Celebrate Engineers Week, February 21-27

The 65th annual Engineers Week is now underway! Hosted by DiscoverE, this global event enables kids, educators and parents to:

• Celebrate ways in which engineers make a difference in our world
• Increase public dialogue about the need for engineers
• Introduce the opportunities of engineering careers to students

Envision is committed to STEM studies and careers, and would like to help you celebrate Engineers Week at your school. This week we offer hands-on engineering activities for your classroom, in addition to direct links to the many tools and resources from DiscoverE.

Classroom Resources
Engineers Week is the perfect time to educate your students on the ways in which engineering enables humans to thrive, driving ever-greater demand for engineering professionals throughout the world. Helpful resources on the Engineers Week website include:

• Training – effective ways to present engineering to students
• Supporting materials – free posters, artwork, videos, PDFs, photos and volunteer kits
• Activities – hands-on exercises, videos, games and field trip ideas
• Online shopping – books, t-shirts, DVDs and more

Presenting Engineering to Your Students
Some of the most valuable tools on the Engineers Week website are the self-guided tutorials for bringing engineering experiences to students. Although their customized set of workshops for Educators is still under development, their workshops for general volunteers translate well to a school environment. They include:

• Leading Kids Through a Successful Engineering Experience – This presentation says “Positive engineering messages + hands-on activities = the formula for a successful outreach experience.” It includes helpful hints for guiding youngsters through hands-on engineering projects, as well as a tool to help you find activities well-suited to your class.
• Effectively Talking to Kids About Engineering – This presentation helps you engage kids by using real-world examples, compelling images and engineering messages that resonate. 
• A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Large-Scale Public Event – This tutorial provides a toolkit for hosting a DiscoverE Family Day at your school or local museum.
• Inspire Innovation: Discover Engineering Careers – For teachers or guidance counselors, this presentation is a terrific introduction to engineering careers, for students in grades 8 through 12. It is designed to take one 45-minute class period.

In the Discover Engineering section of the website, you can also find information such as:

• Reasons to consider a career in engineering
• The career outlook for engineers
• Exciting engineering projects underway around the world
• Ways to “test-drive” an engineering career
• Ways to prepare for studying engineering in college

Additional Resources from Envision
If you’re ready to lead a hands-on engineering activity for your students, please see our Related Blog, Engineering Activities for the Classroom, in which we offer a free downloadable activity guide for a high school level engineering project, as well as additional activity resources for middle and elementary school.

Do you see shining engineering potential among your students? Nominate them to test-drive an engineering future with Envision’s NYLF Engineering & Technology program! Your students can attend this 8-day experiential engineering adventure in their choice of three of the nation’s top engineering colleges. Here the next generation of engineers explores the exciting fields of design, 3-D modeling, robotics, and game and web development, as well as the many careers available in these dynamic fields.

Younger students may enjoy a broader look at the STEM fields, with:

• NYLF Explore STEM – for grades 6-8
• NYLF Pathways to STEM – for grades 3-5

Envision wholeheartedly supports the Engineering Week effort to make a difference for our youth and our planet. If you have additional ideas – or questions – please share in our Comments section below.