Medical Mission Activity

Medical Mission Activity at School

Some medicines such as eye drops must be stored in a refrigerator because at higher temperatures they break down or “go off”. The student will consider how to transport medicine from a helicopter to an injured person in the rainforest. The medicine must be kept within the temperature range: 2°to 8°C. The student’s medical mission is to make a Design and make a strong and safe medical kit (3D shape, insulation container) that can keep medicines at a cool temperature, so it can be transported from the helicopter to the patient 20 minutes away.

Mission/challenge: Design and make a strong and safe medical kit (3D shape, insulation container) that can keep medicines at a cool temperature

This medical mission activity was created for Year 4 students. There are two parts to this Medical Mission activity which focuses on engineering education. Part 1 involves conceptual development (i.e. properties of 3D shapes, temperature, properties of materials) towards the engineering education activity. Part 2 involves the design, make and test components of the engineering education activity

The objective of this activity was to:

  1. Introduce children to aspects of materials engineering and the roles of these engineers.
  2. Develop students’ problem-solving skills, including applying engineering design processes.
  3. Describe, explore and test the properties of a range of common materials.
  4. Develop an appreciation of the work of materials engineers.
  5. Explained how engineers use biomimicry to enhance engineering design
  6. Design and test a strong and safe medical kit (3D shape, container) to insulate an ice cube.

The following booklets will enable you to carry out the medical mission activity in your classroom

  1. Medical Mission Activity – Teacher Guide Booklet
  2. Medical Mission Activity – Student Design Workbook