STEM – Engineering Design Process for Primary Students

STEM is a major focus of learning for both educators and parents. We all know our future depends on the creative endeavors of the students of today, working collaboratively to solve real world problems. STEM teachers use an approach to learning which makes their class not just math, or science, or technology, or engineering; it all comes together to become STEM with the engineering design process.

There are many models of the engineering design process. I love the way Anne Jolly has brought a clear, reasonable presentation of how to accomplish this in a classroom. Her book, STEM by Design, and this article are both well worth reading.

The challenge of simplifying the message for our youngest students is still real! Preschool and kindergarten students may not be ready to embrace 6-8 step processes quite yet! So I’d like to offer my take on a brief, but hopefully helpful take on the engineering design process. I hope it helps you in your classroom.