Lesson 1: Forensic Engineering and Teardown
Duration of Days: 3
Lesson Objective
Students will perform a physical "post-mortem" of their ROV to identify signs of wear, mechanical stress, and electrical degradation.
Where did our waterproofing fail (or almost fail)?
Looking at the "witness marks" (scratches/scuffs) on the frame, what does the wear tell us about our piloting style?
How has the pool chemistry affected our metal components (screws/washers) in just one week?
Galvanic Corrosion: An electrochemical process in which one metal corrodes preferentially when it is in electrical contact with another, in the presence of an electrolyte (pool water).
Root Cause Analysis: A method of problem-solving used for identifying the "root" of faults or problems.
Witness Marks: Physical evidence of movement or impact on a mechanical part.
Symptom vs. Cause: Distinguishing between a result (ROV veers left) and the source (left motor has internal friction).
NGSS HS-PS2-6: Communicate technical information about why molecular-level structure is important in the functioning of materials (Corrosion).
ITEEA STEL-4N: Evaluate a technological solution and make recommendations for improvement.
Description: Students carefully disassemble their ROV. They cut open their wax canisters to inspect the motors for moisture and check the PVC joints for stress fractures. They clean and dry all reusable parts for the next year’s class.
Purpose: To teach the importance of maintenance and the reality of material science in harsh environments.
DOK Level: Level 3 (Strategic Thinking). Students are not just cleaning; they are investigating. They must use the physical evidence of the teardown to draw conclusions about their design's durability.
In this course, we recognize that students enter the lab with varying levels of technical experience. Our differentiation strategy employs a 'Scaffolded Autonomy' approach. We provide structured, step-by-step guidance for foundational concepts while offering open-ended, 'Design Challenge' extensions for advanced learners. By utilizing peer-mentorship models, diverse instructional media (visual, tactile, and digital), and flexible project pathways, we ensure every student can move from consumer to creator at their own pace.
The "Maintenance Log": A checklist where students document the condition of 5 specific components (Motors, Tether, Frame, Controller, Power Leads) and rate their "Health" on a scale of 1–5.