The latest news on afterschool engineering curricula from Engineering is Elementary® (EiE) at the Museum of Science, Boston.
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Fall 2015

The latest news on afterschool engineering curricula from Engineering is Elementary® (EiE) at the Museum of Science, Boston.

Fall Back into Engineering

Hi Educator,

The leaves are changing color at our headquarters in Boston, and that means that it’s time for the fall edition of the Afterschool Engineering Update. In this issue, we are excited to share information about new units and materials kits, updates about pilot testing, additional resources to help you lead a richer engineering experience, and more!

Tell us how you're using Engineering Adventures (EA) or Engineering Everywhere (EE) in your afterschool program. Share your story!
New Afterschool Units for Middle Schoolers Feature Farms, Fish, and Fun!

Check out two new units from Engineering Everywhere, our afterschool curriculum for middle-school-aged youth. "Growing Up" is an agricultural engineering unit; the challenge is to design a farm where crops grow in or on tall buildings. "Go Fish" is a biomechanical engineering unit; the challenge is to design prosthetic devices for animals.

 

Like every Engineering Everywhere unit, each of the new units includes 6 to 10 different hands-on activities and a lively, documentary-style video that sets the context for youth before they start engineering. You can download the lesson plans for these and eight other EE units on our website; printed Educator Guides and Materials Kits will be available in the EiE Store in mid-2016.

Lesson Prep is Easy with Convenient Materials Kits

All of our afterschool curriculum units call for easy-to-find materials. But if you’re short on time, can’t find a key item at your local craft store, or just want the convenience of a prepared kit, we offer materials kits for many of our units through the EiE Store.

Convenient and cost-effective materials kits are available for all seven Engineering Adventures units and for five Engineering Everywhere units. Try one out at your afterschool program today!

@india_and_jacob on Instagram
  Engineering Adventures’s travelling duo, India and Jacob, are now on Instagram! Follow along as they share photos of the amazing engineering examples and clever technologies that they encounter as they trek across the globe. Follow, #regram, and connect with us!
Making a Difference in Massachusetts Afterschool Programs

For the second year in a row, the Museum of Science, Boston collaborated with SheGives Boston to bring high quality, hands-on engineering activities to students in afterschool programs across Massachusetts. Scholarship recipients were selected through a competitive application process; they received Engineering Adventures Educator Guides and supporting materials kits.

Recipients were also invited to participate in a 3-hour Engineering in Out-of-School Time workshop. Early on a Saturday morning in October, 20 enthusiastic educators came together to immerse themselves in the pedagogy of the curriculum. Educators reported that they enjoyed familiarizing themselves with the materials, troubleshooting designs, and considering how they can encourage persistence in their students. One excited educator notes, “Experiencing the activities firsthand was a great way to learn how to lead them.” Another participant says that the highlight was the opportunity to network with other out-of-school time educators in Massachusetts and make positive connections.

Want to lead a similar workshop for afterschool educators at your site? Try our free professional development guide!

A Pilot Site Shakes Things Up One More Time

Students engineer earthquake-resistant structures at Mustard Seed School.Our project regularly collaborates with educators across the country to try out early versions of our out-of-school time curriculum units. In 2012, Melissa McCallihan at Mustard Seed School in Hoboken, NJ pilot tested the EA unit Shake Things Up: Engineering Earthquake-Resistant Buildings. Melissa and her afterschool students completed all of the activities and sent us back valuable feedback, which we used to strengthen and improve the engineering experiences of the unit.

This summer, Melissa and her colleague Jen Paffenroth ran the program again with a new batch of students – but this time they used the completed curriculum unit, which is available as a free download on our website. Melissa and Jen tracked their kids’ experiences by posting pictures and updates on their blog. Take a look and relive some of the engineering fun!

This afterschool program provides excellent STEM education for students who may not get it another way, Jen says. “Through the materials, the support, the staff, the superb science, the 21st-century skills, and the real-world experience that the students partake in, it makes a meaningful learning opportunity for all students.

From the Research Desk

This fall, educators from 12 states are pilot testing three upcoming Engineering Adventures units. The sites are as close as 2.5 miles from our headquarters in Boston and as far as 2600 miles away in Los Angeles. The data we gather from these pilot tests will inform revisions to make the activities more effective.

Our researchers and curriculum developers visit nearby sites to observe the units in action. Observing and talking to kids lets us know what's working and how we could make the experience more engaging. We also survey the kids for their attitudes about engineering self-efficacy and careers. The valuable feedback we get from educators, in their notes and through focus groups, ensures that the units work for the broad range of out-of-school time environments in which Engineering Adventures is implemented. There's no better way to make sure EA has an impact than asking kids and educators directly!

Afterschool educators in these states pilot tested Engineering Adventures activities in the fall of 2015.

Additional Free Resources to Make Your Afterschool Program Shine

We are constantly adding new resources to our website, all designed to further enrich your Engineering Adventures experience. Check out some of our favorites.

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