As a new school year gets underway, educators in classrooms, afterschool programs, maker spaces, and other learning environments are looking for engaging ways to spark curiosity and help students see the connections between what they learn and the world around them.
Our recent Back to School with Discover Engineering webinar offered a fresh look at resources and programs designed to bring engineering into all kinds of learning spaces. Watch the recording here!
During the webinar, we explored a variety of free, educator-friendly tools, including hands-on engineering activities, demonstration videos, and engineering career profiles. These resources can help educators introduce engineering concepts, encourage creative problem-solving, and give students opportunities to explore how engineers make a difference in the world.
We also presented opportunities for educators and students to get more involved in DiscoverE programs such as Future City Middle School, Future City High School, Chats with Change Makers, and Engineers Week.
- Additionally, DiscoverE, in partnership with WestEd, is continuing to study the impact of Future City on students. We hope to learn about program impacts on middle school students’ engineering design skills, motivation, and STEM career identity. We are looking for middle school teachers who plan on implementing the Future City program during the 2026-2027 school year to join. Participating teachers will be invited to participate in either the treatment or control group, and receive a stipend of up to $1000. If you are interested in this study, contact WestEd at FutureCityStudy@WestEd.org with any questions you may have.
Also, more resources were shared including:
- Future City Middle School Info Session: August 20 at 6pm ET
- Upcoming Webinars for Engineers Week and Future City
- Outreach Grants: Engineers Week & Introduce Girl to Engineering (Applications open 9/21/26)
Whether you’re a classroom teacher, afterschool educator, STEM mentor, or another type of educator, there are plenty of ways to incorporate engineering into your programming this year. Visit our Teach page to explore resources, find inspiration, and discover new ways to engage your students.
Want a copy of the presentation? You can download a copy of the slides here.