Back in the 1920s, the Christopher School was built to serve students with disabilities, including many affected by polio. Today, this Chicago public school serves an unusually diverse student population. “Our mission statement is 'Teach All, Reach All, Include All,'" says Mary Meade, the school’s middle-school science coordinator. “Regular education students learn alongside students with severe and profound physical and cognitive disabilities.” 

Like every teacher, Mary needs lessons that help every student learn. She also looks for lessons that relate to the real world. That’s how she discovered Engineering Everywhere (EE), EiE’s out-of-school-time curriculum for ages 10–12.

Teachers tell us that their students sometimes get so inspired by an engineering design challenge, they want to do MORE than the lessons call for. This is a good problem to have! Here’s a plan to extend STEM learning when you teach Liftoff: Engineering Rockets and Rovers, a popular unit from Engineering Adventures, the EiE curriculum for elementary out-of-school time programs.  

A few years ago, Baltimore educators and researchers launched an innovative STEM program for elementary students. One goal was to get parents engaged in their students’ STEM learning; another was to connect STEM learning to real-world issues in the local community. This focus on local connections is how Engineering Adventures, the out-of-school-time curriculum developed by Engineering is Elementary, came to be part of the “STEM Achievement in Baltimore Elementary Schools” project—SABES for short.

India and Jacob are off on another adventure! In the latest installment of “Engineering Adventures,” our afterschool curriculum for grades 3–5, the globe-trotting duo is posting reports from Mongolia, where they’re attending Naadam, a traditional festival featuring wrestling, archery, horseback riding, and music. But there’s a problem: the festival loudspeakers aren’t loud enough. Can the intrepid duo engineer an amplifier to save the day? The kids in your out-of-school-time program are invited to help!

For a modern take on old-fashioned flashcards, check out “Technology Flashcards,” the Engineering is Elementary iOS app. This digital game makes learning about technology and engineering fun for elementary-school-aged children. If you have access to a set of iPads for your classroom or summer camp, try it and see!