Teaching Lesson

Challenge Overview

Theme: Structural Engineering

Structures are an essential part of the technological world. Engineers design structures to safely support loads and withstand forces while considering materials, function, cost, environmental conditions, and other constraints.

Challenge:

Your challenge is to develop and deliver a middle school technology and engineering lesson that introduces students to structural engineering and the principles used to design stable and effective structures. Your lesson should engage students in an interactive demonstration or hands-on activity that allows them to investigate how structural design influences the strength, stability, and performance of a structure.

Students should be able to identify how forces, materials, shapes, and structural systems influence the performance of technological structures.

Your lesson should emphasize how loads and forces affect engineering decision-making and problem-solving, rather than simply identifying different types of structures. Competitors are encouraged to incorporate models, demonstrations, design challenges, or other active teaching strategies to engage learners. No commercial load-testing equipment is permitted. 

Be sure to engage students during your lesson by using a demonstration activity or an active teaching strategy that reinforces the concepts and/or vocabulary relevant to the STEL, grade-level benchmarks, and the corresponding Practice(s) and Context(s). The lesson should be a ‘live’ interactive teaching moment.

• Items to be evaluated include:

  • Lesson plan 

  • Instructional materials and supplies used

  • Lesson delivery, including the integration of all instructional materials

  • Post-lesson reflection

Coordinator Contact: madisonhansen1010@gmail.com