plagiarism.
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7. The spelling, punctuation, and grammar are in acceptable standard English. The report uses correct sentence
structure.
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Attached Resume:
8. The heading of the resume contains the individual’s name, address, phone number and email address, if
applicable.
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9. The objective is clearly written as a phrase rather than a complete sentence.
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10. The individual’s education up to the present is covered effectively.
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11. The resume focuses on the contributions and experiences relevant to a job search.
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12. The resume is neatly typed and attractively spaced on the page.
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13. The spelling, punctuation, and grammar meet standard English expectations..
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Additional Comments: ___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Total Points/Grade: __________
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