In his 2013 State of the Union address, President Obama charged Congress with making high-quality pre-school available for every child in the country. High-quality preschools have well-trained teachers, small class sizes, and a rigorous curriculum . . . and with regard to curriculum, the National Science Teachers Association strongly advocates for preschool instruction in science and engineering.

That raises a challenge: engineering curricula designed for very young children are so rare as to be almost non-existent. With this need in mind, the EiE project starts work this fall on a new engineering curriculum for ages 3 to 5.

Engineering is Elementary’s engineering design process (ASK-IMAGINE-PLAN-CREATE-IMPROVE) guides young children through hands-on problem solving.  Now we’re using the same process to help solve a critical problem in America today: the need for engineering instruction in K – 12 classrooms

A Museum of Science, Boston team that includes three EiE staff members is one of 12 groups selected for the first annual 100Kin10 Fellowship Program. The initiative aims to create a community of problem-solvers who will find new ways to bring engineering education to more elementary, middle, and high schools across the country.  

Are you an afterschool educator? Thinking about the coming school year and planning afterschool activities for elementary students? We’ve got a suggestion: take your kids on an engineering adventure!

Engineering Adventures are hands-on engineering units designed expressly for kids in grades 3 – 5 in out-of-school time settings. India and Jacob, a globetrotting brother-and-sister team, guide your kids through the engineering design process to solve real world problems. Each unit consists of 6 - 8 adventures. 

It’s easier than ever to add Engineering Adventures to your mix of programming. Convenient and cost-effective materials kits are now available for all seven Engineering Adventures units. Each kit includes enough supplies for up 24 kids.

Each Thursday on the EiE blog, we offer tips for teachers and answer your questions. 

Q. Our district will allow us to purchase EiE Teacher Guides, but not the Materials Kits. I really want to teach EiE! Can I still use your curriculum?

A. Yes! When we designed each curriculum unit, we deliberately created activities that call for easy-to-find, inexpensive materials so you can put together your own kit.

If you attend an Engineering is Elementary professional development workshop at the Museum of Science, Boston, you’ll spend time in our official “EiE Classroom.” The view up the Charles River is spectacular . . . but the classroom itself was a little bland.

No longer. This past winter, EiE commissioned young artist Laura Eckes to create a mural that captures the essence of EiE. The nearly 30-foot-long mural, which shows all 20 EiE storybook characters working collaboratively on engineering design challenges, was unveiled in July.