Week 1
Lesson 1
What is an Engineer?
Students will learn about the Engineering Design Process and how engineers work. They will work through each step, investigate strong shapes, and complete a simple design challenge together. No outside assignment for this lesson.
Lesson 2
Who Sank the Boat?
This lesson will focus on the science concepts of density and buoyancy.  The mini-challenge will be completed together - make a paper boat.  A read aloud will present the challenge, connecting literacy skills of sequencing and summarization. After presentation of the challenge, students will design a boat that will carry a load without sinking (after class, on their own)
 Week 2
Lesson 3
Hurricane!
Continuing with the theme of strong structures, students will first explore air resistance through a mini-challenge. Then they will learn about hurricanes and how they affect structures on the coast.  The challenge to be completed prior to the next class is to design a structure that can withstand hurricane force wind (a hair dryer) for 30 seconds.
Lesson 4
Cross the River
After a read aloud of The Three Billy Goats Gruff, students will apply the principals of civil engineering that we have learned to build a bridge that will span a distance and support the weight of PlayDoh goats.  The class will culminate with a game about engineering.