The Engineering Design Process

Lab Brief #2

🎯 Your mission

Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.

⚡ The twist

Constraints make you more creative, not less.

What you'll learn

Engineers use the design process to solve problems: identify the problem, research, brainstorm solutions, build a prototype, test it, evaluate results, and improve the design.

Key words

prototype
An early model built to test how something will work.
design
A plan you make to build or test something on purpose.

Make a hypothesis first

Before you test: how many tries until it works?

Say your guess out loud — then find out if you were right.

Get ready

🧰 What you need

tape
straws
paper clips

⚠️ Safety first

Have an adult check your set-up before you start, and tidy everything away afterwards.

Step 1 of 4 · Read

Look at the vocabulary words and write a definition for each in your own words.

Step 2 of 4 · Do

Design a device that can protect an egg from a 2-meter drop. You may use paper, tape, straws, and cotton. Test it and improve your design.

Step 3 of 4 · Observe

Use your senses (except taste) to describe what you notice.

Step 4 of 4 · Record

Write a summary of your findings in 3-5 sentences.

Question 1 of 3

What is the first step of the engineering design process?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 2 of 3

What is a constraint in engineering?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 3 of 3

What is a prototype?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Mind = blown

🌉 The Eiffel Tower can grow 6 inches taller in summer because metal expands when hot.

Nice work!

You got 0 of 3 right.

Next: Asking a Question You Can Actually Test All lessons

🎯

Next Smart Experiment

We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.

✨ More to explore

🌍 Where you see this in real life: Every bridge, building, and gadget you've ever used started with this.

🏆 Stretch challenge (try it this week): Find something that's broken at home and try to figure out *why* it broke.

👨‍👩‍👧 For the dinner table: “What's something around the house you'd redesign — and how?”

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