Instructors should have the powerpoint slides for the lecture. For the activity they will need:

• Activity printout for each student
• Generic consumable craft supplies (e.g. pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, foam sheets, construction paper, paper clips, note cards, etc.)
• Scissors
• Glue and/or staplers
  

This module uses Renaissance Engineering as a case study to highlight the power of persuasion in convincing others of the value of engineering solutions. It contains a brief lecture on some famous Renaissance engineers (Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo Galilei) as well as a description of the culture of artistic and technical competition in Renaissance Florence.  It leads up to a hands-on activity in which groups of students build models of their proposed solutions for placing a dome on the Cathedral of Florence in 1418. 

The module was developed as part of a sequence on “What is Engineering” in a first year Engineering class.  The overall sequence aims to give a sense of the historical development of the engineering profession. This particular module explores the interconnections of art and science in pre-modern engineering with a focus on Renaissance Italy.   Students get to experience the power of using models and the importance of being persuasive when “pitching” an engineering solution to a problem. The students are presented with the historical problem of designing and building a dome for the Cathedral of Florence and they have to come up with their own model and convince others of the value of their idea.

This module took place in half of a course session, taking approximately 60-75min, with the participation of the teaching team and a guest professor from the History Department who is an expert in Renaissance Italian history.  After a 35 minute presentation from the history professor on Renaissance Engineering, the students broke into groups and were given materials and instructions for the “Cathedral Build” activity.