{"id":5859,"date":"2022-02-15T11:57:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-15T16:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.com\/blog\/?p=5859"},"modified":"2023-02-05T21:45:50","modified_gmt":"2023-02-06T02:45:50","slug":"celebrate-national-engineers-week-with-design-thinking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/2022\/02\/celebrate-national-engineers-week-with-design-thinking\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrate National Engineers Week with Design Thinking!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Engineering Process: Crash Course Kids #12.2\" width=\"660\" height=\"371\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fxJWin195kU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/discovere.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">National Engineers Week<\/a> is February 20\u201326, 2022! What better time to engage in <a href=\"https:\/\/stemactivitiesforkids.com\/tag\/national-engineers-week\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">engineering<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edutopia.org\/topic\/design-thinking\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">design thinking<\/a> activities in your classroom?! <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/A96Cnq8IEMo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Engineering<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/stemactivitiesforkids.com\/2016\/02\/25\/690\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">design thinking<\/a> can open up a whole new world of innovation and creativity for students.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smithsonianmag.com\/blogs\/smithsonian-science-education-center\/category\/engineering-design\/\">National Engineers Week<\/a> offers many opportunities to introduce your students to the world of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.teachengineering.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">engineering<\/a>. Introduce them to<a href=\"https:\/\/discovere.org\/engage\/chats-with-change-makers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> change-making engineers<\/a>. Engage students in a variety of STEM activities from <a href=\"https:\/\/discovere.org\/stem-activities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Discover Engineering<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/tryengineering.org\/teachers\/lesson-plans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TryEngineering<\/a>. Introduce students to new stories with <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.eie.org\/elevating-stem-learning-through-read-alouds\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STEM read alouds<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.eie.org\/black-history-month-2022\">Celebrate Black History Month<\/a> with STEM resources. Take it further by using this week to begin an engineering curriculum from the Boston Museum of Science (available for grades <a href=\"https:\/\/eiestore.com\/engineering-grades-prek-8\/flexible-engineering-grades-3-8\/engineering-adventures-grades-3-5.html?__hstc=97864128.b4a7b0d79306c51e41afefe1d4a3a428.1644111637038.1644111637038.1644111637038.1&amp;__hssc=97864128.9.1644111637039&amp;__hsfp=2234910243\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">3\u20135<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/eie.org\/stem-curricula\/engineering-grades-prek-8\/engineering-everywhere\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">6\u20138<\/a> or design your own unit with a video series called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLhz12vamHOnZ4ZDC0dS6C9HRN5Qrm0jHO\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Engineering: The Engineering Process<\/em><\/a> as a starting point. You can kick it all off by starting with an <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.eie.org\/get-smart-about-the-engineering-design-process-with-this-fun-fast-video\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">introduction to design thinking<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><a href=\"https:\/\/teachersfirst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/2022-FEB-Natl-Engr-Wk-Design-Thnkg-Silva.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/teachersfirst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/2022-FEB-Natl-Engr-Wk-Design-Thnkg-Silva-200x300.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5961\" srcset=\"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/2022-FEB-Natl-Engr-Wk-Design-Thnkg-Silva-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/2022-FEB-Natl-Engr-Wk-Design-Thnkg-Silva-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/2022-FEB-Natl-Engr-Wk-Design-Thnkg-Silva.png 735w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.edelements.com\/hubfs\/Leadership%20Development%20Pillar\/The%20Eucator%27s%20Guide%20to%20design%20Thinking%20by%20the%20D.%20School%20Stanford.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Design thinking<\/a> is basically a human-centered process for creative problem solving. There are a variety of approaches to the <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.makersempire.com\/what-is-design-thinking-a-handy-guide-for-classroom-teachers\/\" target=\"_blank\">design thinking process<\/a>\u2014some even have varied names like the <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/spencerauthor.com\/designthinking\/\" target=\"_blank\">LAUNCH Cycle<\/a>. They all seek to engage students in <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nea.org\/advocating-for-change\/new-from-nea\/design-thinking-connecting-students-larger-world\" target=\"_blank\">creative problem-solving<\/a> that translates to <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gettingsmart.com\/2017\/11\/03\/real-life-examples-of-design-thinking-in-the-clasroom\/\" target=\"_blank\">real-world<\/a> scenarios. Design Thinking can be implemented in <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/edtech-class.com\/2021\/06\/16\/design-thinking-in-the-elementary-school-classroom\/\" target=\"_blank\">elementary school<\/a>, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/rishmahansil.medium.com\/design-thinking-in-the-esl-classroom-11d26f20db16\" target=\"_blank\">ESL classrooms<\/a>, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/mccartheydressman.org\/2018\/10\/25\/design-thinking-in-middle-school-a-human-centered-approach-to-21st-century-learning-vision\/#:~:text=%2D-,Design%20Thinking%20in%20Middle%20School%3A%20A%20Human%2DCentered%20Approach,to%2021st%20Century%20Learning%20Vision&amp;text=Technology%20advances%20at%20a%20rapid%20pace.&amp;text=They%20aim%20to%20bolster%20the,individualized%20curriculum%20for%20their%20students.\" target=\"_blank\">middle school<\/a>, and <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dt4t.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">high school<\/a>. There are a variety of <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/21things4educators.net\/16_Design_Thinking\/additional_resources.html\" target=\"_blank\">activities<\/a> available to get started, including a <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tcea.org\/design-thinking-learning\/\" target=\"_blank\">design thinking learning template<\/a>. PBS offers lessons and activities for <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/pbskids.org\/designsquad\" target=\"_blank\">younger<\/a> and <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/extra\/tag\/design-thinking\/\" target=\"_blank\">older<\/a> students, while NOVA offers a series of lessons for <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/mass.pbslearningmedia.org\/collection\/the-design-process\/\" target=\"_blank\">grades 6\u201312<\/a>. Design thinking activities can be implemented from <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/dloft.stanford.edu\/educator-designed-curriculum\" target=\"_blank\">Kindergarten to high school<\/a>. They can be simple (like inviting students to engage in a design process using materials from a creation station), complex (like <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/orise.orau.gov\/resources\/k12\/documents\/lesson-plans\/design-a-game.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">game invention<\/a>), and everything in between.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This February, celebrate National Engineers Week by involving your students in innovation and design thinking. As always, you can start off with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.teachersfirst.com\/search_action.cfm?grade_low=0&amp;grade_high=12&amp;searchtext=engineering&amp;searchtype=all\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">classroom resources from TeachersFirst<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/teachersfirst.com\/blog\/?s=design+thinking\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ideas from the TeachersFirst blog<\/a>. Happy National Engineer&#8217;s Week 2022!&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>National Engineers Week is February 20\u201326, 2022! What better time to engage in engineering and design thinking activities in your classroom?! Engineering and design thinking can open up a whole new world of innovation and creativity for students.&nbsp; National Engineers Week offers many opportunities to introduce your students to the world of engineering. Introduce them &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/2022\/02\/celebrate-national-engineers-week-with-design-thinking\/\" class=\"more-link\">read more &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[257,258,94,254,22],"class_list":["post-5859","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-classroom-application","tag-design-thinking","tag-engineering","tag-maker","tag-steam","tag-stem"],"modified_by":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5859","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5859"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5859\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7435,"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5859\/revisions\/7435"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5859"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5859"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5859"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}