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Explore Engineering (Project-Based)

Thinking about a STEM career? This self-paced class inspires curious students to discover their own engineering skills. Lessons contain instructional videos and engaging hands-on projects to practice the engineering skills.
Class
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What's included

5 pre-recorded lessons
5 weeks
of teacher support
1 year access
to the content
Assignments
1 hour per week. Projects may be uploaded for feedback
Certificate of Completion
included

Class Experience

US Grade 8 - 11
Beginner Level
Students will learn how to use the engineering design process and practice it through hands-on projects.  Topics include the steps of the process, product design and innovation, process improvement, mechanical drawing and engineering majors/careers.
Each lesson contains an instructional video and engaging hands-on project to practice the engineering design process. Project work can be uploaded and submitted for instructor feedback. This course is self-paced and designed to fit in with other course loads.

Learning Goals

Steps of the engineering design process
Creative thinking about solutions given project limitations
How to brainstorm and evaluate possible solutions to problems
How to make an orthographic mechanical drawing (paper)
Engineering major and career basics
learning goal

Syllabus

Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created Curriculum
5 Lessons
over 5 Weeks
Lesson 1:
The Engineering Process
 How to think and work like an engineer. Learn the eight steps of the engineering process.
Hands-on project: practice the steps with your own design project to solve a real-world problem. 
1 assignment
6 mins of video lessons
Lesson 2:
Process Design and Improvement
 Do you ever wonder how things are made?  This lesson teaches you to evaluate every step in a process and consider all inputs and outputs of a process. You will learn to work within limitations of time and resources to improve a process.
Hands-on project: design a process/product for disposing of radioactive waste (fictitious) or design a paper-only game 
1 assignment
6 mins of video lessons
Lesson 3:
Product Design and Innovation
 Learn how to be innovative and improve a product. An essential part of this skill is brainstorming crazy ideas.
Hands-on project: radical locker redesign 
1 assignment
6 mins of video lessons
Lesson 4:
Mechanical Drawing
 Have you ever seen blueprints of a how or a scale drawing of an object? Learn the steps of creating an orthographic scale drawing with  a ruler, pencil and paper.  These are the fundamentals used in CAD (computer-aided design).
Hands-on project: draw three views of a household object and room 
1 assignment
10 mins of video lessons

Other Details

Supply List
pencil, paper, ruler, household items
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined June, 2024
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
I personally chose to become an engineer because it was both fun and challenging. I have taught science and engineering on a high school level for several years and had the privilege of preparing many students for engineering careers.  I find great joy in helping students unlock their skills and passion for engineering.

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Self-Paced Course
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$11

weekly
5 pre-recorded lessons
5 weeks of teacher support
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1 year of access to the content

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Ages: 11-18

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