Alternative Learning Place

The Drought Project is an ALP project in the engineering curriculum that requires students to make a working model of a town, a river, a lake, and a dam. It concludes with a culminating event in which the student teams present and demonstrate their working town, river, and dam models for the town mayor and guests.

The Airshow Project is an ALP project in the engineering curriculum that requires students to make model aircraft for a class airshow. It concludes with a culminating event in which the student teams present and fly their final aircraft in four different airshow events for guests.

The Junkyard Machine Project is an ALP project in the engineering curriculum that requires students to design a machine for a fictional junkyard called Junkster that can perform a number of functions required by a junkyard, and overcome a number of the obstacles in a junkyard. They build and test the crane in parts, achieving one or two of the success criteria in each activity.

It concludes with a culminating event where the student teams test out their cranes and justify their choices for their final machine to the owner of the company. The presentations are evaluated by the teacher and the owner of Junkster and student teams receive feedback from both.

The Wind Powered Vehicle Project is an ALP project in the engineering curriculum that requires students to design a wind powered vehicle. To solve the problem, students experiment by testing sail parameters and cab parameters of land and air wind powered vehicles. It concludes with a culminating event where the student teams test out their wind powered vehicles and justify their choices for their final vehicle to an audience of parents and guests.

The Dinosaur Project is an ALP project in the engineering curriculum that requires students to desing a 'super dinosaur' and then make a model to illustrate its features. To design and create a 'super dinosaur,' one that will survive in most situations, students research dinosaurs and scenarios they encountered, in order to learn what features, traits, or behaviors allow for superior survival, and in what environments. It concludes with a culminating event in which the student teams present their final 'super dinosaur' and environment and explain the process they followed to guests.

The River Crossing Project is an ALP project in the engineering curriculum that requires students to find a way to stop the people from a fictional town called Overville from leaving to move to the next town. Overville is a small, pretty town on one side of a wide, fast flowing river. To solve the problem, students experiment by designing, building and testing bridges that can hold as much width as possible for Overville. It concludes with a culminating event where the student teams test their final bridges and explain the process they followed to guests and the Mayor of Overville.

The Train Project is an ALP project in the engineering curriculum that requires students to help the Mayor of a town called Newville plan a new monorail train line for the town. To solve the problem, student teams build a model of Newville and plan where the train tracks could go in line with criteria they are presented. They then build a monorail track and a train that can be pushed or pulled along the track without tipping over or falling off the rail, and make a schedule for the train. It concludes with a culminating event where the student teams present their models and explain the process they followed to guests and the Mayor of Newville.

The Reaction Challenge Project is an ALP project in the engineering curriculum that has two challenges in which student teams compete. The first challenge is to use a reaction, vinegar and baking soda to make carbon dioxide, to fill a balloon the most. The second challenge is to use the reaction to create foam in a race up a clear plastic tube. It concludes with a culminating event where the student teams share their challenge setups, what they learned, and a slideshow with guests.

The Chocolate Project is an ALP project in the engineering curriculum that requires students to design and make a unique chocolate bar and double wrapper for children aged 5-10 at the request of Chocolate Delight, a chocolate bar company which wants to improve its sales to that age group. To solve the problem, students experiment by making chocolate bars containing different unique ingredients until they make one that they think children aged 5-10 will like. They then design an inner and an outer chocolate wrapper for their unique chocolate bar.

It concludes with a culminating event where the student teams present their final chocolate bars and explain the process they followed to guests and to a representative from the Chocolate Delight company, who will evaluate and provide feedback on the students’ work, taking student ideas to use on the company’s problem.

The Safe Landing Project is an ALP project in the engineering curriculum that requires students to find a way to safely land a fragile package of food and medical supplies in Peak Town. Peak Town is a fictional town in the mountains, which was cut off when the bridge, the only way in and out of the town, was destroyed in a storm. To solve the problem, students experiment by making and testing parachutes for eggs. They test the size, shape and material of the canopy, and the length of the parachute strings. They also test out soft wrapping materials to provide additional protection, and a harness to keep the parachute securely attached.

It concludes with a culminating event where the student teams drop their final parachutes and explain the process they followed to guests.

The Scratch Project is an ALP project in the engineering curriculum that requires students to make an animation to be played to an audience at the end of the project. The animation must tell a story. To complete the challenge, students write stories, storyboard them and follow the storyboards to animate their stories in Scratch, a free animation software. It concludes with a culminating event where the student teams play their animations to an audience.

The Boat Project is an ALP project in the engineering curriculum that requires students to design a cruise boat for a fictional cruise ship company called CruiseLiner. The boat needs to move quickly and be able to carry a swimming pool without spilling water in stormy seas, and as many people as possible. It needs to be light width to be efficient. To solve the problem, students experiment by making and testing boats. They test different sizes, shapes and materials of boats, and sizes, shapes, materials and positions of propellers to make their boats move. It concludes with a culminating event where the student teams test out their final boats on tanks of water and explain the process they followed to the owner of the CruiseLiner company.

The Rocket Project is an ALP project in the engineering curriculum that requires students to design a rocket for a rocket event. The event is to see which team’s rocket can stay airborne the longest. To prepare for the event, students experiment by making rockets of different designs until they believe they have a rocket ready for the event. It concludes with a culminating event in which student teams present their final rocket and explain the process they followed to guests and then hold their rocket event.

The Car Project is an ALP project in the engineering curriculum that requires students to design, build, and test a model car for a race on an inclined track. The second part of the project requires students to design, build and test a push car for a team relay race. To prepare for the events, students experiment by making model cars and push cars of different designs until they believe they have a car ready for each event.

There is a model car race part way through the project where the teams will present their cars and their thinking as well as race. The project concludes with a culminating event where the student teams present their push car, explain to guests their design and build process, and then hold their push car relay race.