Design Challenge Learning is a dynamic way for learners to become creative problem-solvers. Design challenges use real-world problems to engage learners in an iterative and collaborative process to build innovator mindsets that are key to future success.
Our lessons integrate Design Challenge Learning and engineering practices across science, math and language arts curricula in both the classroom and out-of-school settings. Our single and multi-session lessons have real-world connections and have modifications for K - 12.
Just Dropping In
Explore how expansion is related to movement by designing a device that controls the movement of a dropped ball.
Duration: 65 minutes
Grades: 4-12
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Brainstorming Ideas
Teams brainstorm and conceptualize a device that expands.
Duration: 60 minutes
Grades: 4-12
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Hover Design
Build, test and modify hovering devices in a wind tunnel to expand knowledge of design and aerodynamics.
Duration: 50-60 minutes
Grades: 3-12
Lesson Plan Video
Solve the Fall
Design and build a device that can survive a drop in order to deliver emergency supplies.
Duration: 50 minutes
Grades: K-12
Lesson Plan Video
Cupcake Delivery
Create a wind-powered vehicle to transport cupcakes to hungry customers.
Duration: 20-30 minutes
Grades: K-12
Lesson Plan Video
Circle of Pong
Explore forces of motion, potential and kinetic energy in order to place a ball in the center of a six-foot circle.
Duration: 45 minutes
Grades: 3-12
Lesson Plan
Balloon Astronaut
Design spacesuits that can withstand the hazards of high velocity impact from space debris and meteoroids.
Duration: 45 minutes
Grades: 2-8
Lesson Plan
Energy at Play
Build a device that can move a ball to a target while exploring energy transfer.
Duration: 60-90 minutes
Grades: 3-6
Lesson Plan
Save the Fruit
Create a device that will harvest fruit from a tree and examine points of failure for iteration.
Duration: Five 60-minute sessions
Grades: 3-5
Lesson Plan
Energy Madness
Design a machine that can deliver a remote control to an immobile friend.
Duration: Six 50-minute sessions
Grades: 4-8
Lesson Plan
Bridging the Gap
Build a bridge over a variety of terrains to determine how different designs affect stability and strength.
Duration: Five 50-minute sessions
Grades: 4-8
Lesson Plan
Shaky Shelves: Exploring Cause and Effect
Write a proposal to the mayor for a device that prevents product and profit loss caused by earthquakes.
Duration: Four 45-minute sessions
Grade: 6
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Coastal Erosion: Designing and Debating Solutions
Make an argument supported with evidence for a solution to the environmental issue of coastal erosion.
Duration: Five 60-minute sessions
Grades: 6-8
Lesson Plan
Weight Distribution and Flight
Conduct weight distribution experiments with paper airplanes to gather information for a short presentation.
Duration: Two 60-minute sessions
Grades: 4-8
Lesson Plan
Engineering Takes Flight
Explore the different flight characteristics of materials while designing an aircraft.
Duration: Five 50-minute sessions
Grades: 4-8
Lesson Plan
Escape the Lava
Design a device to rescue researchers from a lava flow.
Duration: Four 50-minute sessions
Grades: 4-8
Lesson Plan
Animal Rescue
Teams gather information and scientific evidence to design a device that will help move endangered animals from one protected area to another.
Duration: Eight to ten 50-minute sessions
Grades: 4-8
Lesson Plan
Looking to the Past to Build the Future
Apply knowledge of homes from the past to design and construct a home that can withstand a windstorm.
Duration: Five to seven 50-minute sessions
Grades: K-2
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More Plastic, More Problems: Using Ratios to Get Real
Design a device that removes garbage from the ocean while minimizing the number of animals collected.
Duration: Five to seven 50-minute sessions
Grade: 6
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Aim High!
Explore angles and trajectories to determine optimal angle and height to launch a paper rocket through a target.
Duration: 75 minutes
Grades: 4-12
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Catch It, If You Can
Build and develop a scale drawing of a rain catchment system that will help conserve water. Explore challenges associated with drought in California and how water conservation can be part of a solution.
Duration: Five to six 60-minute sessions
Grades: 4-7
Lesson Plan
You Do the Math
Calculate the volume of regular objects and practice measuring and calculating the volume of irregular objects.
Duration: 55 minutes
Grades: 3-9
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The Math Behind Circuits
Build and explore different types of circuits and make calculations to gain practical skills in building, visualizing and understanding circuits.
Duration: Two 55-minute sessions
Grades: 4-6
Lesson Plan
Mayday on Mars
Use line plots to compare the trajectories of balloon-powered Mars vehicles.
Duration: Five 50-minute sessions
Grades: 4-8
Lesson Plan
Traverse the Terrain
Design a Mars terrain navigation test using coordinate planes to help NASA prepare for the next rover mission.
Duration: Four 50-minute sessions
Grades: 4-8
Lesson Plan
Storm Shield: What Living Things Need
Design and build a shelter to keep animals safe in severe weather.
Duration: Five 45-minute sessions
Grade: K
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No Soil, No Problem
Using scientific evidence and knowledge, develop arguments on what plants need for growth.
Duration: Three to five 60-minute sessions
Grades: 4-8
Lesson Plan
Investigating Lift
Build a device to explore the force of lift in a hovercraft.
Duration: 65-80 minutes
Grades: 6-8
Lesson Plan
Save the Hiker
Build a device that will deliver life-saving treatment to someone in a hazardous situation.
Duration: Six 50-minute sessions
Grades: 4-8
Lesson Plan
Go Rover Go
Learn how modifying building materials can convert potential energy into kinetic energy.
Duration: Four 50-minute sessions
Grades: 4-8
Lesson Plan
Computer Science Education Principles
Key principles for teaching computational thinking and computer programming in any setting
PDF
Demonstrating Change Over Time
Apply computational thinking to create or modify a computer program in Scratch that shows how the moon appears throughout the lunar cycle.
Duration: 180 to 240 minutes
Grades: 3-5
Lesson Plan
The Tech for Global Good Design Challenges engage your students in taking a systematic and empathetic approach to addressing social and engineering problems faced around the world. Each challenge includes background videos booklets, lesson plan and standards connections. Challenges are designed for Grades 7-12 and can be done in a single four-hour session or multiple shorter sessions.
Vaccine Challenge
Consider the complexities of infrastructure, public health and sociocultural landscapes in designing a solution to distribute a life saving vaccine.
Lesson Plan Standards connections
To see how this design challenge can be organized review these slides.
Videos:
Student Booklets:
Save the Species Challenge
Develop a solution that assists governments in protecting species in designated areas.
Videos:
Student Booklets:
To see how this design challenge can be organized review these slides.
Created by educators, these short guides on facilitating design challenges, promoting engineering and fostering innovator mindsets are excellent references for both novice and experienced Design Challenge Learning educators.
Innovation Design Process
Learn about the power of the Innovation Design Process.
Innovation PDF Video
Innovator Mindsets
Tools for fostering collaboration, perseverance, curiosity, empathy and boldness with engineering design.
Mindsets PDF
What is Engineering?
Where design and innovation meet.
Engineering PDF
The Language of Engineering
Vocabulary that builds confidence in engineering.
Language PDF
Materials Strategies for Engineering Design
Managing low-cost, accessible materials for engineering design.
Materials PDF Video
Framing the Challenge
Essential elements to engage all learners in design challenges, including narratives, criteria and constraints.
Framing PDF Video
Brainstorming
Methods for inspiring innovation at the start of a challenge.
Brainstorming PDF Video
Prototyping - Test, Reflect, Iterate
Encourage iteration and perseverance throughout the design process.
Prototyping PDF Video
Data Collection - Reflecting on your Design
Using quantitative and qualitative observations to refine designs.
Data PDF
Sharing Solutions
Create a classroom culture that supports communication, constructive feedback and iteration.
Sharing PDF Video
