Telescoping Periscope

Student Worksheet:

 Engineering Teamwork and Planning
You are part of a team of engineers given the challenge of developing your own periscope out of everyday materials.  You have many materials to choose from.  A simple periscope (like the one to the right) can be made by opening a slot in two milk cartons and inserting two mirrors at 45 degree angles on each end.  You can use a long box, two milk cartons that you will connect….or come up with our own design!

In your challenge, however your periscope must be able to telescope to change length, and your mirrors must both be adjustable. 

In this challenge your periscope must be able to allow your team to correctly read and follow a series of clues that are out of your direct line of sight.  But, you will also be judged on how unique and creative your design is!

Remember that a periscope is an instrument that uses a system of prisms, lenses, or mirrors to reflect images through a tube. In the simple example to the right, light from a distant object strikes the top mirror and is then reflected at an angle of 90 degrees down the periscope tube. At the bottom of the periscope, the light strikes another mirror and is then reflected into a viewer’s eye. Periscope comes from two Greek words, peri, meaning "around," and scopus, "to look."

Telescoping in mechanics describes the movement of one part sliding out from another, lengthening an object (such as your periscope) from its resting position.

 Research Phase
Read the materials provided to you by your teacher. Think about how light will need to travel from the object to your eye through the periscope your team develops.  Consider not only the functionality of the periscope you will develop but also how unique and creative the final tool will be!  

 Planning and Design Phase
Draw a diagram of your periscope including the path a ray of light would follow as it travels through your periscope design -- from an object, through the periscope, and into your eye or a camera.

  Telescoping Periscope

Student Worksheet (continued):

	
List the materials you think you will need:

	

 Telescoping Periscope

Student Worksheet:

 Presentation Phase
Present your plan and drawing to the class, and consider the plans of other teams.  You may wish to fine tune your own design.

 Build it!  Test it!
Next build your periscope and test it.  You may share unused building materials with other teams and trade materials too.  Be sure to watch what other teams are doing and consider the aspects of different designs that might be an improvement on your team's plan.

 Scoring
Use the box below to determine your score on this project!

Was your team able to correctly follow the clues your teacher planned for you?
Yes: 80 points  No: 0	Unique Score (voted by your peers with your teacher providing final point) (scale 0-10)	Creative Score (voted by your peers with your teacher providing final point) (scale 0-10)	Final Score	

				

 Reflection 
Complete the reflection questions below:

1. How similar was your original design to the actual periscope your team built?

2. If your team found you needed to make changes during the construction phase, describe why revisions were needed.

3. Which periscope that another team made was the most interesting to you?  Why?

4.  Do you think that this activity was more rewarding to do as a team, or would you have preferred to work alone on it? Why?  

5. If you could have used one additional material (tape, glue, wood sticks, foil -- as examples) which would you choose and why?

6. Do you think that engineers often change their designs when they enter the manufacturing phase of a new product development?  Why or why not?