GLIN==> IL-IN Sea Grant News: Teach engineering and math with underwater robots--SeaPerch contest starts now

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 3, 2013
Teach engineering and math with underwater robots-SeaPerch contest starts now
Urbana-Teachers in Champaign-Urbana can now apply to win educational tool kits that teach students science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts through the hands-on construction of underwater robots. Applications from teachers for grades 6-12 will be accepted until April 20.
The contest is sponsored by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) and conducted with the help of the University of Illinois Hydrosystems Laboratory. The tool kits are a part of the SeaPerch Program, which provides engineering-based materials and lesson plans to educators nationwide.
Contest winners will receive tool kits containing all the materials needed to build a simple, remotely-operated underwater vehicle (ROV). Teachers will also be given a construction guide with step-by-step building instructions. With materials in hand, educators can use corresponding lesson plans to teach students about topics such as buoyancy, propulsion, biological sampling, and circuitry as they assemble and test their ROVs. Lesson plans and other teacher resources are provided through the SeaPerch Program at www.seaperch.org/teacher_tools<http://www.seaperch.org/teacher_tools>.
"Teachers can be assured that this project aligns well with numerous standards and improves classroom teamwork while inspiring creativity," said Robin Goettel, IISG associate director for education. "This project gives students a chance to apply and test concepts they've learned in the classroom to meet a real-world engineering challenge. Their newly-gained knowledge will help them build ROVs that can successfully complete the obstacle course tasks they are given."
Students can build upon the basic ROV design and experiment with different ways to use the robots. Previous classes have added nets to collect underwater debris, installed sensors to test water characteristics, and attached webcams to get a closer look at aquatic habitats.
"We've heard from students who have already built these SeaPerch robots that it was exciting, challenging, and lots of fun," Goettel said.
Teachers can also use this project to integrate instruction in writing and public speaking with science education by attending the annual SeaPerch Challenge<http://www.seaperch.org/seaperch_challenge>. In addition to technical challenges and obstacle courses, the competition requires students to design a poster and deliver presentations explaining their ROV design and the construction process.
The contest is part of IISG's ongoing efforts to help teachers in the Great Lakes region develop real-world projects that integrate science education with other fields, particularly engineering and math.
Blake Landry, a postdoctoral research associate with the Hydrosystems Laboratory and the university's SeaPerch coordinator, has also been working with teachers in the Champaign-Urbana area since January to help integrate the SeaPerch program into their classrooms. In future years, the laboratory staff hopes to expand this effort by launching a regional SeaPerch Challenge.
For additional information about competition requirements and to apply online, visit http://goo.gl/9LFo5. Visit www.seaperch.org/index<http://www.seaperch.org/index> to learn more about the tool kits and the SeaPerch Program.
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The Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program (IISG) is one of 32 National Sea Grant College Programs. Created by Congress in 1966, Sea Grant combines university, government, business and industry expertise to address coastal and Great Lakes' needs. Funding is provided by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Purdue University at West Lafayette, Indiana. Visit the IISG blog at http://lakesideviews.blogspot.com. You can also find IISG on Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/ILINseagrant> and Twitter<https://twitter.com/ILINSeaGrant>.


Anjanette Riley
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
276 NSRC
1101 W. Peabody Dr.
Urbana, IL 61801
217-300-0407
aeriley at illinois.edu<mailto:aeriley at illinois.edu>
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