Imagineering
is model of teaching developed by Alan J. McCormack and is designed
to encourage visual/spatial thinking. McCormack explains that
imagineering is the result of fusing parts of the words "imagination"
and "engineering." Imagineering is designed to apply existing
scientific knowledge to visualizing solutions to challenging
problems.
McCormack, who is well known for his presentations at local, state and national science teacher meetings, advocates the use of teacher demonstrations to set the stage for imagineering. Here is one example from his collection of imagineering demonstrations. It is called the "water-expanding machine.
This is how McCormack explains the use of this device (Figure 7.36) in an imagineering lesson:
"This device is a cardboard box with an input funnel located on its top and an output tube that extends through one of its sides. The teacher states that this great new invention can expand by three times any volume of water that is poured into the funnel to be "processed" by the device. An actual demonstration follows: 500 mL of water is poured into the machine and 1500 mL flows from the output tube. Teacher asks the key question that already puzzles everyone: "Has water actually been expanded?" Few students believe that it has, so they are challenged to draw an "imagineering blueprint" of what might be inside the machine that could account for the apparent volume expansion of the water. Later ideas are presented, compared, and criticized. Invariably, a number of good, plausible explanations have been invented. Meanwhile, youngsters have honed both visualization and creative problem-solving skills."
McCormack has designed an array of imagineering activities that can be used in any science curriculum. You might want to refer to his book, Inventors Workshop published by David Lake Publishers.