Engineering Design Process Unit | Middle School STEM & SCAMPER Activity Pack

Описание: Want to teach your students that "Failure is Data" and turn them into real-world problem solvers? In today’s video, I’m breaking down a complete 3-day Engineering Design Process (EDP) unit titled "Engineering Solutions: From Empathy to Innovation."

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We are moving beyond simple building projects. This lesson focuses on empathy-driven design, helping students distinguish between user "needs" (functional requirements) and "wants" (preferences) to solve authentic problems like school recycling efficiency and playground accessibility.

👇 IN THIS VIDEO, YOU WILL LEARN:
Day 1: Empathy & Definition We start with the "See-Think-Wonder" routine to analyze challenges and identify the core problem. You’ll learn how to help students define constraints and use a "Decision-Making Framework" to ensure their ideas are feasible.
Day 2: Ideation with SCAMPER Stop students from going with their first (and often weakest) idea! I’ll show you how to use the SCAMPER technique (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to other use, Eliminate, Reverse) to force lateral thinking and generate unique solutions.
Day 3: Prototyping & The "Critical Friend" Learn how to facilitate a "Low-Fidelity" build where the goal is representing ideas, not perfection. We also cover a specific Peer Review Protocol where students act as "Critical Friends," offering specific feedback like "I suggest you... because..." rather than just being mean or vague.

KEY CONCEPTS COVERED:
• Systems Thinking: Analyzing how a design impacts the environment and stakeholders (like maintenance staff).
• The Evaluation Matrix: Scoring ideas based on Time, Cost, Materials, and Eco-Impact.
• Differentiation Tips: How to assign roles like Project Manager, Materials Specialist, and Lead Engineer to keep groups focused.

❓ TEACHER QUESTION OF THE DAY: Which phase of the Engineering Design Process do your students struggle with the most—Ideating or Testing? Let me know in the comments below!

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