Grant Douglas has cerebral palsy and needs assistance to eat. While he was sitting at home being fed cornflakes by his mum, the phone rang. She answered it and as she talked, Grant could see his cornflakes getting soggier and soggier....

Learners will learn about the unique kettle invented by designer Philippe Starck. He designed the Hot Bertaa kettle to be different from everything else available. There was no lid to pour the water in, no handle, and no way of plugging...

In this activity, students prepare their design plans for building their own toy vehicle from local manufacturers' discards. They start to conceptualize what may help the vehicle roll straight and far as they discuss ideas with...

Experiment with designs of different hulls for boats to see which hulls are suited for which purpose. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract, objective, and introduction, followed by a...

In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, the cast tries to design and build a bridge made out of drinking straws that will support the weight of 200 pennies. [4:02]

Design different hull designs for boats from milk cartons and experiment with which hull will glide the fastest, be most maneuverable, and which will support the most weight. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently...

This discussion of statistical experimental designs is presented in notes with examples added as needed.

Students are introduced to two real-life problems that can be solved by using the engineering design process. For the first one, they watch a slide presentation that shows how students use the engineering design process to build an...

This lesson focuses on helicopters and drones, how they fly, how they are used in different ways that help people and the environment. Teams of students explore helicopter flight; and design, build, and test their own simple rotor out of...

In this series of lessons students employ an engineer's approach to solve problems and conduct a variety of hands-on activities. They use this strategy to identify the problem, brainstorm a solution, design a plan, build an object and...

Build a device to accomplish a fun task. Accept a design trade-off challenge of using only a set amount of simple materials, as if you were stuck on a desert island, to make your device work.

Airplane wings do not all have the same design. With this Science Buddies project you can design your own wings to see which offers the greatest lift. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract,...

[Free Registration/Login Required] In this design challenge, your child will be asked to create a bottle rocket using typical household items. The list of materials includes everything they will need to create and launch a rocket, and we...

In this science fair project, use a fan and an anemometer to test various kite designs to see which will fly best in low wind speed. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract, objective, and...

The purpose of this article is to answer the question, "What do the greatest product designers consider to be the most important product design principles, and how can we apply them to our products?" In this article, you will learn six...

There's a lot more to product design than simply making something look good! A successful product is one that people find easy to use, it does the things that they want it to do, they like to use it and the look of it is appealing to...

This is an interesting project that explores which geometrical shapes make the strongest bridge truss structures. It is a good introduction to the engineering design process. You'll design three different trusses, and use online...

A fantastic resource for future designers. Students can tap into their creative juices through various interactive activities and by learning about professionals in their field of interest. Design fields include fashion, graphic,...

Teams of students work cooperatively to choose the ten greatest inventions from a list of likely candidates and compile the list in a graph. Teams of students work cooperatively to design, invent, and build a model of something new,...

Using paper, paper clips and tape, student teams design flying devices to (1) stay in the air as long as possible and (2) land as close as possible to a given target. Student teams will use the engineering design process to guide them...

Students are introduced to the engineering design process, focusing on the concept of brainstorming design alternatives. They learn that engineering is about designing creative ways to improve existing artifacts, technologies or...

In this 3-5 teaching module, students conduct experiments, explore with online interactives, and watch videos that help them understand how vehicles work. Then, students demonstrate their understanding by designing energy efficient...

This PBS site contains activities that are hands-on challenges, animations, career profiles, and videos that focus on the engineering design process. They use simple materials, allow for multiple solutions, and are ideal for ages 9-12.

In this design challenge, students learn about the Vikings from an engineering point-of-view. While investigating the history and anatomy of Viking ships, they learn how engineering solutions are shaped by the surrounding environment and...