Teachers often tell us that kids gravitate towards engineering when they learn that engineers help people. EiE’s real-world connections are often focused on helping others, and that concept is well illustrated in our life-science engineering units. Introducing students to life-science engineering early on can set them up for success in a changing job market. Across the globe, careers in life-science sectors like biomedical engineering are experiencing rapid growth: the US Department of Labor projects that the demand for biomedical engineers will increase 23% by 2024. These five units can kick-start an interest in life-science engineering for your students, and show them how engineers can help countless people (and animals!).

At the start of a new school year, it may be tempting to dust off a tried-and-true STEM activity, like the egg drop or the spaghetti tower challenge. But this year, we challenge you to refresh your repertoire with our thoughtfully designed, classroom-tested curriculum. EiE units are fun and hands-on like your favorite STEM activities, and they provide students with an even richer learning experience by integrating with a variety of subject areas and offering real-world connections that introduce young learners to real engineering careers. Check out these four engineering activities that put a fresh twist on your old favorites!

When you first sit down with an EiE binder or materials kit, it can feel overwhelming. There are prep lessons, assessments, storybooks, diagrams, student journals, and a seemingly random assortment of craft materials—it’s easy to start jumping from item to item and get lost in the shuffle. We’ve heard that feedback before, and that’s why our video team set out to create a set of four short clips that help you dive in to our in-school curriculum. If you’re brand new to EiE, the 10 minutes you’ll spend watching this set of videos will save you tons of time in the long run. If you’re an EiE pro, you might learn something new . . . and they’re fun to watch, too!

Engineering is Elementary is conducting a major research study to explore the question, “What makes an elementary engineering curriculum effective?” We’ve collected mountains of data from thousands of elementary students in hundreds of classrooms . . . and the information is helping us answer more than just this one question!

For example, we’re looking at how engineering notebooks can make learning more engaging. EiE researcher Jonathan Hertel presented some findings at the annual American Society for Engineering Education conference in New Orleans, and recently co-authored an article entitled "The Roles of Engineering Notebooks in Shaping Elementary Engineering Student Discourse and Practice" in the International Journal of Science Education.

A picture is worth a thousand words. A video is worth even more, when it saves you time and energy! That’s why Engineering is Elementary offers “How-To Videos”—short segments you can stream from our website. Each video walks you through some lesson prep for the unit you’ll be teaching.