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Engineering Design Process Activity for Kids

Paper Table Challenge DIY

  • Duration: 45-60 min
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Cost: $0 to $5

Take the paper table challenge! Your task is to hold up a book using only paper and tape!

Visit The Full Lesson Download Instructions as PDF

Material List

  • 1Newspaper Sheets
  • 3Heavy Books
  • 1Roll of Tape

Instructions

  • 1Try not to copy Adam's design. Instead, use the engineering design process to make your own!
  • 2Phase 1: Define the engineering problem.
  • 3Phase 2: Develop possible solutions.
  • 4Phase 3: Optimize the design solution.

How It Works

Engineers use the engineering design process to solve problems. In this case, we need to hold a book 15 centimeters above the table using up to 20 sheets of newspaper and 2 meters of tape. Next, you can develop possible solutions, which can include researching, designing on paper, on a computer, and of course building and testing it. Most designs are not perfect the first time, so you can then optimize the design solution to improve it. This process is used for everything engineers make.

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Check out the Full Lesson on Engineering Design Process

In this lesson, we learn that:

  • Engineers use science, math and creativity to solve problems.
  • Engineers use the "engineering design process," which is composed of 3 simple phases.
  • First, define an engineering problem, then develop possible solutions, and finally optimize the design solution.

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