Note that not all lessons and activities will exist under a unit, and instead may exist as "standalone" curriculum.
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Units serve as guides to a particular content or subject area. Nested under units are lessons (in purple) and hands-on activities (in blue).
This engineering curriculum aligns to Next Generation Science Standards ( NGSS ).
The Hoover Dam on the Colorado River.copyright
Copyright © US Bureau of Reclamation http://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/images/D001a.jpg
Human-made dams are important in our modern life. Civil engineers and city planners compare the benefits, cost and environmental impacts to determine whether a community could benefit from a dam.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
Where does your water come from? Mountains, rivers, reservoirs? What is a reservoir? A reservoir is a human-made lake created by building a dam. Why do we need dams? When you turn on a faucet at home, where does that water come from? Why is there always water coming out? There is always a supply of water because we hold water in reservoirs. To do this, we must build dams.
Why else do we build dams? (Take suggestions; write answers on the board.) Dams are important because they provide water for domestic, industry and irrigation purposes. Dams often also provide hydroelectric power production and river navigation. Domestic use includes everyday activities such as water for drinking, cooking, bathing, washing, and lawn and garden watering. Dams and their reservoirs provide recreation areas for fishing and boating. They help people by reducing or preventing floods. Students can learn more about why dams are built with the associated activity How Much Water Do You Use? During times of excess water flow, dams store water in the reservoir; then they release water during times of low flow, when natural flows are inadequate to meet water demand. When engineers design and maintain dams, they consider all these purposes.Bagnell Dam on the Osage River in Missouri.copyright
Copyright © Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA - USA. All rights reserved.
For the next several lessons, you are going to be civil engineers working for the company Splash Engineering. Your main client is the government (also known as a "municipality") of Thirsty County. The government of Thirsty County has been receiving complaints from its residents over the last decade. The main problems include:
The Thirsty County government has hired the Splash Engineering firm (your class) to study the needs of the community and develop a solution that addresses those needs.
A dam is built to control water through placement of a blockage of earth, rock and/or concrete across a stream or river. Dams are usually constructed to store water in a reservoir, which is then used for a variety of applications such as irrigation and municipal water supplies. Reservoir water can also be directed to flow through hydraulic turbines, producing electric power for use in homes and industries. Hydroelectric power is considered a renewable source of energy because the reservoir water that is used to generate electricity is continuously replenished. A dam using locks and canals, such as the series of locks on the Panama Canal, enables navigation through a human-made water route that must overcome elevation differences.
The disadvantages of dams include the resulting flooding of large areas of land (destroying flora and fauna), altering the physical characteristics of the river below the dam (also affecting flora and fauna), impeding fish migration, and killing large numbers of fish that pass through hydroelectric turbines. In recent years, engineers and scientists have begun to manage reservoirs and their releases to be less harmful to aquatic and terrestrial wildlife and plants, as well as humans residing below the dam&#;a method of water resource management called adaptive management.
Dams can be useful for a variety of reasons. What are some purposes for which we create dams? (Answers: To supply water for irrigation, municipal water, flood control, hydroelectric power generation, river navigation.) What might be negative effects from a dam? (Answers: Upstream flooding that destroys animals, plants, ecosystems and private property; downstream alteration of terrain, ecosystems, plants and wildlife; impeding fish migration, killing fish that pass through turbines, etc.)
In the case of our imaginary Thirsty County, why should the municipality consider building new dams? (Answers: To provide enough water for people and farmers during the summer, to allow boats to cross Birdseye River year round, to help control flash floods, to produce electricity without air pollution.)
adaptive management: The operation of dams and reservoirs to benefit not only human needs, but also the needs of the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems impacted by the dam.
dam: A barrier to obstruct the flow of water, especially one made of earth, rock, masonry and/or concrete, built across a stream or river.
engineer: A person who applies her/his understanding of science and mathematics to creating things for the benefit of humanity and our world.
hydroelectric power: Renewable energy generated by water flowing through turbines.
migration: To periodically move from one region or climate to another, as by wildlife such as birds and fish.
municipality: A political unit, such as a county, city, town or village, incorporated for local self-government.
reservoir: An artificial lake where water is collected and stored behind a dam.
turbine: A machine that converts the kinetic energy of falling water (or any moving fluid, including steam, gases or air) into electrical energy by connecting a generator to a rotating shaft that is spun by water pressure pushing blades, buckets or paddles.
Pre-Lesson Assessment
Brainstorming: Ask students to think of all the different ways in which they use water on an everyday basis. Possible answers include drinking, bathing, cooking, swimming, cleaning, etc. Write these answers on the board and then ask the students to tell you where the water comes from for these activities. Students may answer that water comes from rivers, lakes, and streams, in which case you can start a discussion about the need for dams to store water. Be sure to mention that 33% of American citizens get their water from groundwater sources.
Post-Introduction Assessment
Teaming: After you have introduced the hypothetical Thirsty County scenario, divide the class into engineering teams of 2-3 students each, and ask each team to write a short "proposal" response to the municipality of Thirsty County to address the residents' needs. Proposals should comment on the needs of the residents, some possible solutions (at least a Plan A and Plan B), and benefits/problems associated with each plan proposed. For example, students may write a statement that says their team will "address the residents' needs by designing a dam that provides people with water during summer droughts, protects buildings from flash floods and storms, and produces hydropower as a clean energy alternative to coal-fired power plants." This exercise helps students understand their role as civil engineers working for Splash Engineering firm. Emphasize that engineers must propose multiple plans to the County Board and convince the board members that their design is worth spending taxpayer money. Encourage students to address topics such as water-saving appliances, efficient water use in gardens and landscaping, (both water conservation measures) and not building on land that has a high risk of annual flooding.
Lesson Summary Assessment
Pros and Cons: Ask students to think of all the benefits of building a dam (such as water storage, hydroelectricity, flood mitigation, etc.). Create a list of these benefits on the board. Next, ask students to think of some negative effects of dam construction (such as impeding fish migration, damaging flora and fauna, etc.). Next to the list of benefits, create a list of these negative effects. Ask students: "What should engineers do when their designs have both positive and negative impacts on society?" Do students think this is a common dilemma for engineers? (Answer: All engineering projects have positive and negative effects. The main job of engineers is to develop plans to help address problems people have without creating new problems or making other problems worse. If Thirsty County has no money for schools and people are starving in the streets, spending money on a dam might not be the best engineering solution to the water issues Thirsty County faces.)
Plan a field trip to a nearby dam to give students a real-world sense of these (often) gigantic engineering structures. If a field trip is not possible, show students a library video on dams or photographs of the Hoover Dam, located on the border between the states of Arizona and Nevada; see a link in the Additional Multimedia Support section.
Show students recent and historic photographs of the well-known Hoover Dam on the US Bureau of Reclamation's Lower Colorado River region website. The photograph gallery provides dam views, power plant, historic views and old post cards. See: http://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/gallery/picindex.html
As a general introduction to dams, show students a 22-slide overview "virtual tour" of the Shasta Dam in northern California, available at the US Bureau of Reclamation's Mid-Pacific Region page at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/ncao/ and http://www.usbr.gov/mp/ncao/shasta/virtual_tour.pdf
Upper Elementary
Lesson
Where Has All the Water Gone?Students learn about the Earth's water cycle, especially about evaporation.
Where Has All the Water Gone?Upper Elementary
Lesson
Swim to and from the Sea!Students are introduced to the basic biology behind Pacific salmon migration and the many engineered Columbia River dam structures that aid in their passage through the river's hydroelectric dams. Students apply what they learn about the salmon life cycle as they think of devices and modifications t...
Swim to and from the Sea!Upper Elementary
Lesson
Water and Dams in Today's WorldStudents learn about the importance of dams by watching a video that presents historical and current information on dams, as well as descriptions of global water resources and the hydrologic cycle. Students also learn about different types of dams, all designed to resist the forces on dams.
Water and Dams in Today's WorldUpper Elementary
Lesson
Are Dams Forever?Students learn that dams do not last forever. Similar to other human-made structures, such as roads and bridges, dams require regular maintenance and have a finite lifespan.
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Are Dams Forever?Dictionary.com. Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. Accessed July 8, . (Source of some vocabulary definitions, with some adaptation) http://www.dictionary.com
Down the Drain: How Much Water Do You Use? . Collaborative Projects, Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education (CIESE), Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ. Accessed February 29, . http://www.ciese.org/
United States Society on Dams. Last revised November 14, . USSD. Accessed December 4, . http://www.ussdams.org/
The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under grants from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation (GK-12 grant no. ). However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Education or National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.
Last modified: June 12,
A DAM is necessary to keep your team aligned and efficient. However, with so many DAM tools out there, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one because at first glance they all do the same thing: store and organize your files. Making the right choice can start with excitement, but quickly turn to confusion if you don&#;t understand the most important features to look for in a DAM.
As experts in the DAM space, we can help you dig deeper into what a robust DAM should provide. In this blog, we&#;ll outline the seven things to look for when choosing a DAM so you can gain more knowledge on what features work best for you and your team. By the end of this blog, you&#;ll have a better understanding of selecting a DAM that offers specific features that are best suited for you and your team.
Why Do You Need a DAM?
Imagine your digital files&#;photos, videos, documents&#;as clothes in a massive closet. Without organization, it&#;s like dumping all those clothes into the closet, making it a nightmare to find that one shirt you need. A curated DAM is like having an organized closet system with labeled shelves, sections, and drawers to make life easier.
A DAM system offers several advantages that can address common challenges faced by organizations of all sizes when dealing with a growing volume of digital assets. A DAM tool:
How to Choose: 7 Most Important DAM Features
Stepping into the world of DAM software for the first time can be tricky. With so many options out there, each having different things to offer, it&#;s easy to get confused. But by understanding the basic (and necessary) features, you can make a smarter choice.
It&#;s key to pick a DAM that works well with how your organization functions. When looking at different tools, make sure it fits your current ways of working and meets what you&#;re looking for. Here are seven things to look for in a DAM:
When you introduce your initial DAM, you&#;re transitioning from several different digital platforms, each having its own interface and user experience. A system&#;s usability can often dictate its success within an organization. Success in digital asset management is defined by adoption, and enhancing usability is the key to increasing adoption within your team. If users find the interface intuitive, the adoption rate and overall user satisfaction are likely to be high.
Implementing a DAM might seem overwhelming initially, especially if users are not familiar with specific terms used. More complex systems might require longer training for both the administrators overseeing the assets and the individuals accessing them. For this reason, it&#;s better to have a system that&#;s intuitive, resembling the user-friendliness of other software, like Google, rather than an old IT platform.
Moreover, to align all users, it&#;s important that the DAM adjusts to the preferences of each user and caters to specific job roles. If it doesn&#;t, there&#;s a risk that the DAM might not be consistently used by team members.
What to look for:
With potentially thousands of assets stored, the ability to quickly locate a specific item is crucial. If you can&#;t locate the assets in your media library, they&#;re useless. Hence, a robust search feature is necessary. This is where metadata&#;a set of data that describes and gives information about other data&#;comes into play.
Metadata includes details you provide for each asset. This may include keywords, dates, copyright, product line, approval status, and other helpful data for your company. It&#;s vital that your DAM tool offers automated metadata handling to ensure precise file organization and save you time from long data input tasks.
Beyond basic keyword searches, an advanced DAM system allows for filtering by attributes such as author, date, project, and file type, among others. With capabilities like smart tags, assets become easily searchable, even without manually adding keywords. AI-powered search features, such as image recognition are also a must, which we will go more into detail later.
What to look for:
A digital asset management system should seamlessly integrate with an organization&#;s current infrastructure to enhance marketing responsiveness. Most organizations use a suite of digital tools, from customer relationship management systems (CMS) to document creation platforms.
A DAM that integrates seamlessly with these tools can significantly streamline workflows, eliminating the repetitive task of exporting and then re-uploading assets elsewhere. The easier it is to connect the DAM with other systems, the smoother the data interchange and overall operational flow.
What to look for:
Digital assets can be proprietary, sensitive, or subject to licensing agreements. Ensuring they don&#;t fall into the wrong hands or get used inaccurately is crucial.
For security and to make a DAM library effective for an entire organization, administrators must manage access permissions. Flexible permissions help everyone find exactly what they&#;re looking for. While admins should have thorough access and the authority to approve assets, other users might only require entry to specific libraries, select assets, or lower-resolution images.
Additionally, in dynamic environments, assets often undergo revisions. Keeping track of these changes ensures teams always have access to the most recent, approved content. Version control is necessary for an effective digital asset management system. It&#;s wise to consider how your team would use this feature to their benefit and the extent of control the DAM provides over your asset throughout its content lifecycle.
Moreover, protect your digital assets by choosing a DAM tool that upholds strong encryption and security measures. Consider the storage location of your assets and the data center&#;s security (more on this below). A DAM tool you can trust will be ready to address any of your security concerns.
What to look for:
As organizations grow, the volume of digital assets they produce and manage can increase greatly. Therefore, your DAM system should be prepared to handle this growth without bumps along the road. This is important to look out for if you want a DAM system that will meet your needs for years to come.
On-premises DAM solutions demand significant IT efforts for server setup, maintenance, and security assistance. Accessing assets remotely can be difficult, and keeping up with company growth often requires buying more hardware. However, there&#;s another option: The cloud.
Look for a system that maintains its speed and responsiveness regardless of the number of assets stored. Cloud-based solutions often offer scalability and adapt to changing storage demands with minimal manual work. Without any hardware upkeep, companies with limited IT resources can easily adopt this solution.
Cloud-based DAM systems offer a scalable solution that adjusts to growth without requiring significant hardware investments. They are cost-effective with reduced upfront charges, permit users to access assets from any location or device, and come strengthened by the robust security infrastructure of cloud providers.
Additionally, cloud DAMs ensure assets are safeguarded through automated backups, streamline collaborations with centralized storage, and seamlessly update to provide the latest features. Furthermore, their easy integration with other cloud services promotes a cohesive digital workflow for businesses.
What to look for:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized numerous sectors, bringing about significant changes, and DAM tools are no exception to this transformation. Given the increasing complexities of managing a large number of digital assets, the integration of AI within DAM platforms is crucial. Incorporating AI into your tech stack can improve procedures and boost overall productivity. It not only simplifies asset management but also amplifies search functionalities and elevates overall efficiency.
What to look for:
Even the most intuitive systems can pose challenges. Having access to support and training resources ensures users can make the most of the DAM. Choose a DAM provider that offers genuine customer support with a committed team.
Digital asset management is a continuous journey, not just a one-time setup. When reaching out to prospective providers, communicate what you&#;re looking for and how you want it implemented. Pay attention to their responsiveness and the quality of their engagement with you to understand what you can expect from working with them. A reputable DAM provider will provide you with support every step of the way.
What to look for:
Next Steps
Choosing the ideal DAM software requires lots of effort, but it&#;s an effort that is well worth it. A top DAM system can elevate productivity and propel growth. Solutions with quality features, like those provided by OpenAsset, can improve creative tasks, making them more streamlined, efficient, and ultimately more impactful.
OpenAsset, the leading DAM designed specifically for AEC and real estate professionals, provides all the necessary features and functionalities of a DAM within a single platform. Read our complete DAM Software Buyer&#;s Guide to learn more about choosing the right DAM for your business.
To gain valuable knowledge and expert advice for your team&#;s needs, reach out to our asset management experts to schedule a demo. We&#;ll show you how a DAM tool can elevate your creative workflow and unlock new opportunities.
For more information, please visit flow control gate.