Happy Engineers Week!
The 2023 Engineers Week is February 19-25. Take some time to celebrate and recognize the important work of engineers with your students.
Creating the Future, the 2023 Engineers Week theme, sets the stage for great discussions about the work engineers do to better society. It's also the perfect time to help your students see the exciting, cool things engineers design in a wide variety of disciplines. Don’t forget, future engineers might just be sitting in your classroom today!
How to Introduce Students to Engineering
Why is engineering so important? What are the different types of engineering? How can I explain engineering in easy terms?
Check out this quick read for practical steps you can take (starting today!) to introduce your students to engineering.
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What Do Engineers Do?
Engineers work through lots of processes to design and build complex systems and structures. Get your students engaged in the process with the free poster!
Download NowLet your students get hands-on with engineering concepts using ExploreLearning Gizmos, online math and science simulations for grades 3-12. Check out the Gizmos below that align with each poster section.
Engineers…
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Ask questions to define a problem or challenge
What happens if you drop a soccer ball off the Leaning Tower of Pisa? What about a watermelon? In the Free Fall Tower Gizmo, students put their questions to the test while monitoring the speed of objects. - Build models and prototypes
Let students design a model to simulate a dummy in a car collision using the Crumple Zones Gizmo. Students select different cars, crumple zone components, and speeds to measure the impact of each crash. - Test potential solutions
Launch objects over a castle using a catapult? Talk about student engagement! In the Trebuchet Gizmo, students test potential solutions by flinging objects with varying masses toward a target while adjusting the angles, counterweight, and payload to see different outcomes. - Analyze data and interpret results to identify points for improvement
In the Programmable Rover Gizmo, students instruct a rover to explore Mars using coding. Students must analyze their programming effectiveness and adapt coding as needed to complete all six missions on Mars. - Use digital tools and mathematical concepts to test and compare solutions
After using genetic engineering techniques to create insect-resistant corn plants, students practice comparing solutions as they study modified plants against controlled plants in the Genetic Engineering Gizmo. - Design, evaluate, and refine solutions
Students put their home design skills to the test as they use materials to withstand natural disasters in the Earthquake-Proof and Flood and Storm-Proof Homes Gizmos. Students must evaluate the effectiveness of their building designs after homes face the elements, and re-design to achieve the minimal amount of damage. - Defend designs with evidence and revise when necessary
Older learners connect gathered evidence in the Feel the Heat Gizmo as they create their own hot and cold packs while seeing exothermic and endothermic processes on display. - Communicate and compare design ideas and/or solutions
In the GMOs and the Environment Gizmo, students practice observing and summarizing the long-term effects of pollutants on a nearby stream ecosystem.