The phenomenon called free-range parenting is making news these days. It’s a hands-off approach—the opposite of so-called helicopter parenting. Free-range parents let their kids take reasonable risks and figure things out for themselves; for example, walking to school unescorted, riding public transportation ditto, or (after some safety instruction) building things using sharp tools.

Come to think of it, free range is how most parents parented for most of the 20^th century . . . but in our modern times, this approach can be controversial. For a variety of reasons, many parents (and teachers) prefer tighter control at home (and in the classroom). But in the elementary engineering classroom, free-range teaching is a highly effective strategy.

Later this month, the Florida Association of Science Teachers (FAST) will hold its annual conference in Orlando. The conference theme is “Capitalizing on STEM:  Translating the Promise of STEM into Student Achievement,” and the conference organizers promise a comprehensive overview of the K-12 practices that support successful STEM learning.

Engineering is Elementary, the award-winning K - 5 curriuculum, will be represented at the FAST conference! Visit Judy Campbell in booth #4 in the exhibit hall; she’s looking forward to meeting you and answering your questions about how hands-on engineering supports learning in ALL subjects . . .  and develops 21^st century skills like creativity and collaboration.

Every Thursday on the EiE Blog, we share teacher tips and new resources for teaching  K - 8 engineering.

If you're an afterschool educator who plans to do some engineering with your middle schoolers, your choices just got bigger and more fun than ever. Engineering is Elementary has released two new Engineering Everywhere (EE) curriculum units:

• Outbreak Alert: Engineering a Pandemic Response
• It’s in the Bag: Engineering Bioinspired Gear

This brings to eight the total number of EE units available to out-of-school time programs as free downloads on our website.

The State of Kentucky only recently put programs in place to close the “achievement gap” for minority, low-income, and English Language Learner students. Which means, this goal didn’t exist when the educators at Tully Elementary, a Jefferson County school in suburban Louisville, first started to implement the Engineering is Elementary curriculum five years ago.

In the meantime Kentucky has also adopted a new assessment system. And Tully educators have been delighted to see how adding elementary engineering to the curriculum is already making a difference for what they call their “gap kids.”

The Skyline Room at the Museum of Science, Boston has (as its name suggests) a stunning view up the Charles River to the iconic Longfellow Bridge. Usually, it’s a place for formal events: luncheons or cocktail parties. But if you peeked inside last week, you might have seen a crowd of excited educators engaged in an offbeat game of darts, lobbing Velcro-studded plastic cups at an equally Velcro-studded bullseye.

The “game” was actually one of several educational components at an important event for Engineering is Elementary professional development (PD) providers: the Raytheon – EiE Invited Symposium. This two-day meeting brings EiE PD collaborators from across the nation to our Boston headquarters to learn about new elementary engineering resources and initiatives and—more importantly—to share their own innovations and strategies for providing effective EiE PD.