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Introducing Engineering to K-8 Students will provide you with the tools you need to incorporate engineering design into your classroom. Rather than prescribing a specific curriculum to follow, this book will help you engage your students with hands-on, open-ended engineering design problems that can be easily integrated into your existing classroom setup.Beginning with the basics of K-8 engineering, and advancing to topics such as integrating engineering with other disciplines, documentation, and assessments, the chapters provide a how-to on creating open-ended engineering activities, design tasks, and projects that are reflective of the academic, social, emotional, developmental, and community goals of your students. An additional focus is on ways to adapt these pedagogical approaches to meet the needs of all students, representative of racially, ethnically, socioeconomically, and gender diverse populations and students who receive special education services. Case studies and practical implementation strategies are presented alongside more than fifteen lesson plans, with tips on how to modify the tasks presented in the book to work with your classroom and students. This user-centered approach will also help you create your own engineering lessons that meet your individual classroom objectives and interests, and be able to recognize and classify your students'engineering behaviors to support them in enacting their ideas.No matter your experience or comfort level, this book will be an invaluable resource for elementary and middle school science and technology teachers at all career stages who are looking to introduce engineering design to their students.Additional classroom resources can be found online at introducingengineering.org.

In science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in pre-college, engineering is not the silent'e'anymore. There is an accelerated interest in teaching engineering in all grade levels. Structured engineering programs are emerging in schools as well as in out-of-school settings. Over the last ten years, the number of states in the US including engineering in their K-12 standards has tripled, and this trend will continue to grow with the adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards. The interest in pre-college engineering education stems from three different motivations. First, from a workforce pipeline or pathway perspective, researchers and practitioners are interested in understanding precursors, influential and motivational factors, and the progression of engineering thinking. Second, from a general societal perspective, technological literacy and understanding of the role of engineering and technology is becoming increasingly important for the general populace, and it is more imperative to foster this understanding from a younger age. Third, from a STEM integration and education perspective, engineering processes are used as a context to teach science and math concepts. This book addresses each of these motivations and the diverse means used to engage with them.Designed to be a source of background and inspiration for researchers and practitioners alike, this volume includes contributions on policy, synthesis studies, and research studies to catalyze and inform current efforts to improve pre-college engineering education. The book explores teacher learning and practices, as well as how student learning occurs in both formal settings, such as classrooms, and informal settings, such as homes and museums. This volume also includes chapters on assessing design and creativity.

“I still remember my very first day as a teacher. A few days earlier, my principal had given me advice: ‘Whatever you do, do not start with an overview of your course. Do something active and set the tone….'As I nervously awaited the arrival of my first-period physical science students, I wondered how they would react. To my relief, they jumped right in and remained engaged throughout the entire class—building, testing, and revising prototypes of paper towers. Since that day, I have continued to use design challenges as a way to engage students and teachers in classes and professional development.” —From the Introduction by Editor Eric Brunsell From the very first day you use them, the design challenges in this compendium will spur your students, too, to jump right in and engage throughout the entire class. The activities reinforce important science content while illustrating a range of STEM skills. The 30 articles have been compiled from Science and Children, Science Scope, and The Science Teacher, NSTA's journals for elementary through high school. Integrating Engineering and Science in Your Classroom will: • Excite students of all ages with activities involving everything from light sabers and egg racers to prosthetic arms and potatoes. • Apply to lessons in life and environmental science, Earth science, and physical science. • Work well in traditional classrooms as well as after-school programs. Next time you need an engaging STEM activity, you'll be glad you have this collection to help you blend meaningful and memorable experiences into your lessons. As Editor Eric Brunsell promises, “By exposing students to authentic engineering activities, you can help students uncover the profession that makes the world work.”