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Session 1: Engineering Design 📐

Overview

Grades: 3-4 | Duration: 40 minutes | Session: 1 of 17

Students are introduced to the engineering design process through hands-on exploration and discovery of what engineers do and how they solve problems.

Session 1: Engineering Design

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, students will:

  • Define what engineers do

  • Identify the steps of the engineering design process

  • Complete a quick design challenge

  • Connect engineering to serving others

Session 1: Engineering Design

Materials Needed

  • 📋 Engineering Design Process poster

  • 📦 Challenge materials (straws, tape, paper)

  • 📓 Engineering journals

  • ✏️ Pencils and design paper

Catholic Integration

Saint Connection

St. Juan Diego — He wondered at the miracle of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Engineers start with wonder and curiosity about the world!

Scripture

"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works." — Ephesians 2:10

Opening Prayer

Dear God, you designed the entire universe with wisdom and love. Help us become engineers who use our minds to serve others. Give us curiosity, creativity, and compassion. Amen.

Lesson Procedure

Opening Circle (7 minutes)

  1. What is Engineering?
  2. "Engineers solve problems by designing and building solutions!"
  3. Examples: buildings, bridges, apps, rockets, medical devices
  4. The Design Process:
  5. ASK — What's the problem? Who needs help?
  6. IMAGINE — Brainstorm many ideas
  7. PLAN — Choose the best idea, make a plan
  8. CREATE — Build it!
  9. IMPROVE — Test, learn, make it better
  10. St. Juan Diego — Wonder leads to discovery!

Main Activity: Paper Tower Challenge (25 minutes)

Part 1: The Challenge (3 minutes)

  • Challenge: Build the tallest freestanding tower using only:
  • 10 sheets of paper
  • 12 inches of tape

  • No other materials!

  • Must stand on its own for 10 seconds

Part 2: Design Process in Action (20 minutes)

ASK (2 min):

  • What's our goal? (Tallest tower)

  • What are our constraints? (Limited materials)

IMAGINE (3 min):

  • Sketch at least 3 different tower designs

  • Think: rolls, folds, triangles, tubes

PLAN (2 min):

  • Choose your best idea

  • Label parts and estimate height

CREATE (10 min):

  • Build your tower!

  • Work with a partner

  • Remember: You can change your plan!

TEST & IMPROVE (3 min):

  • Measure towers

  • Stand back—does it stand for 10 seconds?

  • What would you change?

Part 3: Reflection (2 minutes)

  • Which step was hardest?

  • Did your final tower match your plan?

  • What did you learn?

Engineering Journal (5 minutes)

  1. Draw the engineering design process (circle or flowchart)
  2. Sketch your tower design
  3. Write: "Engineers help people by..."
  4. Write: "I learned that..."

Closing Circle (3 minutes)

  1. Share Towers — Measure and celebrate!
  2. Process Reflection — "The design process helped me..."
  3. Closing Prayer — "God, thank you for the gift of creativity. Help us use our engineering skills to make the world better. Amen."

Assessment

Observation Checklist:

  • Can name design process steps

  • Participated in design challenge

  • Made improvements after testing

  • Connected engineering to helping others

Differentiation

For Students Who Need Support

  • Work in supportive pairs

  • Provide visual design process guide

  • Fewer constraints on materials

For Advanced Students

  • Add requirement (must hold weight)

  • Write about why their design worked

  • Research famous engineers

Wonder at Home 🏠

Family Activity: Find engineering in your home! Who designed your house, your phone, your bike? Try a family challenge: Build the tallest tower using 20 playing cards or 50 pennies.

Teacher Notes

  • Post design process permanently in classroom

  • Save tower photos for end-of-year comparison

  • This lesson introduces vocabulary used all year

  • Consider CSCOE KEVA planks for future building

Next: Session 2 — Dash & Code