Every Thursday the EiE blog brings you tips and resources to help you teach elementary engineering.

Some educators think of extension lessons as a convenient and educational way to fill a few minutes when your students finish work ahead of schedule. But they're much more than that! Well-designed extension lessons

• make connections between the topic you're teaching and other subject areas,
• help students explore a topic more
  deeply, and
• provide extra support for students who need to strengthen their skills.

Did you know that Engineering is Elementary offers a large collection of extension lessons? We have hundreds of engaging short lessons, all designed by K-5 classroom teachers and expert curriculum developers so that they integrate perfectly in your engineering classroom.

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!

Here’s a STEM activity for summer camp that’s literally timely! It’s About Time is a curriculum unit that’s all about timekeeping; it’s also one of the newest offerings from Engineering Everywhere (EE), the out-of-school-time curriculum for middle schoolers developed here at Engineering is Elementary.

Are America’s schools doing a good job educating K-12 students about technology and engineering? Last month, the National Center for Education Statistics arrived at a noteworthy landmark when it released a report on the results of the first-ever assessment of Technology and Engineering Learning (TEL).

Here in Boston, the Engineering is Elementary offices are buzzing with activity. As part of a new five-year initiative, we’re working to significantly expand our catalog of professional development resources. Currently in development: a variety of innovative, on-demand engineering videos.

Today, we’re pleased to release one new collection: EiE “Engineering Moments.” These short videos let you peek into elementary classrooms where students are engaged in hands-on engineering.