A Website that has Engineering Lessons for Kids

If you are looking for a website that has engineering lessons that include vocabulary words to know, background information, and activities, then you have to check out www.teachengineering.com.  The super cool thing is you can select whether you want an activity, lesson, curricular unit, or maker challenge.  You can also choose a grade level range and a particular subject area.  The possible subject areas are algebra, biology, chemistry, computer science, data analysis and probability, earth and space, geometry, life science, measurement, number and operations, physical science, physics, problem solving, reasoning and proof, and science and technology.  So as you can see there are MANY different subject areas to choose from!

Lesson Comparing Architects and Engineers

Today, we did a lesson about architects and engineers.  The lesson we did can be found at https://www.teachengineering.org/lessons/view/cub_intro_lesson03.  We talked about how architects and engineers work together to build structures such as skyscrapers.  We talked about the different roles of an architect versus and engineer.   One of the cool features of www.teachengineering.com is that they have a vocabulary section.  The lesson we used also had introduction/motivation section, a section with background information for the teacher, an associated activity, a lesson closure, and it EVEN had pre- and post- lesson assessments!

Some of the terms we discussed were architect, engineer, skyscrapers, steel beams/sturdy beams, blue print, CAD, and scale drawing.  After talking about the roles of architects and engineers, the kids decided they wanted to build a house.  This was not the activity suggested with the lesson, but it was nice that the kids had their own idea of what they wanted to do.

We ended up watching a youtube video about how an architect draws a blueprint at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_bEps3hJLI

Building Houses

I went to a Dollar Store and bought some cardboard boxes and foam boards to put the houses on.  We used hot glue as well.  Both of my older kids did some preliminary drawing before we started building.  The funny thing is that after we had finished putting together my son’s house, he said that his house looked just like his blueprint..lol. Andre` waned his house to have more than one level.

Andre`’s house

Annaliese’s house

 

So if you need a resource that has well planned engineering lessons, then look no more.  You have to go check out www.teachengineering.com.

A List of More STEM Activities

Want More STEM Activities You Can Do with Your Kids?  Check out Get Your Kids Involved in STEM Activities.

Encourage Your Child to be a STEM Problem Solver with STEM books

Do you want to encourage your kids to be little inventors?  Check out the first book in a kids’ fictional STEM series that I wrote called Anna, Kid Engineer.  Read about Anna’s experience in a science fair.  Encourage your child to be creative, inventive, and to not give up!

You can purchase the pdf ebook on my website, or you can purchase the physical book on Amazon.

Andre, Kid Aviator is the 2nd book in the STEM series for kids.  In Andre, Kid Aviator, the STEM Club Andre is a part of is presented with a problem.  Check out this book to see if the club is able to solve the problem.  Encourage your kids to be problem solvers!  You can purchase the ebook of Andre, Kid Aviator here.

The physical book of Andre, Kid Aviator is also available on Amazon.