When I was in the classroom I always started off my science units with the scientific method first. The second unit was teaching the engineering design process. I was fortunate enough to become STEM-certified through Fitchburg State College while teaching. This opportunity enabled me to use CAD software and really immerse myself in the EDP. I have had a soft spot in my heart for it ever since and wanted to share some of my favorite resources for teaching the engineering design process.
Hands-on learning is something I firmly believe in. How many times have we as teachers been stuck in PD being talked to for hours on end and just tuned out? Whenever possible I allowed my students to experience what we were learning through hands-on activities. The EDP is a unit that really lends itself to this! Once your students have learned the basics allow them to come up with a problem and create a design to solve it.
If you’d like to save planning time by purchasing a premade unit for teaching the engineering design process you can check out my unit on the engineering design process by clicking on the picture below.
Books for Teaching the Engineering Design Process
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Rosie Revere Engineer – is a picture book with a strong female main character. It is fantastic for showing girls in science!
The Way Things Work Now – this updated classic now includes technology. I have such fond memories of reading through this book as a kid and learning about the way things work!
Mistakes That Worked – I love using this book to show students that mistakes can be positive. The author chronicles famous inventions that stemmed from errors!
The Most Magnificent Thing – This is a great engineering and inventing book. It is about a girl who is going to make the most magnificent thing and her journey to making it. Her failures and frustrations are included throughout the process.
The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle and Other Surprising Stories About Inventions – This is a fun book that chronicles facts and stories about inventions. It is a great addition to the classroom library for kids who are really interested in inventing!
Ara the Star Engineer – Another STEM book with a strong female lead! Ara has a question and must figure out how to answer it. It is a must read!
YouTube Videos
Sometimes I like to put on a quick video as an intro or review from a previous day’s lesson. This is another helpful way to present the information to our students! I compiled a list of some of my favorites for teaching the engineering design process below:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owHF9iLyxic What’s an Engineer? Crash Course Kids #12.1
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxJWin195kU The Engineering Process: Crash Course Kids #12.2
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jait0YMwQE Engineering design process | Partner content | 49ers STEAM education | Khan Academy
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9I35Rqo04E Solve Problems: Be an Engineer!
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM04n0-QtNo Jessi Has a Problem!
- https://pbskids.org/video/design-squad-nation/2365668609 Design Squad: Kid Engineer: The Design Process
Websites
Finally, I also included some great websites for learning about the Engineering Design Process. There are some great ideas for teachers on these websites including activities and lessons.
- https://www.eie.org/overview/engineering-design-process Museum of Science
- https://pbskids.org/designsquad/parentseducators/workshop/process.html PBS Kids Design Squad Lesson
- https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/best/edp.html NASA Website
- https://www.nationalgeographic.org/media/nasa-kids-intro-engineering/ National Geographic Intro to Engineering for Kids
What are some of your go-to resources for teaching the engineering design process? Tell me below in the comments!
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