Scope. Since it's first appearance in 1991,
roughly 33,000 A World in Motion kits have been
distributed in every state and Canadian province and more
than 15 foreign countries.
Instructional Program. A World in Motion is a
set of three science-based engineering design problems
intended for grades 4, 5, and 6 that was developed for
the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). It is
available free of charge to classroom teachers who are
willing to commit to a partnership with an engineer or
scientist. For each grade, the challenge is to design,
build, and present a simple prototype; in 4th grade, a
simple skimmer that can travel over solid surfaces; in
5th grade, a derby racer; and in 6th grade, prototypes of
some simple and complex machines made from milk cartons
and other simple household products.
Instructional Materials. The materials, which
all come in one kit, include instructional materials for
both teachers and students. The design problems are such
that any additional needed materials can usually be
collected from home and school sources. In addition to
curriculum materials for the three design programs, there
are three activities related to each of five different
concepts -- 15 activities in all.
Initiating an Involvement with A World in Motion.
Teachers are often the initiators of the World in Motion
experience, getting an introductory packet, finding a
technical professional for a partner, and then applying
for a free kit. However, the initiative can also come
from a school administrator or from some technical
professional who obtains a registration packet from the
SAE office and then arranges a partnership with a
teacher.
Teachers. The kits are intended to provide
enough instructions that a teacher, with sufficient time,
can teach the unit without additional training. The
intention of the SAE is that every teacher will have a
volunteer as a partner when teaching the units.
Volunteers. The volunteers, usually engineers
from the area, are partnered with teachers. Their
contribution is through one or more visits to the
classroom, during which they discuss the various
activities with the students, ask questions, occasionally
give answers, lead discussions, and in other ways
facilitate learning. They may also help shape the
experience the children are having so that the children
produce a product for a competition (within the classroom
or possibly within the school). They participate in many
other ways and in some cases may even teach one or more
classes. In all cases, they can serve as a content
resource and can also model an engineer's approach to
problems. Before beginning their involvement in the
classrooms, volunteers receive a guide with valuable
information.
Additional Information. Teachers, school
administrators, and potential volunteers may request a
registration packet by writing to
A World in Motion
Society of Automotive Engineers
400 Commonwealth Drive
Warrendale, PA 15096
or by calling 800-457-2946 or sending e-mail to
awim@sae.org.
