Fast Start - Course for High School Students

*Affiliated with University of Michigan, unless otherwise noted. 
 
Course Instructors

• Jose Alfaro
• Brieland Jones
• Mim Jones
• David Johnson
• Sibu Kuruvilla
• Alberto Lozano
• Aisha Moinuddin
• Sarah Scott
• Ryan Smith
• Brian Wybrecht

Other Contributors

• Sara Rimer
• Bonnie Shirley
• Emily Zimmerman
• Lindy Alfaro
• Lauren Stadler

Authors of Course Manual
Engineering and Agriculture

• Sahitya Reddivari
• Sibu Kuruvilla

Exploratory Lab

• Brieland Jones
• Mim Jones
• David R. Johnson

Computers

• Brian Wybrecht
• Alberto Lozano

Hands-On Lab

• Jose Alfaro
• Sibu Kuruvilla

Life Skills

• Aisha Moinuddin
• Sarah Scott

English

• Sarah Scott
• David R. Johnson
• Ryan Smith

Formatting of Document

• Lorien Hou
• Kathleen Omollo

The Fast Start program includes the following course topics:

• Engineering and Agriculture
• Exploratory Lab
• Computer Lab
• Hands-On Lab
• Life Skills
• English
• Math

Learning objectives, by course, are included below.
 

Engineering and Agriculture

To expose the students to the fields of engineering and agriculture, in order to convey the importance and interdependence of these fields and to initiate excitement about them. This will be done through several hands-on demonstrations, lectures, and real-life examples/problems. In-class discussions will allow the students to communicate their ideas and practice their presentation skills.

• Lesson 1: Introduction to Engineering
• Lesson 2: Introduction to Agriculture
• Lesson 3: Disciplines in Engineering
• Lesson 4: Disciplines in Agriculture
• Lesson 5: Interdependency of Engineering and Agriculture
• Lesson 6: Resources, Economics and Feasibility
• Lesson 7: Case Studies
• Lesson 8: Hands-on Exhibition

Exploratory Lab

To give students opportunities to learn about topics in food, water, and energy in light of agriculture and engineering through lessons, demonstrations, experiments, and group activities.  

• Lesson 1: Exploratory Lab - Introduction to Agriculture & Engineering
  • Understand how to apply agricultural and engineering strategies to real-world situations through hands-on activities.

• Lesson 2: Millennium Development Goals
  • Understand the relevant systems (food, water and energy) in regards to agriculture and engineering, and how to apply them to real-world situations
  • Understand the origins of, and reasons for, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
  • Be able to describe the Millennium Development Goals in their own words
  • Introduce the MDGs as a means of exploring concepts of development & sustainability
  • Understand the context for the MDGs & become familiar with the eight goals
  • Examine goal in more detail and make explicit the local-global connection 

• Lesson 3: Food (Plants, Animals & Agriculture)
  • Be able to define the term “sustainable”
  • Distinguish between the goals and the practices used to achieve the goals of sustainable agriculture and food systems
  • Demonstrate awareness of economic, environmental, and community impacts of agriculture.
  • Understand the steps in the food system between the farm and their plates and the global nature of the food system
  • Identify that machines can be used to make work progress more easily and quickly
  • Introduce the idea that some things that are considered waste can be used for alternate purposes

• Lesson 4: Water (Collection - Rain & Ground)
  • Understand the water cycle and how water can evaporate
  • Understand how this water evaporation can be collected as a water source
  • Explain how water can become a source of energy
  • Illustrate how water is stored in an aquifer
  • Show how groundwater can become contaminated, and how this contamination ends up in the drinking water well
  • Understand how what happens above the ground can potentially end up in the drinking water below the ground

• Lesson 5: Water Distribution (Purification & Irrigation)
  • Understand the process of condensation and evaporation in the purification of water
  • Understand how and why solar energy can also be used to purify water
  • Understand and develop effective water distribution strategies
  • Explore civil engineering, engineering design, planning, construction, teamwork, and working in groups.
  • Operationally define irrigation, while observing and classifying irrigation systems.
  • Infer the need for irrigation systems & describe the different types.
  • Construct a model and identify the model by observing the characteristics

• Lesson 6: Energy (Solar)
  • Review the basic needs for alternative energy sources.
  • Identify at least 3 different materials that will produce maximum heat.
  • Identify at least 3 different colors that will produce maximum heat.
  • Solve a design problem for a solar hot box.

• Lesson 7: Energy (Wind & Hydro)
  • Analyze the importance of energy and how we use energy in our daily lives
  • Describe difference between renewable and non-renewable sources of energy 

• Lesson 8: Energy (Biogas)
  • Analyze the importance of energy and how they use energy in their lives
  • Describe the difference between renewable and non-renewable energy
  • Experiment with creating and capturing biogas

Computer Lab

To introduce students to the use of computers and computer’s ability to simplify tasks of importance to engineers and agriculturalists. 

• Lesson 1: Introduction to Computers
  • Become familiarize with computers and their uses.
  • Understand the following concepts: Internet, Networks, Input Devices, Hardware, Vacuum Tubes, Transistors, Microprocessor, CPU, Software, Operating System, File System, Programs and Programming, Windows, File, Properties.

• Lesson 2: Explore office programs
  • Learn how to use basic but important Microsoft Office or Open Office software.
  • Understand the following concepts: Menu Bar, Commands, Formatting, Plot, Formulas, Template, Animation.

• Lesson 3: Typing tutor and Google SketchUp
  • Learn basic typewriting skills and drawing skills.
  • Understand the following concepts: Typing, Typewriting, Sketch, Sketching, Draw, Drawing, Software, Lines, Contour.

• Lesson 4 – Internet and introduction to programming.
  • Learn basic concepts about the Internet and programming.
  • Understand the following concepts: Internet, Intranet, Program, Programming, Search Engine, Web Page, Communication Systems

Hands-On Lab

Introduce students to the design process and allow them to practice basic science and math concepts through a Tractor Pull Competition.  

• Lesson 1: Introduction to Important Concepts
  • To become familiar with the concepts of Force, Free Body Diagram, Work, Friction, Simple Machines, and Mechanical Advantage.
• Lesson 2: Brainstorming and Design
  • To define brainstorming as a concept, understand why brainstorming is valuable, and explore techniques and rules for brainstorming.
• Lesson 3: Material Presentation and Competition Rules and Building Time
  • To allow the students to understand the materials they will be working with and their options for their use.
  • To present the rules for the Tractor Pull Competition and the use of building equipment and materials.  
• Lesson 4: Building Time
  • To allow students time to ask questions of the instructors about their design and receive help with the building process.

Life Skills

• Lesson 1: The Importance of Teamwork
  • Students will continue to develop – here more intentionally – their skills as colleagues and classmates working together towards a common goal.
• Lesson 2: The Importance of College and the Application Process
  • Students will understand why and how a college education is important to obtain. They will review the admissions requirements of a few Liberian colleges, as well as practice filling out a college application.
• Lesson 3: General Placement Tests
  • Students will gain understanding about placement and standardized tests, including what they mean, how they are structured, and why they are important.  They will also learn practical tips for successfully completing a standardized test. Finally, students will be given the opportunity to put those tips to use in a short, mock exam.
• Lesson 4: Managing Time, Study Skills and Relationships in College
  • Students will learn and share time management, study skills and relationship maintenance while in college.
• Lesson 5: Intelligence, Aptitudes, Interests and Personalities
  • Students will learn how to begin to assess their learning preferences, personal traits and qualities and how to take stock of their personal inventory/resources and career possibilities.
• Lesson 6: Relationships: Effective Communication and Fostering Valuable Connections
  • Students will practice listening and speaking in scenarios for one-on-one and small group conversations, with a focus the importance of phrasing and attitude.
• Lessons 7 and 8: Public Speaking
  • Students will learn how to deliver confident presentations and communicate effectively in front of large groups.
• Lesson 9: Effective Writing Skills: A Guide and Examples
  • Students learn how to convey their ideas, analyze what they read and hear, and present their thoughts in writing.
• Lesson 10: Putting it All Together
  • Students will evaluate what they have learned throughout this course through a well- written essay. They will then participate in activities designed to reinforce team work and community building.

English

• Lesson 1: Introducing a Classmate
  • Students will practice listening and presentation skills by introducing one of their peers to the class
• Lesson 2: Giving Expression to Your Original Thoughts
  • Students will choose an object to write about creatively and originally. This will enable them to continue to develop their skills in bringing forth original, imaginative, and innovative ideas. The goal is to get students thinking, writing, and dialoguing creatively and critically.
• Lesson 3: Reading Articles
  • Students will practice reading comprehension.
• Lesson 4: Letter Writing
  • Students will learn about different styles of speaking and writing that appropriate for various situations and contexts.
• Lesson 5: Data Collection and Write-Up
  • Students will learn to collaboratively collect data and write a short report concerning the data.
• Lesson 6: Problem Solving and Experimental Solutions
  • Students will brainstorm difficulties within their country, village, school or family and develop a solution to help solve this problem.
• Lesson 7: Reading Comprehension
  • Students will practice reading comprehension.
• Lesson 8: The Lady, or the Tiger?
  • Students will listen to the beginning of a story and develop their own ideas about the ending. 

Math

• Day 1
  • Why Math?
  • What are equations?
  • The “Language” of math
• Day 2 
  • Basic Algebra practice
• Day 3 
  • More algebra practice
  • Factoring
  • The quadratic equation
• Day 4 
  • Analytical: Turning words into pictures and equations
• Day 5
  • Graphing Equations
  • The x-y plane
  • Graphing lines
  • Making data tables
• Day 6
  • Geometry
  • Angles
  • Basics of shapes
  • Right Triangles
  • The Pythagorean Theorem
  • 3D shapes
  • Volume
• Day 7
  • Trigonometry: It’s all about Right Triangles!
  • Sine, Cosine, and Tangent
  • SOHCAHTOA
• Day 8
  • More trigonometry
  • More SOHCAHTOA practice
  • The Unit Circle
• Days 9 and 10  
  • Group Work