Students in Ms. Lucy Parker’s gifted classes at EES recently completed two engineering-focused units. While working on the Designing Bridges Unit, students learned about the field of civil engineering and discovered how the science topics of force, stability, and balance relate to bridge design. Students were introduced to different types of bridges and learned how different structures are affected by forces, while also using the Engineering Design process to create and test a bridge of their own design.

During the Engineering Safety Vests Unit, students used the Engineering Design Process to design and create a vest that would help a pedestrian, cyclist, or skateboarder safely travel through an intersection. Students first created a model bench as an introduction to the unit and to the Engineering Design Process. Then, students worked throughout the unit to create a vest featuring electrical signals with the information they wished to communicate, utilizing their knowledge of electrical circuits and communication systems to complete their project.