This STEM activity incorporates the engineering design process into a life or biomedical science activity. It can be used during an anatomy unit or in a health class.

Students will evaluate a broken femur from a model and an X-ray, design a procedure and medical device to repair the broken bone, and perform surgery to repair a model femur. Students will design their medical implantation device using their own materials to create and install the device – materials do not need to be sophisticated but can be collected from regular household items or from STEM library lab’s inventory (e.g. yarn, needles, screws). The instructor must decide what types of equipment/tools students will be allowed to use. Power tools are not necessary.

This lab is divided into 4 parts (Part I. Independent Design Solution, Part II. Group Design Solution, Part III. Prototype, Part IV. Surgery and Implantation) each of which can reasonably be completed in one 50-minute class period (totaling 4 class periods).

Lesson Files

• Broken Bones Teachers Guide (.pdf)
• Broken Bones Lesson Plan (.pdf)