Introductory engineering experiences for after school programs and elementary school students (ages 8 to 12). Funded by the National Science Foundation and developed by Education Development Center, Inc.
Design It! includes a guide for each project and a special guide for implementing all of the projects. These extended projects allow for the development of basic engineering principles (such as troubleshooting and optimization), exemplify the design process and promote problem solving and creativity.
Designing and constructing a car out of cardboard, dowels, plastic plates, and rubber bands can be quite challenging for children. Using only these limited materials, not only do they build their own cars, but they also learn in a direct way the engineering concept of optimization by testing different sized rubber bands and different diameter plates as wheels. Instructional Material, 55 Pages.
