Question:

How can we make an everyday task easier to complete by designing an innovative simple machine solution? 

Problem: 

Every day, we complete small tasks. Activities like brushing our teeth, taking out the trash, washing dishes, and tying our shoes, are examples of everyday tasks. Sometimes, people need help to do these common tasks and simple machines allow us to make a task easier to accomplish. A simple machine is a device that changes the direction or magnitude of a force and includes the following: pulley system, incline plane, screw, wedge, lever, or wheel and axle. Identify an everyday task that you, or someone you know, has a difficult time to complete and create a simple machine (or a combination of simple machines) solution to make the task easier. This can be a task that is done at home, at school, or within your community. 

Question: 

Is there an innovative solution that homeowners can use to protect pollinators in Georgia?

Problem:

While this problem was in the 2019 GCPS Science Fair*, it still remains a serious concern in Georgia. Pollinators play important roles in supporting the world’s biodiversity, crop production, and even the economy. Pollination is important for seed production, and without pollinators like hummingbirds, bees, ants, butterflies, wasps, and many others, our favorite fruits and vegetables would never make it to our tables. The problem is that pollinator populations are drastically decreasing across the nation and in Georgia. Research from UGA is helping to identify some of the reasons for the decline, which include colony collapse, lack of water, lack of shelter, disease, and pesticide use. Scientists continue to look for ideas that can be easily used across communities (especially in urban areas) to promote and protect all of the pollinators of Georgia. 

*If you worked on this problem  in the 2019 GCPS Science Fair and decide to work on this problem again, think of ways in which you could refine and enhance your work from 2019. Scientists often spend years working on the same problem, but their ideas and investigations get better over time as they learn more, collect more data, and refine their thinking. 

Question: 

How can we easily clean up, or prevent, litter within our local Gwinnett communities?

Problem:

Recently there has been an increase in litter across our nation with some cities noting a 300% increase in trash waste in the past year. Cities across Gwinnett county are noticing more litter, including discarded plastics and disposable masks, in our streets, parks, lakes and rivers. The community needs help to develop a solution that would easily clean up, or prevent, litter in Gwinnett.

Question: 

How can we develop an innovative solution to start reducing food waste in our home?

Problem:

It is estimated that in the United States, consumers waste between 30-40% of our food each year. This food waste has costly impacts on our society and on environmental resources such as land, water, labor, and energy. According to the USDA, food loss occurs for many reasons, with some types of loss—such as spoilage—occurring at every stage of the production and supply chain. Between the farm and grocery store, food loss can arise from problems during drying, transporting, or processing that expose food to damage by insects, rodents, birds, mold, and bacteria. At the retail level, equipment malfunction (such as faulty cold storage), over-ordering, and blemished produce can result in food loss. Consumers contribute to food loss when they buy or cook more than they need and choose to throw out the extras. The good news is that food waste can be prevented, and consumers need an innovative solution to start reducing food waste in their homes. 

Question: 

How can we design a solution to prevent algae blooms in Lake Lanier? 

Problem:

Lake Lanier is a source of drinking water for the businesses and residents of Gwinnett County. Lake Lanier is also the destination for much of the treated wastewater from the county. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) monitors levels of nutrients and pollutants in all waterways in the state. Over recent years, they continue to observe increasing phosphorus levels within Lake Lanier. Phosphorus is a naturally occurring mineral, but it is also a bi-product found in human and animal waste. Large amounts of phosphorus can lead to algae blooms, which can kill fish and make the lake unpleasant to swim or boat in. We need to find a solution to reduce the algae production in Lake Lanier, so that it doesn’t get to dangerous levels. 

Question: 

How can we design and build a technology solution (i.e. computer program or robot) to help solve a real-world problem?

Problem:

Computer science plays an important role in our society. To put it simply, computer science is the practice of using computers and/or computer systems to help solve real world problems. Real world problems exist everywhere and range from everyday dilemmas like remembering to wash our hands before lunch and struggling to carry a heavy book bag off the bus, to complex issues such as building earthquake resistant structures and cleaning up oil spills in the ocean. As computer science allows us to develop new and innovative technologies, we are able to solve more real world problems and help more people. Identify one real-world problem that is currently taking place in your school, community, or home that interests you. Research the problem you identified and design a technology based solution (i.e. computer program or robot) to help solve the problem. 

Question: 

Student Developed

Problem:

Spend some time watching the world around you. Make observations of all the things you can see: the environment, the traffic, the weather, your school, and wildlife are all great places to start. 

What do you notice? What do you wonder? 

After you observe and ask questions, determine if there is a problem in your community that you are really interested in solving. Develop a driving question, and design a solution to help solve the real world problem.