At Home Engineering

Distance learning STEAM activities, ideas, and strategies

Check out DiscoverE's robust library of STEAM activities and video challenges you can use to engage students in engineering at home and online! 

Students are encouraged to share their challenge results by emailing photos to social@discovere.org or posting on social media using the hashtag #DiscoverEchallenge.

Use our Tips for Distance Learning resource to explore options for sharing design challenges with kids.  And check out articles with remote learning strategies for educators and parents!

 

 

At Home Engineering

  • DiscoverE Challenge: Harmless Holder

    Design a beverage holder that won’t hurt wildlife or pollute the environment!

    File Harmless Holder Student Instructions.docx
    Grade(s):
    3-5, 6-8
    Discipline(s):
    Environmental, Industrial & Manufacturing

  • DiscoverE Challenge: Power Boat

    Design and build a boat that moves through water powered by a rubber band.

    File Power Boat Student Instructions.docx
    Grade(s):
    3-5, 6-8
    Discipline(s):
    Mechanical

  • DiscoverE Challenge: Sticky Glue

    Make and test your own glue!

    File Sticky Glue Student Instructions.docx
    Grade(s):
    3-5, 6-8
    Discipline(s):
    Material Science

  • DiscoverE Challenge: Slow It Down

    Design an aircraft that falls as slowly as possible before landing on a target.

    File Slow It Down Student Instructions.docx
    Grade(s):
    3-5, 6-8, 9-12
    Discipline(s):
    Aerospace

  • DiscoverE Challenge: Step Launcher

    Design a way to launch a small ball off the floor so you can catch it!

    File Step Launcher Student Instructions.docx
    Grade(s):
    3-5, 6-8
    Discipline(s):
    Mechanical

  • DiscoverE Challenge: Critical Load

    Build a house of cards and see how much weight it can support before it collapses.

    File Critical Load Student Instructions.docx
    Grade(s):
    3-5, 6-8
    Discipline(s):
    Civil

  • DiscoverE Challenge: Tallest Cup Tower

    Build a stable tower out of cups and make it as tall as possible!

    File Tallest Cup Tower Student Instructions.docx
    Grade(s):
    K-2, 3-5, 6-8
    Discipline(s):
    Civil

  • DiscoverE Challenge: Pen Factory

    Think like an industrial engineer and create your own assembly line! Design the most efficient way to assemble a collection of pens.

    File Pen Factory Distance Learning Suggestions.docx
    Grade(s):
    3-5, 6-8
    Discipline(s):
    Industrial & Manufacturing

  • Tips on Distance Learning

    Learn why open-ended design challenges are so well-suited for remote learning and explore options for sharing with students at home.

    File Distance Learning and The Engineering Design Process.docx

  • At Home: Water Pollution Clean Up

    Healthy water is important for humans as well as for the environment. Can you design a water filter to remove pollutants?

    PDF icon Water Pollution Clean Up at Home Activity.pdf
    Grade(s):
    K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
    Topic(s):
    Green
    Discipline(s):
    Agricultural & Biological

  • At Home: Colorful Chemistry

    Red cabbage juice makes a colorful chemical indicator for acids and bases around the home.

    PDF icon Colorful Chemistry FINAL.pdf
    Grade(s):
    3-5, 6-8, 9-12
    Discipline(s):
    Chemical

  • At Home: Build an Earthquake Resistant Structure

    Build structures out of toothpicks and marshmallows then test them on a home-made shake table.

    PDF icon asce-build-an-earthquake-resistant-structure-activity-at-home-version.pdf
    Grade(s):
    3-5, 6-8
    Topic(s):
    Structures
    Discipline(s):
    Civil

  • At Home: Tennis, Anyone?

    Create a racket that can hit a ball accurately to a partner or the target!

    File Tennis, Anyone Distance Learning Suggestions.docx
    Grade(s):
    3-5, 6-8
    Topic(s):
    Forces, Sports/ Games, Technology/Materials
    Discipline(s):
    Material Science, Industrial & Manufacturing

  • At Home: Windy City Tower

    Can you design and build a paper tower that can hold up in the wind?

    PDF icon asce-windy-city-tower-activity-at-home-version.pdf
    Grade(s):
    3-5, 6-8, 9-12
    Topic(s):
    Forces, Structures
    Discipline(s):
    Civil

  • At Home: Safe Landing

    Design a lander that keeps a ball safely secure when you drop it from 1 foot or higher.

    File Safe Landing Distance Learning Suggestions.docx
    Grade(s):
    3-5, 6-8
    Topic(s):
    Forces, Simple Machines, Space/Transportation
    Discipline(s):
    Aerospace, Industrial & Manufacturing, Mechanical

  • Article for Educators

    Learn why the Engineering Design Process is more important now than ever. Read the article.

  • At Home: Foil Boats

    How much weight will a piece of foil support? Turn it into a challenge!

    PDF icon Foil Activity-FINAL.pdf
    Grade(s):
    3-5, 6-8
    Topic(s):
    Forces
    Discipline(s):
    Material Science

  • At Home: Keep a Cube

    Challenge students to explore heat transfer using the engineering design process.

    File Keep a Cube Distance Learning Suggestions.docx
    Grade(s):
    3-5, 6-8
    Topic(s):
    Energy, Green, Technology/Materials
    Discipline(s):
    Material Science, Mechanical

  • Article for Parents

    Get great tips on doing STEM activities at home.