Engineering Design Lessons

Introduce students to the Engineering Design Process with this engaging lesson. Students create a name tag with specific criteria and constraints, including a movable part, a shape/design that represents an interest of the student, the ability to hold a pencil, and so much more! 

Request access to 'Back to School Design Challenge: Name Tags'.

Materials Needed:

• blank paper

• pencil

• scissors

• glue

• tape

• ruler

• straws

• markers, crayons, or colored pencils

• brass tacks, binder clips, or paper clips

• extra construction paper, cardboard, or other creative crafting supplies

Standards Connection:

• DCI: 3-5 Engineering Design

  • Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution.

• SEP: Asking Questions and Defining Problems

  • Specifying relationships between variables and clarifying arguments and models.

• CCC: Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World

  • The uses of technologies and limitations on their use are driven by individual or societal needs, desires, and values. 

Students will explore balanced and unbalanced forces while they create balloon-powered cars. Students will get to experience Newton’s third law firsthand as they work to get their car to move. 

Request access to 'Balloon Car'.

Materials Needed:

• balloon

• straw

• rubber band

• tape

• scissors

• bamboo skewers or toothpicks (something to go through the straw to act as an axle)

• materials for the body (ex. small box, bottle, popsicle sticks, etc.)

• materials for wheels (ex. water bottle lids, etc.)

• Balloon Car Challenge worksheet (PDF) - Optional

Standards Connection:

• DCI: PS2.A Forces and Motion

• CCC: Cause and Effect 

Students will take their tower-building skills to new heights with this challenge. Not only will they construct towers with limited materials, but they will have the added challenge of supporting a load-bearing bucket! 

Request access to 'Bucket Tower Challenge'.

Materials Needed (per group):

• One 3-oz. cup with two holes punched on opposite sides (using a hole punch)

• 36 inches of string

• 20 straws

• tape

• something to add weight to the cup (ex. pennies or washers)

Standards Connection:

• DCI: 3-5 Engineering Design: Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled.

• SEP: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations: Carry out investigations that control variables and provide evidence to support explanations or design solutions.

• CCC: Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World: The uses of technologies and limitations on their use are driven by individual or societal needs, desires, and values. 

Student teams will work together to test and compare materials best suited for each part of a bandage. This includes testing for stickiness and water absorption. They will use their data to create two new types of bandages by combining the best materials. Students will learn about a possible new technology that could be added to bandages to build a better bandage for trauma situations. Then they will be challenged to use their own two designs to test this new technology and compare the results to the two bandages they originally selected without the technology. 

Request access to ‘Build a Better Bandage’.

Materials Needed (per group):

• Three store-bought Band-Aids (same brand and size).

• 3 different kinds of tape (e.g., masking, painters, medical, clear tape, electrical, packaging)

• 3 different types of padding (e.g., cotton ball, piece of cloth, tissue, paper towel, gauze, felt)

• 2 sheets of wax paper or aluminum foil (one to use as a testing area and one to model skin)

• scissors

• eyedropper

• water

• paper towels

• felt sheet

• bag of water-absorbing crystals (see example)

• Student Data Sheet (to be provided)

Standards Connection:

• DCI:

  • PS1.A Structure and Properties of Matter

  • ETS1.A Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems

  • ETS1.C Optimizing the Design Solution

• SEP:

  • Developing and Using Models

  • Analyzing and Interpreting Data

  • Asking Questions and Defining Problems

• CCC:

  • Structure and Function

  • Systems and System Models

  • Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural World

Students will work in teams to discover and build structures that demonstrate how engineers construct buildings to survive powerful forces such as earthquakes. 

Request access to 'Earthquake Structures'.

Materials Needed: 

Per class:

• 1-4 pans of jello (for simulating an earthquake and testing structures)

Per group:

• 30 toothpicks

• 30 mini marshmallows

Standards Connection:

• DCI: ETS1-3 Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled, and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved

• SEP: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations: Planning and carrying out investigations to answer questions or test solutions to problems in 3-5 builds on K-2 experiences and progresses to include investigations that control variables and provide evidence to support explanations or design solutions.

• CCC: Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural World

Celebrate Pi Day with a creative engineering twist! Instead of just eating pies, students will design and construct their own pies using provided materials. Next, they'll rise to the challenge of building a freestanding structure as tall as possible to support their pie on top, without attaching it to the structure. This activity encourages creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork while exploring concepts like balance, stability, and design. 

Request access to 'Hold the Pie Challenge'.

Materials Needed (per student or group): 

Pie materials:

• 1 paper plate

• 1 package of pom-poms

• glue

• crayons or markers

Structure materials:

• 6 paper straws

• 4 pipe cleaners

• 4 craft sticks

• 3 index cards

• 2 sheets of paper

• 1 cardboard tube

• 12 inches of tape

Standards Connection:

• DCI: ETS1.B Developing Possible Solutions

• SEP: Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

• CCC: Scale Proportion and Quantity 

Think back to a fun visit you’ve had to the zoo, or seeing zoo animals do funny things on videos. Now, picture everything that surrounds the zoo animal you are thinking about. A zoo isn’t a place for entertaining community members as they walk around and look at animal exhibits. It is also a home to those wild animals, and it needs careful planning and construction for the health and safety of the animals. Join us for a two-part lesson as students become zoo engineers and plan and develop a zoo from the planning and blueprint stages on Day 1, to building an animal exhibit on Day 2.  

Day 2: Groups will choose one zoo animal from their blueprints and design and build a model of a zoo exhibit for them. (Day 1 information can be found in the Mathematics section.) 

Request access to 'It's Getting Wild in this Zoo (Day 2)'.

Materials Needed: 

Building materials may vary depending on the animal students choose to design an exhibit for. These materials are suggestions, and other materials may be included.

• modeling clay

• craft sticks

• scissors

• glue

• cardboard

• construction paper

• pipe cleaners

• beads

• craft noodles

• cotton balls

• tape

• markers

• materials from nature (ex., grass, rocks, sticks, etc.)

• craft tubes

• string

• tissue paper

• felt pieces

• recycled materials

Standards Connection:

• Common Core Math Standards: 4.MD.A.3 Apply the area and perimeter formulas for rectangles in real-world and mathematical problems.

• DCI: ETS1.B Developing Possible Solutions

• SEP: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

• CCC: Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World 

Feeling lucky enough to catch a leprechaun? Join us as we put engineering to the ultimate test when we design traps to catch the sneaky little leprechauns. 

Request access to 'Leprechaun Traps'.

Materials Needed:

• cardboard

• boxes (shoe boxes, cereal boxes)

• tape

• scissors

• craft sticks

• cups/bowls/paper plates

• pipe cleaners

• string

Standards Connection:

• DCI:

  • PS2.A Forces and Motion

  • PS2.B Types of Interactions

• SEP:

  • Asking questions and Defining Problems

  • Developing and Using Models

  • Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

  • Analyzing and Interpreting Data

  • Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating Information

  • Constructing explanations and designing solutions

• CCC: Scale, Proportion and Quantity 

Students will design, build, and test their own solar ovens to see if they can get the temperature inside to be warm enough to melt candy, like Peeps or chocolate. 

Request access to 'Melting Peeps with Solar Ovens'.

Materials Needed (per group):

• pizza box or other shallow box to construct a solar oven

• cooking ingredients like peeps, chocolate, marshmallows, or ice

• scissors

• tape

• glue

• thermometer (optional but helpful)

• a bright light (optional but helpful)

• miscellaneous building materials such as:

  • construction paper of various colors

  • aluminum foil

  • plastic wrap

  • wax paper

  • extra cardboard

Standards Connection:

• DCI: PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer

• SEP: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions: Apply scientific ideas to solve design problems.

• CCC:

  • Energy and Matter: Energy can be transferred in various ways and between objects.

  • 3-5-ETS1-3: Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled, and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved. 

Students learn science from literature as we read Papa’s Mechanical Fish and discuss the importance of failures in engineering. As we dive into submarine science, students will apply the concepts of buoyancy and density to this underwater engineering challenge. Using the idea of biomimicry, students will be challenged to design and build a working submarine. As scientists and engineers, we constantly turn to the world around us for solutions to our problems. In this lesson, students will research features of different ocean animals that allow them to successfully navigate the water. Groups will use the features they learn about to design and build the ultimate submarine. 

Request access to 'Papa's Mechanical Fish'.

Materials Needed (per student):

• mini bottled waters

• plastic container (shoe box size or larger)

• tape

• other recyclable materials

• scissors

• disposable cups

• disposable plates

• permanent markers

Standards Connection:

• DCI: PS1.A Structure and Properties of Matter

• SEP: Developing and Using Models

• CCC: Cause and Effect 

Students will observe first-hand what happens to energy when objects collide on their pinball prototypes. We will use evidence from our observations to answer questions regarding the relationship between the speed of an object and its energy. 

Request access to 'Pinball Machine'.

Materials Needed:

• cardboard lid or large piece of cardboard

• large rubber band

• tape

• Sharpie marker

• marble

• a variety of craft materials for obstacles/traps (ex. paper cups, toothpicks, toilet paper rolls, scissors, craft sticks) 

Standards Connection:

• DCI: ETS1.C Optimizing Design Solutions 

• CCC: Influence of Society, Engineering, and Technology on the Natural World 

Who doesn’t love pumpkin chunking? Students will design, build, and test their own pumpkin catapults using basic materials and little candy corn pumpkins. 

Request access to 'Pumpkin Chunking'.

Materials Needed:

• 7 craft sticks

• 4 rubber bands

• 1 water bottle lid

• small candy pumpkins or small pom-poms

• hot glue gun (for teacher use) 

Standards Connection: 

• DCI: ETS1.C Optimizing Design Solutions 

• CCC: Influence of Society, Engineering, and Technology on the Natural World

Many different robots are built from models designed after humans and/or things in nature; robotic arms are no different. For a robotic hand to work just as well as a human hand, it needs to function exactly like the bones, muscles, and tendons of a human hand do.  

With robots becoming increasingly popular, even the North Pole is recruiting robotic help this winter! After learning about the anatomy of a hand, students will design and build a robotic hand. Each robotic hand will face a challenge from the North Pole to move a set of presents to a designated location.

Request access to 'Robotic Hand'.

Materials Needed:

• cardboard

• string

• straws

• clear tape

• ruler

• pencil

• glue

• small, light objects to pick up (ex., small foam blocks or balls)

Standards Connection:

• DCI: ETS1.B Developing Possible Solutions

• SEP: Developing and Using Models

• CCC: Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World 

While space travel is growing, humans must find a way to live safely on other planets without risking harmful exposure to UV rays. Students will explore designs to keep space travelers safe from direct UV rays.

Request access to 'Space Shelters'.

Materials Needed:

• 1 pipe cleaner

• UV beads (to put on pipe cleaner to make space person)

• UV light source (UV flashlight or direct sunlight)

• Various Craft Materials:

  • cardboard

  • aluminum foil

  • craft sticks

  • index cards

  • newspaper

  • construction paper

  • tape

  • pencil and paper

Standards Connection:

• DCI:

  • PS4.A Wave Properties

  • PS4.B Electromagnetic Radiation

• SEP:

  • Asking questions and Defining Problems

  • Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

  • Constructing explanations and designing solutions

• CCC: Patterns 

Students will focus on the strength of triangles in engineering to construct a toothpick bridge that can withstand the most weight.

Request access to 'Toothpick Bridge'.

Materials Needed (per group):

• 50-100 toothpicks

• ruler

• various fastener materials (clay, foam, playdough, marshmallows, gummy candies, glue)

• several textbooks of about the same size

• 2 AA batteries

• 1.5-3 V DC Motor

Standards Connection:

• DCI: ETS1-3 Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.

• SEP: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations: Planning and carrying out investigations to answer questions or test solutions to problems in 3-5 builds on K-2 experiences and progresses to include investigations that control variables and provide evidence to support explanations or design solutions.

• CCC: Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural World 

Let’s get ready to celebrate Earth Day by upcycling various plastic containers to give them a new purpose. Get ready to be impressed with students' wonderful ideas for keeping plastics out of oceans and landfills.

Request access to 'Reinventing Rubbish'.

Materials Needed:

• plastic grocery bags

• miscellaneous materials (i.e. plastic bottles, food containers, etc.) students can upcycle into a new product

• other misc. materials and tools such as:

  • scissors

  • glue

  • tape

  • paper/index cards

Standards Connection:

• DCI: ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems – Develop solutions to human
  activities that impact the environment.

• SEP: Constructing explanations and designing solutions – Apply scientific ideas to solve problems.

• CCC: Systems and system models – A system can be described in terms of its components and their interactions. 

Companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin have been trying to make spaceflight cheaper. They just designed reusable rocket boosters to accomplish their goals, but they need a team of engineers to help them recover the rocket boosters after a spacecraft's launch.  

A rocket booster burning up in the atmosphere or crashing down on Earth is no longer acceptable. Engineers at their companies have been left spaced-out with how to recover the rocket boosters gently so they don’t get damaged and can be reused.

Your team has been hired to design, build, and test a rocket-catching device while following the Engineering Design Process. Our aerodynamics student engineers must carefully consider a range of STEM concepts, like energy and force, to successfully catch their rocket standing up.

Request access to 'Rocket Boosters'.

Materials Needed:

Rocket Booster:

• cardstock or 1 paper towel tube

• tape

• markers

Rocket Booster Catcher:

• paper (printer, notebook, or construction – NO cardstock)

• 12x12 pieces of cardboard

• string

• paperclips

• tape

Standards Connection:

• DCI: ETS1.B Developing Possible Solutions

• SEP: Developing and Using Models

• CCC: Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World 

Students will dive into the world of 3D printing without ever touching a 3D printer. This tech-free lesson teaches students the fundamentals of 3D printing and additive manufacturing as they create their own 3D model of an object.

Request access to 'Unplugged 3D Printing Adventure'.

Materials Needed:

• foam board

• rulers

• pipe cleaners

• pencils

• glue

• a variety of small objects with relatively simple shapes for students to choose from, such as:

  • balls

  • bowls

  • bottles

  • cups

Standards Connection:

• DCI:

  • ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions – Tests are often designed to identify failure points or difficulties, which suggest the elements of the design that need to be improved.

  • ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution – Different solutions need to be tested in order to determine which of them best solves the problem, given the criteria and constraints.

• SEP: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations – Plan and conduct and investigation collaboratively.

• CCC: Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World – Peoples’ needs and wants change over time, as do their demands for new and improved technology. 

Students will learn about the connection between structure and function of external parts when they become biomedical engineers that design prosthetic limbs for injured sea creatures.

Request access to 'Wild Wellness Wonders'.

Materials Needed:

• pen/pencil

• paper

• small items to pick up (like coins or paper clips)

• tape

• string

• wind-up bath toys shaped like sea animals (1 per group of students)

• plastic containers with water for testing prosthetic limbs

• scissors

• miscellaneous materials for creating and attaching the prosthetic limbs, such as:

  • cardstock

  • index cards

  • assortment of plastic lids

  • rubber bands

  • glue

  • pliers or multi-purpose snips (for teacher use only)

  • hot glue gun and sticks (for teacher use only - optional)

Standards Connection:

• DCI: LS1.A: Structure and Function - Plants and animals have both internal and external structures that serve various functions in growth, survival, behavior, and reproduction.

• SEP: Constructing explanations and designing solutions - Apply scientific ideas to solve design problems.

• CCC: Structure and Function - The way something is shaped, and its substructure, determine many of its properties and functions. 

Learn about the importance of the Earth’s most precious resource - water! Students will see first-hand how little fresh water there is on Earth and how to create their own filtration system to help clean it. 

Request access to 'Cleaning Earth's Water'.

Materials Needed:

• plastic cups

• Styrofoam cups

• coffee filters and/or other filtration items (pieces of cloth, cotton, paper towels, filter paper)

• rubber bands

• prepared dirty water

Standards Connection:

• DCI: 

  • ESS3.A Natural Resources

  • ESS3.C Human Impacts on Earth Systems

• SEP:

  • Asking questions and Defining Problems

  • Developing and Using Models

  • Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

  • Analyzing and Interpreting Data

  • Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

  • Constructing explanations and designing solutions

CCC: Systems and System Models