Are you having trouble getting middle-school-aged youth engaged in engineering challenges? When we developed our out-of-school-time curricula for grades 6–8, Engineering Everywhere, we committed to creating an additional free resource: the Special Report video library. We developed these 10-15 minute videos to set a context and get middle schoolers excited about engineering. Each video features an Engineering and Technology Correspondent who introduces youth to a field of engineering by speaking to experts about the problems they solve. These videos are engaging and entertaining, and show youth how vital the Engineering Design Process is in the real world. Check out three of our favorites and see how an exciting video can energize the young engineers in your program!

At EiE, we know that professional development is important for engineering educators. Our PD workshops introduce you to the EiE curriculum; increase your knowledge of engineering, technology, and the Engineering Design Process; boost your confidence in teaching engineering; and enhance your ability to implement open-ended engineering design challenges with your students. We offer a wide variety of workshops for teachers, teacher educators, and out-of-school time providers, and we’re proud of our unique, hands-on offerings that have turned many STEM skeptics into true engineering believers. For those who are new to PD, the number of options can feel overwhelming, and for PD veterans, it’s exciting to hear about what’s coming up next. So read on to learn more about online PD, TEIs, our upcoming early childhood PD, and more!

Last month, our founder and director, Christine Cunningham, was awarded a Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education. Christine was recognized in the U.S. K-12 Education category for “pioneering a curriculum that is transforming education by introducing engineering concepts and practices at the elementary level.” Her acceptance speech at the ASU/GSV Summit moved the crowd and highlighted EiE’s commitment to making engineering accessible to ALL students.

We know that budgets at afterschool programs, camps, and schools can be tight, which is why the materials needed to teach EiE’s engineering activities are “inexpensive by design.” Our curriculum designers try their best to require supplies that teachers can easily locate at their local craft or hardware stores. If you are short on time and looking for an inexpensive afterschool engineering activity with easy-to-source materials, don’t be discouraged—Go Green: Engineering Recycled Racers, one of our Engineering Adventures units, is the perfect activity for you!

Bringing engineering to your classroom can seem like a daunting task. Visions of a craft supply mountain and a textbook-sized teacher guide can make even the most seasoned teacher hesitate. Here at EiE, we know the importance of introducing engineering to students, but we don’t want teachers to see classroom engineering as a difficult or insurmountable burden. To ease the potentially stressful task of introducing a new subject, the Engineering is Elementary team has worked hard to create resources, guides, and charts that provide educators with everything they’ll need to choose an appropriate EiE unit and easily implement classroom engineering.