Engineering

Everywhere

Don’t Runoff:
Engineering An Urban Landscape
Environmental Engineering for Out-of-School Time • Grades 6–8

Written by the Engineering is Elementary® Team

Illustrated by Ross Sullivan-Wiley
 © 2013 by the Museum of Science. All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America.

This work may not be reproduced by mechanical or electronic means without the express written
permission of the Museum of Science, Boston. For permission to copy portions of this material for other
purposes, please write to:

Engineering is Elementary
Museum of Science
1 Science Park
Boston, MA 02114
Written by the Engineering is Elementary Team

Project Director: Curriculum Development: Interns and Consultants:

Christine Cunningham Owen Berliner Carolyn DeCristofano
Ian Burnette Amy Hachigian
Research and Evaluation: Martha Davis
Christine Gentry Michelle DiIeso Outreach:
Jonathan Hertel Melissa Higgins Cynthia Berger
Cathy Lachapelle Katy Laguzza
Quinn Sallee Julieann Massey
Christopher San Antonio-Tunis Tania Tauer
Muhammed Shams Natacha Meyer
Stephen Sullivan
Professional Development:
Multimedia: Valerie Costa
Elizabeth Mantey Erin Fitzgerald
Michelle Mizner Martha Hass
Jean Towns Elise Morgan
Corey Niemann
Sales: Kristin Sargianis
Emily Eppler Roger Skophammer
Laura Higgins
Kate Sokol Partnership:
Max Siegel
Shannon McManus
Sharlene Yang

Support for this project has been generously provided by i2 Camp.

Engineering Everywhere: Don’t Runoff © Museum of Science

About Engineering Everywhere
The mission of Engineering Everywhere is to create exciting out-of-school time
activities and experiences that allow all learners to act as engineers and engage in the

their abilities to engineer by providing materials uniquely appropriate for the varied
landscapes of out-of-school time settings.

The main ideas that guide the developers of EE are listed below.

We believe youths will best learn engineering when they:

• engage in activities that are fun, exciting, and connect to the world in which they live.
• choose their path through open-ended challenges that have multiple solutions.
• have the opportunity to succeed in engineering challenges.
• communicate and collaborate in innovative, active, problem solving.

Through EE units, youths will learn that:

• they can use the Engineering Design Process to help solve problems.
• engineers design technologies to help people and solve problems.
• they have talent and potential for designing and improving technologies.
• they, too, are engineers.

As youths work through their engineering design challenges, they will have the
opportunity to build their problem solving, teamwork, communication, and creative
thinking skills. Most importantly, this curriculum is designed to provide a fun learning
opportunity!

Engineering Everywhere: Don’t Runoff © Museum of Science

 Unit Goals
This unit is designed to allow all learners to act as engineers and engage in the

their abilities to engineer by providing materials uniquely appropriate for the varied
landscapes of out-of-school time settings.

We believe youths will best learn engineering when they:

• engage in activities that are fun, exciting, and connect to the world in which they live.
• choose their path through open-ended challenges that have multiple solutions.
• have the opportunity to succeed in engineering challenges.
• communicate and collaborate in innovative, active, problem solving.

By participating in this unit, youths will learn that:

• they can use the Engineering Design Process to help solve problems.
• engineers design technologies to help people and solve problems.
• they have talent and potential for designing and improving technologies.
• they, too, are engineers.

As youths work through their engineering design challenges, they will have the
opportunity to build their problem solving, teamwork, communication, and creative
thinking skills.

Unit Sub-Goals
Through this unit, youths will be introduced to engineering and the Engineering Design
Process as they work together to engineer a solution to an environmental engineering
challenge. Youths will learn about stormwater runoff, and explore what technologies and
methods are used to reduce polluted runoff. Youths will collaborate to design ways to
reduce stormwater runoff in a city model. Working with models is an important sub-goal
for this unit.

By the end of the unit, youths will be ready to present what they learned about designing
urban landscapes and the engineering design process by sharing the engineering work
they have done.

Engineering Everywhere: Don’t Runoff © Museum of Science

Teacher Guide Components:
An Educator Preview with background An Activity Guide with step-by-step
information, activity timing, key concepts, instructions, including discussion
materials list, and preparation. questions, extension ideas, and tips.

Engineering Notebook pages that

Engineering Everywhere: Don’t Runoff © Museum of Science

 What You Need to Know Before Teaching an EE Unit
Engineering is fun.

fun and creative. Any time you need to solve a problem in order to reach a goal, you are
engineering.

There are no right or wrong answers.

There are often many great ways to solve the same problem. Not only is this a good
engineering lesson for the youths in your program, it’s a good life lesson.

You are a guide.

As the educator, it is your role to guide youths through these activities by encouraging them
to pursue and communicate their own ideas, even if you think they might not work. Every
problem has many possible solutions and multiple ways to reach them.

Ask questions!
Throughout the activities, you can ask questions prompting youths to share their prior

as they engineer. Asking questions like these sets your youths up to succeed and feel

It’s okay to try it out!

right alongside the youths in your program as they work through the adventures. This can
help you understand the challenges they might face.

peers by sharing their work. This gives youths the chance to discuss new ideas, think about

can help reduce competition by encouraging youths to support each other as they move
through the Engineering Design Process.
Engineering Everywhere: Don’t Runoff © Museum of Science
 Draft 1/2014

Engineering Notebooks
The Engineering Notebook is a central location for youths
to record their thoughts and ideas as they move through the
unit. Its pages guide youths through the Engineering Design

engineering work. The time youths spend with their Notebooks

during each activity will allow them to create a personalized
record of their engineering learning.

Tips and Tricks for Teaching the Unit

Post a Daily Agenda

Giving youths a sense of the day’s activity will help them to plan ahead and manage their
time.

Facilitate Teamwork
Being able to work well in teams is an important skill for any engineer. You may want to
assign team roles to help youths if they struggle with teamwork. Possible roles include:
the notetaker, the materials gatherer, the tester, and the presenter.

This unit requires a collaborative workspace. Tables, desks, and chairs should be movable
depending on the youths needs. It is a good idea to establish a materials table where you
can set up materials for the day. Then groups can be in charge of gathering their own
materials when they are ready

Engineering Everywhere: Don’t Runoff © Museum of Science

Background
Environmental Engineering
Environmental engineers focus on removing pollution from the environment, minimizing
the harmful impacts of pollution already in the environment, and preventing pollution from

Every time pollution enters an ecosystem, regardless of the type or the quantity, it has an
impact on that ecosystem. Some of these impacts are direct and easily observable, while
others are indirect, and appear slowly over time.

Environmental engineers often work alongside city planners and civil engineers to ensure
that new structures, such as roads and buildings, are constructed with minimal impact and
are designed to minimize transfer of pollutants into the environment.

Urban Runoff
and after a rainstorm. In rural landscapes, most rainwater is absorbed directly into the
landscape, with runoff occurring only when the ground is over-saturated. In urban areas,
however, the majority of rainwater becomes runoff, because it is not able to soak into the
impervious paved surfaces that are so prevalent in cities. Regardless of location, runoff

the oceans.

the surface of the city, it picks up pollutants such as garbage, oils, detergents, and animal

of an entire city will end up in the same body of water, resulting in a highly concentrated
area of pollutants. This is harmful not only to the organisms living in the water, but also to
organisms relying on the water for drinking or even recreation.

Reducing runoff in cities requires being creative about how to absorb rainwater into the
city landscape. When polluted stormwater runoff is absorbed into the ground, there are

which reduces the amount and the pace that polluted runoff can enter a body of water. In
this unit, youths explore permeable pavement technology (an absorbent pavement) and
ways to incorporate absorbent natural materials into a city landscape (parks, green roofs) to
reduce polluted runoff from entering a river at the base of a model city.

Engineering Everywhere: Don’t Runoff © Museum of Science

 Vocabulary
Constraint: A limitation or restriction of a design.

Criterion: A requirement of a design.

Environmental Engineer: Someone who uses his or her creativity and knowledge of
math, science, and natural systems to design technologies to solve problems relating to
reducing pollution in the environment.

Engineer: Someone who uses his or her creativity and knowledge of math and science
to design technologies that solve problems.

Engineering Design Process: The steps that engineers use to design technologies to
solve a problem.

Green Roof: A roof that is partially or fully covered with vegetation over layers of
material to absorb water, with a waterproof membrane on the bottom to prevent leaking.

Runoff:
rainstorm.

Permeable Pavement: An absorbent pavement allowing water to pass through it.

Pollutant: Something that contaminates the air, water, or soil of an environment.

Pollution: The introduction of pollutants into the environment.

Technology: Anything designed by humans to help solve a problem.

Engineering Everywhere: Don’t Runoff © Museum of Science

 1
Activity What is Engineering?
Overview: Youths are introduced to the Engineering Design Process as they work
Educator
Preview

together to engineer a solution to a problem.

Note to Educator: The main goal of this activity is for youths to engage in the
Engineering Design Process. In other words, the resulting towers are not the most
important part of the activity! They are simply a vehicle for getting everyone to work
together and participate in the Engineering Design Process.

Activity Timing: Activity 1 Materials

For the whole group
Identify: 5 min
Engineering Design Process poster
Investigate: 10 min
1 stuffed toy
Create: 20 min
For each group of 3-5
Test: 15 min
1 pair of scissors
1 foot of tape
60 min 1 ruler
100 index cards
21st Century Skill For each youth
Highlight: Engineering Notebook
Collaboration

Preparation (10 min)

1. Prepare the following items for each team: one foot of cellophane
tape, one pair of scissors, one ruler, 100 index cards.
2. Have the stuffed toy, a few extra index cards, and a timer readily
available.
3. Have the Engineering Design Process poster ready to post.
4. Prepare a Criteria and Constraints Chart as shown on the next
page.

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Engineering Everywhere
 Notebook Pages for Activity 1

Tower Plan

Chart for Activity 1

Criteria and Constraints Chart

Criteria Constraints
(what you must do) (limitations of the challenge)
• The tower must be at least • You are limited to one
twelve inches high. hundred index cards and 1
• The tower must support the foot of tape.
mascot. • You have 20 minutes.

© Museum of Science Don’t Runoff: Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
 1
Activity What is Engineering?
Youths will understand:
Activity
Guide

• the Engineering Design Process is an intuitive problem solving process.

• engineers use the Engineering Design Process to solve problems.
• they are engineers.

Tip: The main Identify the Problem (5 min)

goal of the What is 1. Welcome everyone to the engineering group. Let youths know you
Engineering activity have a problem for them to solve by working in engineering teams.
is for everyone 2. Explain that their program needs a mascot. Hold up the stuffed
to engage in the
animal, and explain that this is their potential new mascot.
Engineering Design
Process. In other 3. Tell the group that they are being asked to display the mascot so
words, the resulting everyone can see it as they come into the building.
towers are not the 4. Put the mascot on the ground and ask:
most important part • What is the problem with the way the mascot is now? It’s too
of the activity! They small and on the ground, it could be stepped on; you can’t see it
are simply a vehicle
for getting everyone
from a distance, etc.
to work together and • What is the problem we’re trying to solve? Display the mascot
participate in the so everyone can see it as they enter the building.
Engineering Design 5. Record their thoughts on the board.
Process. 6. Explain that since they cannot change the size of the mascot, as
engineers they will create structures that can raise the mascot.
Investigate (10 min)
1. Split everyone into teams of 3-5 and ask:
• What questions do you have before you begin working?
2. Encourage the whole group to ask questions about the criteria (what
the tower needs to do), constraints (how they are limited), and how to
evaluate success.
3. Answer the questions generated by the group. Be sure to give teams
the following information:
• Each team will get one foot of tape, one ruler, one pair of scissors,
and one hundred index cards.
• The scissors and ruler can be used as tools, but cannot be
incorporated into their design.
• The towers need to be at least twelve inches high.
• The towers need to support the weight of the mascot for 10
seconds.
• Teams will have 20 minutes to work.
• Teams can hold the mascot to get a sense of its weight, but they
may not test with the mascot during building time.
•

© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
 4. Post the Criteria and Constraints Chart.
5. Give each team a pair of scissors and 5 index cards. Give them 5
minutes to test some ideas for how they may want to use the index
cards in their structures. They may want to roll, fold, or cut the cards.
Create (20 min)
1. Pass out index cards, tape, a ruler, and scissors to each team.
2. Set the timer for 20 minutes and have teams begin building.
3. As teams work, pass around the mascot so everyone can hold it and
get a sense of its mass, but remind them they cannot test with it yet.
4. As you visit each team, ask questions like:
• How did your team come up with this design?
• Why do you think your design will work well?
• What are you doing to the cards to make them stronger?
5.
Test and Communicate (15 min)
1. When time is up, have teams step away from their own work and
observe the structures other teams created. Ask:
• What do you observe is the same about all of the designs?
Materials, shapes, etc.
• What do you observe is different about them? Different ways
of using the index cards, different heights, etc.
2. Point out that every team engineered a different solution to the same
problem. In engineering, there are always many solutions to the
same problem.
3. Have the teams watch as each team tests. Before testing, ask:
• Tell us about your design. What are its parts?
• What do you predict will happen during testing?
4. Allow a team member to place the mascot on top to see if it will hold
for at least 10 seconds.
5. Whether or not their design met the criteria, ask each team:
• How would you improve your design if you had more time?

Tip: Let teams know

1. Gather everyone around the Engineering Design Process poster.
that they will be 2. Explain that engineers use a process called the Engineering Design
engineering towers Process to help them solve problems. Ask:
later in the unit, and • How did your team use these steps as you engineered your
they should think back tower?
to what worked well
for example: we used the Imagine step when we brainstormed.
and what didn’t work
well in this activity to • Which, if any, steps did you use more than once?
help them get started. • What do you think would happen if you skipped a step?
3. Explain that they will continue to use the Engineering Design Process
to guide their engineering work throughout the unit.
4. Tower Plan in their Engineering Notebooks,
which they will refer back to in another activity.
© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape
Engineering Everywhere
Activity
2 The Pollution Solution Educator
Preview

Overview: Youths will be introduced to the problem they will be working to solve: how
can we keep polluted runoff out of a clean river?

Note to Educator: Engineers are people who design and improve technologies in order
to solve problems or meet needs in their communities, such as preventing pollution from
contaminating local waterways. Be sure to save the City Pollution Chart and the model city
for use in later activities.

Activity Timing: Activity 2 Materials

For the whole group
Identify: 20 min
Engineering Everywhere Special Report video
City Planning: 10 min
Model city (see preparation below)
Pollutants: 5 min
plastic sequins
Polluting: 10 min
food coloring
cardboard sheet
50 min dish soap
sprinkles
21st Century Skill permanent marker
Highlight: aluminum foil
Critical thinking duct tape
spray bottle
foil tray
2 cups, 3 oz.
3 boxes

For each youth

Engineering Notebook

Activity 2 Preparation (15 min)

1. Have the video ready to play. You can also access it from http://
www.eie.org/engineering-everywhere/curriculum-units/dont-runoff
2. Post the Engineering Design Process poster.
3. Make & set up the model city - see directions in this guide.
4. Prepare a City Pollution Chart as shown on the next page.
5. Fill the spray bottle with water.

© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
 Notebook Pages for Activity 2

City Snapshots City Snapshots

Charts for Activity 2

City Pollution Chart
City Pollution Chart
Item Pollutant Location in City Amount

© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
Activity
2 The Pollution Solution Activity
Guide

Youths will understand:

• engineers design technologies.
• their main challenge in this unit is to design a model city to help prevent runoff.

Identify the Problem (20 min)

1. Tell youths that today they will Identify and start Investigating their
challenge.
2. Explain that for the rest of the unit they will work as groups of
environmental engineers to create technologies to solve a problem.
The problem is connected to pollution and runoff, and it affects
people living everywhere in the world. Ask:
• What comes to mind when you hear the word pollution?
Encourage all answers.
• Have you heard the term runoff? What do you think it means?
For now, accept all answers.
3. Show everyone the Engineering Design Process. Ask:
•
order to solve the problem? Identify the problem.
4. Tell everyone you have a Special Report that will give them more
information about their challenge. As youths watch the video, they
should consider how runoff affects everyone in the world.
Tip: Some of the 5. Play Engineering Everywhere Special Report video (11:40 min),
technologies are http://www.eie.org/engineering-everywhere/curriculum-units/dont-
described as follows: runoff.
porous pavers:
6. After, to check for understanding, ask:
covers walkways, with • How did the video describe storm water runoff? Water from
spaces between the rain that runs across driveways and roads and eventually goes
pavers that water can into rivers and oceans.
be absorbed in the • What are some technologies environmental engineers have
spaces but is easy to
designed to help reduce pollutants in runoff? Porous pavers,
walk over.
trenches, vegetated swales, storm water planters.
• What are some advantages of running a pilot program? You
gravel and sandy soil can try and new project and monitor the results to make sure it
that water can easily has the desired effects, you can use successes and failures from
other pilot programs to decide what to try next.
vegetated swales:
• While this report focuses on the Charles River in Boston,
designed to carry how might this issue affect everyone living in the world?
water slowly and allow Everyone needs clean water; dirty runoff pollutes water that we
drink and affects the ecosystem.
plants and the ground. 7. Tell youths they will get the chance to engineer technologies to help

© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
 solve this problem throughout the unit.
City Planning (10 min)
1. Show youths the model city that will help them identify problems
Tip: If youths are caused by polluted runoff. Explain that as environmental engineers,
unfamiliar with they will use an established city model, since many cities need
models, tell them to reduce runoff in an already existing set up to determine how to
models represent reduce runoff.
something else; either
an object, part of an
2. Today they will be using one model as a whole group. Ask:
object, or system. • What do you notice about the surface of this model? It is foil,
and it is smooth.
• How does this surface contribute to the runoff problem? All of
the water runs off of it; no water can soak in.
3. Have youths look at the images on City Snapshots, pp. 2-3 in their
Engineering Notebooks. Ask:
• What do you notice about the surfaces of these cities? They
are mostly paved, and smooth with no holes.
• How do you think these paved surfaces are similar to the foil
in our model? All of the water runs off of it; no water can soak in.
Introducing the Pollutants (5 min)
1. Ask youths if they remember any of the pollutants from the video or if
they have seen any pollutants in real life.
2. Show everyone the model pollutants they will use in their city model:
food coloring, dish soap, sprinkles, and plastic sequins.
3. Divide everyone into four Pollution Research Groups and assign
each group one of the items.
4. Give each group a few minutes to think about which pollutants their
Tip: Other possible item could best represent. For example, the plastic sequins might
pollutants groups represent plastic bags or they might represent discarded food.
could chose to
represent include Pollute the City (10 min)
plastics, chemicals, or 1. Gather youths around one city model and invite each Pollution
animal waste. Research Groups to share their item. Ask:
• What pollutant(s) does your item represent?
•
• How much of the material should we use to represent the
pollutant in each spot of the city?
2. Write responses on the City Pollution Chart. Tell groups that the
placement and amount of pollutants decided on today will be what is
used as they test their own city models in later activities.
3. As each group presents, have them add their pollutant to the model
by sprinkling it over the city or placing it in areas of the city they

4. Once everyone has added their pollutant, tell them they are going to
spray water over the city to see what happens during a rainstorm.
5.
© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape
Engineering Everywhere
 a tilt). Tell everyone the foil tray represents a river of clean water that
Ask:
• What do you predict will happen? Why do you think so?
6. Have volunteers switch off to spray a steady rain onto the city for 30
seconds. Ask:
• What do you notice? The water is running over the surface of
the city. It is picking up pollutants and carrying them into the river,
making the river water dirty.
7. Tell youths that the water they see running over the surface of the
city is runoff. Ask:
• How do you think this runoff might affect the model city?
It pollutes the river, so it might harm the plants and animals in
the river, it could affect the people who use the river for water or
recreation.

1. Tell youths they are going to work together to engineer an urban Tip: To clean up, wipe
landscape made of buildings, roads, and open spaces that will keep down the model with
polluted runoff out of the clean river. Ask: a paper towel. The
polluted water can
• What step of the Engineering Design Process did we use be strained through a
today to get us started solving this problem? Identify and paper towel or strainer
Investigate. and then rinsed down
2. Encourage youths to look for examples of runoff reducing the sink.
technologies around their program site, school, and homes.

© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
Activity
2 Making the Model City
Step 1

• Cover one side of the cardboard with foil.

You might about 12” of foil for this.
• Attach the foil on the back of the
cardboard with duct tape.

Step 2

• Cover the boxes (buildings) with foil.

• Try to keep the top and sides smooth. It is
okay if the bottom is uneven.

Top Bottom
Step 3

• Attach the buildings onto the board with duct tape in the spots shown below.
• Use a permanent marker to draw in the road, parking lots, and sidewalk.

Top of the Hill

Open Space

Building

Building

Road
Parking
Lot
Building

River

© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
Activity
2 Setting Up the Model City
Set up the city model

Cut an 8” piece of aluminum foil in half.

Cover two cups with each piece of foil.
Place the cups near the middle of the foil tray.

Lean the city model on the edge of the foil tray and on the two cups.
Fill the foil tray with 1/2” of water.

© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
Activity
3 Green Possibilities Educator
Preview

Overview: Youths create their own green roofs and investigate the properties of natural
materials.

Note to Educator: Although pollutants are always somewhat harmful, it is possible to

reduce the harm by spreading certain pollutants out over a large area and allowing them to

them less harmful to the environment than if the pollutants travelled directly into bodies of
water, where they become concentrated and more dangerous.

Activity Timing: Activity 3 Materials

For the whole group For each group of 3-5
Intro: 5 min
Engineering Design Process 1 foil tray
Activity: 35 min
poster 1 foot of foil
Green Roofs video link tape
50 min gravel
potting soil For each youth
21st Century Skill sand Engineering Notebook
Highlight: sphagnum moss
Critical thinking paper towels (for clean up)
Creativity
1 spray bottle
4 measuring cups, 1 cup

Activity 3 Preparation (15 min)

1. Post the Engineering Design Process poster.
2. Have Green Roofs ready to play. You can access it from http://
tinyurl.com/7famxtv.
3. Have water available.

© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
 Notebook Pages for Activity 3

Green Roofs Article Green Roofs Article, cont.

Green Roofs Think About It

© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
Activity
3 Green Possibilities Activity
Guide

Youths will understand:

• the properties of natural materials can help reduce runoff.
• green roofs are a technology they can use in their model city.

Introduce the Challenge (5 min)

1. Ask youths if anyone noticed any runoff reducing technologies since
the last activity. Encourage youths to share what they observed.
2. Tell youths that today they will be exploring natural materials to help
reduce runoff. Remind youths that their job is to engineer an urban
landscape that can keep polluted runoff out of the river. Ask:
• What happened to the pollutants on the model city when we
created a rainstorm last time? They went into the river.
• What does the foil on the city model represent? Pavement.
• If we were to replace paved surfaces with a different material,
what material would you choose and why? Accept all
responses.
3. Tell youths that some natural materials can break down pollutants,
making them less harmful to the environment than if the pollutants
travel directly into bodies of water.
4. Explain that today groups will engineer towers with green roofs. Ask:
• What do you know about green roofs, or what do you think
they are? Encourage all answers.
5. Green
Roofs, or have youths read the article in their Engineering
Notebooks.
6. To check for understanding, ask:
• How does green roof technology help reduce runoff? They
have absorbent materials on top and a water repelling material
underneath.
7. Tell the group that they will get the chance to engineer a model
building with a green roof that reduces runoff.
Engineering Green Roofs (35 min)
Tip: Sphagnum moss
1. Explain that this challenge comes in two parts:
is pronounced: sfag- • engineer a model building at least nine inches high
numb. • engineer a roof for the building that reduces runoff by absorbing
water
2. Show youths the materials they can use in their green roof: gravel,
potting soil, sand, and sphagnum moss. Ask:
• How might these materials help reduce runoff? They might
absorb the water, like a sponge.
3.
© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape
Engineering Everywhere
 foil, and a roll of tape. For the rooftop, groups may use unlimited
amounts of the soil, gravel, moss, and sand.
4. Have groups turn back to their Engineering Notebook, p. 2, and
review their notes from their tower designs. Explain that today they
will be engineering towers that are 9 inches high. Ask:
• What worked well last time you engineered a tower?
5. Explain that to test, groups will add one cup of water to their rooftop
and check to make sure it is all absorbed (none runs off). The
building also needs to support the weight of the saturated green roof.
6. Tell groups they should build and test their building in a foil tray, to
catch any potential runoff.
7.
get their
supplies and start building.
8. As groups are working, circulate to each group and ask questions
like:
• What types of materials are you using? Are they working like
you thought they would?
• What is working well about your design?
• What is not working well?
9.

1. Invite groups to share their designs. Encourage them to share what

materials they chose, why they chose them, and their results. Ask:
• Which natural material do you think works best to reduce
runoff? Why do you think so? Encourage groups to use data
from their investigation to help them support their response.
2. Revisit City Snapshots. Ask:
• What do you think the impact would be of adding green roofs
to all the buildings you see? Encourage all answers.
3. Show everyone the Engineering Design Process poster. Ask:
• What step of the Engineering Design Process do you think
we used today? Investigate and Imagine.
4. Let everyone know that next time, they will continue using the
Investigate step of the Engineering Design Process to explore ways
to improve pavement so that it can help reduce runoff.
5. Give youths a few minutes to add notes to Think About It in their
Notebooks. Remind groups that they can use these ideas as they
start working with their model cities.
6.
any materials that can be reused next time.

© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
Activity
4 Passing Through Educator
Preview

Overview: Youths investigate permeable pavement technology by designing permeable

pavement to meet certain criteria.

Note to Educator: Permeable pavement refers to any paved surface that allows water
to pass through it. Permeable pavement is engineered so that water can be absorbed into

different types of permeable pavement, ranging from brick roads and tiled walkways to
specially-processed cement that can be used on regular roads.

Activity Timing: Activity 3 Materials

For the whole group For each group of 3-5
Intro: 5 min
Engineering Design Process large foil tray
Challenge: 10 min
poster small foil tray
Investigate: 25 min
cheesecloth scissors
Communicate: 10 min
screen ruler
City Example: 10 min
2 wind up toys For each youth
60 min foil Engineering Notebook
4 spray bottles
21st Century Skill craft foam
Highlight: sponges
Creativity felt
cups, 8 oz.
cotton balls
paperclips

Activity 3 Preparation (15 min)

1. Post the Engineering Design Process poster.
2. Have Green City, Clean Waters ready to play. You can access it
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xglzNrnJ0Gc.
3. Prepare the Criteria and Constraints Chart as shown on the next
page.
4. Set up an Investigation Station with the materials above.
5. Fill the spray bottles with water.

© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
 Notebook Pages for Activity 4

Investigate: Permeable Pavement Think About It

Chart for Activity 4

Criteria and Constraints Chart

Criteria Constraints
The pavement must absorb water.

The pavement must be smooth You have a budget of $200.00

enough for people to use for
walking and driving.

© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
Activity
4 Passing Through Activity
Guide

Youths will understand:

• they can use the Investigate step of the Engineering Design Process to explore how
permeable pavement can absorb water and help reduce runoff.
• it is important to think about both criteria and constraints when engineering a
technology.

Set the Stage (5 min)

1. To review, ask:
• What is the environmental engineering problem we are trying
to solve? We need to keep polluted runoff from entering the river
in our model city.
• What did we Investigate last time? We investigated green roofs
and how natural materials might absorb water and reduce runoff.
2. Tell youths that today they are going to use the Investigate step of
the Engineering Design Process to investigate a technology called
permeable pavement. Ask:
• Why is it useful to have paved areas in cities?
and smooth so people can walk, bike, and drive on it.
• How do paved areas add to the runoff problem? The water
runs off paved surfaces; it doesn’t sink in.
3. Remind youths that in the Special Report video, Kate Bowditch said
you need to balance nature and the needs of people. An example
of this was permeable pavement. It is a type of pavement that is
Explanation of the engineered to let water pass through, so it can be absorbed by the
Permeable Pavement ground underneath.
Criteria:
1. The pavement Present the Challenge (10 min)
must absorb 1. Post the Criteria and Constraints Chart. You may want to remind
water. The more youths that criteria are requirements, while constraints are limitations.
water it absorbs or
2. For each item, ask:
lets through into
the ground, the • Why do you think this criterion is important? See the sidebar
less water runs for possible responses.
off. • How do you think the cost constraint will affect your work?
2. The pavement We have to balance how well a material works with cost.
must be smooth 3. Show youths a small foil tray. Tell them that today they will use the
enough for
people to use
tray to hold their pavement.
for walking and 4. Show youths the paving materials they can use. Have them turn to
driving. People Investigate: Permeable Pavement the
still need to be price list of all of the materials.
able to use the 5. Tell groups they can lay the paving materials in their foil tray however
pavement for safe
they would like to try to meet all of the criteria and constraints.
walking, biking,
and driving. 6. Review the testing procedure. To test, groups should:

© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
 • Place the small foil tray into the large foil tray to catch extra water.
• Test the usability of the pavement by seeing whether a wind-up
toy can walk on their pavement in a straight line.
• Spray the pavement with 20 squirts of water.
Note: Groups will • Wait 20 seconds. Record how well the water soaks in.
have to share the
wind-up toys! Investigate (25 min)
1. Split everyone into Investigation Groups of 3-5.
2. Give groups 25 minutes to investigate permeable pavement and test
their designs. As groups work, check in and ask:
• What step of the Engineering Design Process are you using
right now? How do you know?
• How well does your permeable pavement design meet the
criteria on the chart?
3. Let groups know when they have 10 minutes left, 5 minutes left, etc.
Communicate (10 min)
1. Tell teams it is time for them to share their work with everyone else!
2. Have each group share. Ask questions like:
• Which materials did you use? How well did they absorb
water?
3. Gather youths around the Engineering Design Process poster. Ask:
• How did you use the steps of the Engineering Design
Process to guide your work?
• How can we, as environmental engineers, use what we
learned in our Investigations to keep polluted runoff out of
the river? We can make the roads and other paved areas more
absorbent so that less water runs off. We can put in permeable
pavement and replace some paved areas with natural materials.
4. Revisit City Snapshots. Ask:
• What do you think the impact would be of changing the
pavement with permeable pavement? Encourage all answers.
5. Give youths a few minutes to record their ideas on Think About It in
their Notebooks. Groups will be able to refer to their notes when they
are engineering their urban landscape.
6. Tell everyone that next time, they will continue using the Engineering
Design Process to Imagine, Plan, Create, and Test technologies to
keep polluted runoff out of the river.
Tip: To reuse the Real Life Runoff: Philadelphia (10 min)
gravel for later
1. Explain to youths that cities all over the world are dealing with issues
activities, rinse it and
leave it out to dry. The connected to runoff. Philadelphia is one city that has come up with a
sand, potting soil, and project called Green City, Clean Waters. The project is a 25-year plan
moss can be left out to reduce polluted runoff and protect their watershed.
to dry as well, as long 2. Show youths the Green City, Clean Waters video. After, ask what
as they are exposed they noticed about the technologies used in this effort. Let youths
to circulating air.
know they will discuss this project in later activities.
© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape
Engineering Everywhere
Activity
5 Creating an Urban Landscape Educator
Preview

Overview: Youths work in engineering teams to Plan, Create, and Test a solution to their
environmental engineering challenge of preventing storm runoff.

Note to Educator: Be sure to save the designs groups engineer for the next activity.
You may want to have the model city from Activity 1 available for groups to reference as
they make their model cities. In the next activity, you may want groups to continue using
their own city models, or combine the best of their ideas and make one city model. Let
youths know which option you chose early in this activity.

Activity Timing: Activity 5 Materials

For the whole group craft sticks
Introduction: 5 min
Engineering Design Process cups, 8 oz
Make Models: 30 min
poster cotton balls
Plan: 5 min
City Pollution Chart from straws
Create/Test: 15 min
Activity 2 400 index cards
gravel 500 bingo chips
60 min potting soil coffee stirrers
sand paperclips
21st Century Skill sphagnum moss sequins
Highlight: dish soap For each group of 3-5
Creativity food coloring foil tray
sprinkles scissors
paper towel roll masking tape
cheesecloth ruler
screen 11” x 17” cardboard
2 wind up toys 2 cups, 3 oz.
permanent markers 3 boxes
duct tape For each youth
foil Engineering Notebook
4 spray bottles
craft foam
sheets of chipboard
sponges
felt

© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
Activity 5 Preparation (15 min)
1. Post the Engineering Design Process poster.
2. Have Green Water Infrastructure Tools page ready to review. You can access it from http://
tinyurl.com/lpqpx4f.
3. Set up a Materials Store with the materials listed.
4. Fill the spray bottles with water.
5. Fill each group’s foil tray with 1/2” of water.

Notebook Pages for Activity 5

How to Make the Model City How to Make the Foil Tray

Plan Create and Test

© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
Activity
5 Creating an Urban Landscape Activity
Guide

Youths will understand:

• they can use the Plan, Create, and Test steps of the Engineering Design Process to
help them solve problems.
• spending time developing a plan can help them effectively balance criteria and
constraints in their designs.

Tip: As a reminder Set the Stage (5 min)

of what models are 1. Congratulate youths on their investigations so far! They’ve used the
and why they are
useful, you may want information about how to reduce urban runoff. Ask:
to ask youths why
• Who/what is affected by runoff? Rivers and bodies of water
they think they will be
using models to test become polluted and that can impact the people, animals, and
instead of a real city. plants that use the water.
Models are smaller 2. Tell youths that groups will work on two projects today. First, each
group will create their model city. Then, they will work to engineer
you can control more different ways to prevent runoff in their city.
variables, etc.
3. Remind groups that their city model will be on a hill (the board is
tilted into the large foil tray) and the river is at the bottom of the hill
(represented by the large foil tray). They will prop the model on two
small cups to make sure the city is not sitting directly in the river.
4. Have youths share what they have already Investigated in previous
activities to help reduce polluted runoff. They may talk about how
natural materials can absorb pollutants and slow down water, or
technologies that can reduce runoff, such as green roofs, permeable
pavement, swales, and storm water planters are technologies that
can reduce runoff.
Making the Model City (20 min)
1. Have youths split into groups of 3-5.
2. Explain that as environmental engineers, they are trying to reduce
runoff in an existing city. Have groups open their Notebooks to see
the city plan for which they will create a model.
3. Tell groups they have 20 minutes to create their models.
4.
groups that they want the foil to be as smooth as possible on the top
and sides of the buildings.
Investigate and Plan for the City (15 min)
1. Once all groups have created their base model, tell everyone
that they will use the Imagine, Plan, Create, and Test steps of the
Engineering Design Process to engineer solutions to reduce runoff in
their model city. Ask:
• What are some of the technologies we have explored that
© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape
Engineering Everywhere
 might help us? Green roofs, permeable pavement, adding more
plants, etc.
2. Explain that, as engineers, they will need to submit a plan before they
Tip: As an alternative can get their materials and start their tests.
to looking at the 3. Before they Plan with their groups, they are going to quickly revisit
Green City, Clean
Philadelphia’s Green City, Clean Waters project. Remind youths that
Waters website, you
may want to bring in the Special Report, Kate Bowditch explained it was important to
youths on a quick tour see what others are doing.
of the program site 4. Show youths the Green Water Infrastructure Tools page. If there
to see what runoff are multiple computers, encourage small groups to look over the
reducing technologies overview page and see if there are any additional technologies they
want to use in their model city. They may want to see what they can

Tip: Let groups know 5. Have youths turn to Plan in their Notebooks. Point out the Price
that they can place List on that page and let teams know they have a budget of$500
materials in a foil unit to reduce runoff in their model city.
and then attach the
6. Let groups know if they want to make permeable pavement, they will
units to the model city,
or create barriers with need to set it in a tray. There are directions for how to make a foil tray
materials, such as in their Engineering Notebooks.
straws or craft sticks. 7. Give groups a few minutes to Plan. Encourage groups to use data
from their Engineering Notebooks to help them decide on materials
Tip: You may want to and keep track of their budget.
have groups present
their Plan for approval Create and Test (15 min)
before collecting their
1. Tell groups they will have 15 minutes to create and test their design.
materials.
Have groups look at the Pollution Meter of their Engineering
Notebooks. They will use this meter to help them evaluate the
success of their designs.
2. Remind groups that in Activity 2, each Pollution Research Group
decided which pollutant their material represented, and where it was
likely to be found in the city. They will use this to pollute each model
city.
3. When groups are ready to test, they should place each pollutant on
their model following the amount and location they decided on and
recorded on the City Pollution Chart.
4. Tell groups they can use Create and Test in their Notebooks to keep
track of their designs.
5. As groups create and test, ask questions like:
• Can you tell me about the parts of your design?
• What parts are working well? What parts are not working so
well?
• How are you keeping track of your work so you can share
your ideas later?
6. Let groups know when there are 10 min left, 5 min left, etc.
Encourage groups to take the last few minutes to record their work in
their Engineering Notebooks, if they haven’t been doing so already.
© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape
Engineering Everywhere
 Tip: To clean up, wipe
1. Gather everyone around the Engineering Design Process poster. down the model with
Have youths think about which steps of the process they used a paper towel. The
today, and in what order. polluted water can
be strained through a
2. Have a few volunteers share their process. Ask:
paper towel or strainer
• What are similar ways about how everyone used this and then rinsed down
process? the sink.
• What is different about how everyone used this process?
3. Enlist everyone’s help in cleaning up the space. Groups should keep Tip: To reuse the
their designs intact so they can Improve them later, but everything gravel for later
activities, rinse it and
else can be cleaned up and materials returned to the Materials leave it out to dry. The
Store. Let groups know they may have to remake parts of their sand, potting soil, and
model in the next activity. moss can be left out
4. Give youths a few minutes to consider how they would like to to dry as well, as long
Improve their technology next time on Create and Test. If the group as they are exposed
to circulating air.
will make one city model in the next activity, have the whole group
discuss which technologies they think worked best when placed in
a particular part of the city model.

© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
Activity
6 Improving an Urban Landscape Educator
Preview

Overview: Groups will improve their designs to better meet the criteria.

Note to Educator: Be sure to save the designs groups engineer for the Engineering
Showcase in Activity 6. If you would like to have the whole group make one city model,
start by reviewing the technologies that groups felt worked best to reduce runoff in the
previous activity. The whole group should decide how they want to incorporate these
technologies into one design.

Activity Timing: Activity 6 Materials

For the whole group sponges
Intro: 5 min
Engineering Design Process felt
Plan: 10 min
poster craft sticks
Improve: 35 min
City Pollution Chart cups, 8 oz.
Communicate: 10 min
cotton balls
60 min gravel straws
potting soil 400 index cards
21st Century Skill sand 500 bingo chips
Highlight: sphagnum moss coffee stirrers
Collaboration paperclips
dish soap
food coloring sequins
sprinkles For each group of 3-5
paper towel roll 1 foil tray
cheesecloth scissors
screen masking tape
2 wind up toys rubber ducky
permanent markers ruler
duct tape sticky notes
foil city model from Activity 5
4 spray bottles 2 cups, 3 oz.
craft foam For each youth
sheets of chipboard Engineering Notebook

© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
Activity 5 Preparation (15 min)
1. Post the Engineering Design Process poster.
2. Have each team’s model city available.
3. Set up a Materials Store with the materials listed.
4. Fill the spray bottles with water.
5. Fill each group’s foil tray with 1/2” of water.
6. Post the City Pollution Chart from Activity 5.
7. Copy the Engineering Showcase Invitation for youths to take home.

Notebook Pages for Activity 6

Improve The Engineering Design Process

Chart for Activity 6

City Pollution Chart (from Activity 5)
City Pollution Chart
Item Pollutant Location in City Amount

© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
Activity
6 Improving an Urban Landscape Activity
Guide

Youths will understand:

• they can use the Improve step of the Engineering Design Process to adjust their
designs.
• they can practice using the Communicate step and improve how they talk about their
work.

Set the Stage (5 min)

1. Have youths sit in their engineering groups. Explain that they will
have 30 minutes to focus on improving their designs from last time.
Ask:
• What worked well in your design last time?
• What are some things that you plan to improve today?
Encourage other groups to share ideas about how groups that are
struggling could improve their designs.
• Were there any ideas from the Philadelphia project or other
runoff reducing technologies you have seen around you that
you are incorporating into your design?
2. Tell groups that they can choose to add two additional elements to
their testing during the Showcase: oil (as an additional pollutant) and
animals in the river (in the form of a duck). Ask:
• Why do you think it might be important to add animals to the
river in our model? It is realistic since there are animals in the
river, we can see whether the pollutants reach the animals, etc.
•
much oil should be used when testing? Encourage youths to
determine the placement of oil, and how much to add (you may
want to suggest 4-5 drops or a teaspoon). This can be added to
the City Pollution Chart.
3. Remind groups that the next step of the Engineering Design Process
is Communicate. As part of the Engineering Showcase, they will do
Tip: If there is
computer access 4. Stress the importance of keeping track of their improvements. Ask:
and youths would
•
like to review more
information about the communicate about what you have done?
Philadelphia Green
City, Clean Waters
Plan (15 min)
project, encourage 1. Encourage groups to look through their Engineering Notebooks and
them to do some
research. They may 2. Give groups 10 minutes to Plan their improvements, and remake any
want to research other part of their city that was ruined from the last time they tested. They
cities efforts to reduce
may need to remake some foil trays, barriers, or wipe down the foil.
runoff as well.
Groups may also want to replace the piece of foil on the cardboard,

© Museum of Science Engineering an Urban Landscape

Engineering Everywhere
 drawing the roads and reattaching the buildings.
Improve (30 min)
1. Tell groups they have 30 minutes to improve the runoff solutions they
engineered.
2. Groups should keep track of their work on Improve in their
Notebooks, and update their budget as they change materials.
3. While groups improve, ask questions like:
• Can you tell me about your design?
• What did you change from last time?
• What parts are working well? What parts need improvement?
•
your ideas with the group later?
Reflect (10 min)
1. Encourage a few groups share their work. Ask:
•
1. Have youths think about the oil and duck they can incorporate into
their city model when they test at the Showcase. Ask:
• Do you think your technologies will stop the oil from
reaching the river?
•

the city?
2. Pass out a set of sticky notes to each group.
3. Give groups 5-10 minutes to write down how they used each step of
the Engineering Design Process on a sticky note.
4. When groups are done, have them post their sticky notes on the
Engineering Design Process poster next to the appropriate steps.

• What step did was used the most? Why do you think so?
•
5. Gather everyone in a circle and congratulate everyone on their
engineering work!
6. Point out the Improve Results in the Engineering Notebook. Remind
youths that there is always room for improvement, and encourage them
to think about what they would do if they had more time with the
challenge.
7. Give youths a few minutes to complete the
the completed at the
beginning of the session to have grown as engineers.

Engineering an Urban Landscape