Coordinated by learning coach, Ms West, students are given an hour and a half to accept the challenge, as a team, ask guided questions and create guided activities and look for guided resources that help them find and or generate an engineering solution. In this example, students were challenged to create a pathway for four spheres to travel from two locations and end up in the same cup. They had to think through, blueprint, engineer smart solutions.

Like professional engineers, they assessed along the way and made the necessary adjustments. I appreciated how the students reflected in the end and shared their victories, their lessons learned along the way, and some needs and concerns that prevented them from finishing at or succeeding. This is a volunteer after school class and, according to the teacher leader, this group keeps growing. I loved how other teachers came in to see and participate when and where needed. It was addictive.

Produced by: Digital Promise

During Engineer's Week, 6th and 7th grade students participated in a Design Challenge. Lead by 7th graders who have been using design thinking, students empathized, defined, ideated, prototyped, and tested their designs for organizing headphones in the classroom. Verizon engineers volunteered their time in classes to help students. Using creativity to solve real world problems makes a difference.

After participating in Verizon's Engineering Challenge at Sabin Middle School, students in Ms. London's 6th grade math class were hooked! Responding to their enthusiastic requests, students were challenged to engineer a bucket tower.

In this STEAM Challenge, students design and build a table, using only newspaper and tape.  And it must be able to support the weight of a textbook.

Students at Sabin Middle School are challenged to build a free standing tree using only  2 pieces of construction paper, 4 craft sticks,  and tape.  Lots of fun and laughter were had!