Engineering Design Process

In this engaging episode of SciShow Kids, host Jessi and her robot friend Squeaks explore the physics behind a favorite childhood pastime: building blanket forts. The video transforms a fun rainy-day activity into an introductory engineering lesson by explaining how structures stay standing. Jessi demonstrates two specific methods for constructing forts—the basic draped sheet and the 'tent' style using a string—while explaining the scientific principles that make them work. The content focuses heavily on physical science concepts, specifically the idea of 'forces' (pushes and pulls) and 'tension' (a pulling force). The video draws a clear parallel between the mechanics of a blanket fort and the engineering of massive suspension bridges, showing students that the same physical laws apply to both. It introduces key vocabulary like 'tension,' 'anchors,' and 'engineers' in a highly accessible context. For educators, this video serves as an excellent hook for STEM challenges and physical science units. It provides a concrete, low-stakes environment for students to experiment with forces. Teachers can use this video to launch a classroom engineering design challenge where students must plan, build, and test structures, applying the concept of tension to create stability. It validates play as a form of scientific experimentation.

This educational video provides a concise yet comprehensive overview of humanity's presence in the solar system, moving from a broad look at our planetary neighborhood to specific human-made instruments orbiting in space. It begins by establishing the scale of the solar system, identifying the sun, planets, moons, and asteroids, before zooming in on Earth. The narrative then expands outward, introducing three critical pieces of space technology: the Hubble Space Telescope, the International Space Station (ISS), and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). A key focus of the video is illustrating the relative distances of these objects from Earth. Using clear animations and on-screen metrics (in both kilometers and miles), it visually demonstrates the vast difference between the Low Earth Orbit of the Hubble and ISS compared to the distant orbit of the Moon and the even more distant vantage point of the James Webb Telescope. This visual comparison helps students grasp the concept of space scale and orbital mechanics in an accessible way. For educators, this resource serves as an excellent bridge between lessons on the solar system and units on space exploration technology. It introduces complex concepts like the L2 Lagrange point and orbital distances with simple visuals, making it a valuable tool for discussing how astronomers study the universe. The video highlights themes of engineering marvels and international cooperation, providing multiple entry points for classroom discussion.

Join Anthony and his robot pal Squeaks to explore the fascinating engineering behind NASA's Ingenuity helicopter, the first machine designed to fly on Mars. This engaging video breaks down the science of flight, comparing how helicopters work on Earth versus the unique challenges posed by the thin Martian atmosphere. Viewers learn how scientists solved these problems using specific design features like lightweight materials and extra-long, fast-spinning blades. The video transitions from theory to practice by guiding students through a hands-on STEM activity: building their own paper helicopter models. It demonstrates the importance of scientific modeling and introduces the engineering design process, encouraging viewers to test, observe, and iterate on their designs—just like real NASA engineers. This resource is an excellent tool for introducing elementary students to concepts of aerodynamics, planetary science, and engineering. It seamlessly connects complex space exploration topics with a simple, accessible classroom craft, making it perfect for lessons on the scientific method, variables, and the perseverance required in problem-solving.

In this engaging episode of Crash Course Kids, host Sabrina Cruz introduces students to the engineering design process through a relatable real-world problem: she dropped her phone down a storm drain. Instead of panicking, she uses this scenario to demonstrate how engineers define problems, brainstorm solutions, and design technologies to overcome challenges. The video breaks down complex concepts like isolating variables and conducting trials into accessible, bite-sized explanations.

This educational video introduces students to the critical concept of variables within the engineering design process. Using the relatable framework of asking "What If" questions, the host explains how engineers identify and manipulate different factors to test the success of their solutions. The video distinguishes between variables that can be controlled (like the weight or design of a prototype) and those that cannot (like gravity or wind), providing a clear foundation for scientific testing. The content reviews the standard engineering process—from defining a problem to building a prototype—before focusing specifically on how variables influence outcomes. Through animated examples involving bouncing balls and a hang glider attempting to cross a gorge, the video demonstrates practical applications of these abstract concepts. It emphasizes that identifying variables allows engineers to predict potential failures and refine their designs before real-world implementation. For educators, this video serves as an excellent bridge between general problem-solving and specific scientific methodology. It simplifies the often-confusing topic of variables (independent, dependent, and constants) by framing them as "conditions we can change" versus "conditions we can't." This makes it highly useful for preparing students for science fair projects, STEM challenges, or any unit focusing on experimental design and the scientific method.

This educational video explores the scientific and logistical challenges of human colonization on Mars, contrasting the Red Planet's harsh environment with Earth's ideal life-sustaining conditions. It takes viewers on a visual journey from the lush biodiversity of Earth to the barren, dusty landscapes of Mars, explaining the fundamental requirements for life—such as breathable air, liquid water, and suitable temperatures—and how Mars lacks these essentials.

In this engaging episode of SciShow Kids, host Jessi and her robot rat friend Squeaks introduce young learners to the power of solar energy through a hands-on engineering project. Starting with a simple observation about the warmth of the sun, the video explains the concept of solar power and how it can be converted into electricity or heat. The core of the video demonstrates how to build a "Solar Updraft Tower" using recycled tin cans, a pinwheel, and common household items, effectively turning sunlight into mechanical motion.

In this engaging episode of Crash Course Kids, host Sabrina Cruz uses the analogy of a mobile video game to explain the fundamental engineering concepts of variables and outcomes. The video breaks down the scientific method of testing solutions, specifically focusing on why it is critical to isolate variables during an experiment to understand cause and effect. Through a "Catbot" slingshot game, viewers see a practical demonstration of how changing launch angle versus pull strength affects the result.

This video explores the engineering design process, specifically focusing on how engineers identify and resolve "failure points" to create safe and effective solutions. Hosted by Sabrina Cruz, the episode uses engaging animations and real-world examples to explain that failure isn't a negative outcome in engineering, but a necessary step in testing limits. It breaks down how engineers create plans, build models, and conduct trials by isolating variables to find exactly where a design stops working. Key themes include the definition of a "failure point," the importance of strategic planning over random guessing, and the scientific method's role in engineering through isolating variables. The video illustrates these concepts through a relatable example of testing a model bridge's weight capacity and a historical reference to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse. It emphasizes iteration—using failure data to redesign and improve the solution. For educators, this resource is an excellent tool to introduce the "Test and Improve" phase of the engineering cycle. It helps destigmatize failure, framing it as critical data collection. Teachers can use the bridge testing demonstration to launch hands-on STEM challenges where students must intentionally test their designs to the breaking point to understand their limits. It also bridges science and engineering by showing how controlled experiments (trials) are used to validate design choices.

This educational video uses a bowling analogy to explain the engineering design process, specifically focusing on how to test solutions through trials. The host, Sabrina, breaks down complex concepts like variables, constants, criteria, and outcomes into manageable parts by demonstrating how an engineer would approach the problem of getting a strike at a bowling alley. The video explores key scientific inquiry themes including the importance of isolating variables to ensure fair testing, defining success criteria before testing begins, and the necessity of keeping other factors constant. It demonstrates the iterative nature of testing, showing how engineers perform multiple trials, analyze the results against their established criteria, and adjust their approach based on data. For educators, this resource provides a clear, visual model for teaching the experimental method and engineering design. It is particularly useful for introducing students to the vocabulary of experimentation (isolate, constant, trial) and showing why changing only one variable at a time is crucial for scientific validity. The bowling metaphor makes abstract procedural steps concrete and relatable for elementary and middle school students.

This video provides a comprehensive overview of strategies to combat water pollution, focusing specifically on the Chesapeake Bay watershed. It distinguishes between two primary approaches: prevention (keeping pollution out) and removal (cleaning pollution up). The host explains how nutrient pollution creates 'dead zones' that harm aquatic life and disrupt local economies, using real-world examples to illustrate the connection between human activities and environmental health. The content explores specific technologies and methods for each strategy. For prevention, it covers individual actions like managing pet waste and large-scale engineering solutions like permeable pavement and buffer strips. For removal, it discusses dredging, floating barriers, and biological treatments. The video emphasizes the challenges of cleaning moving water and explains why prevention is generally considered the 'gold standard' in environmental management. This resource is highly valuable for teaching environmental science, ecology, and critical thinking. It moves beyond simple definitions to explore the complexities of environmental decision-making, asking students to consider cost-benefit analyses and the competing needs of various stakeholders such as farmers, fishers, and local governments. It sets the stage for discussions on sustainability and civic responsibility.

This engaging video introduces young learners to the engineering design process through a relatable narrative featuring Jessi and her robot mouse friend, Squeeks. When Squeeks faces the problem of trying to invite too many friends over to play one by one, Jessi guides him—and the viewers—through using engineering principles to find a better solution. They define the problem, identify constraints (like the need for friends to both see and hear the signal), brainstorm ideas, and build a prototype using LEGO bricks and sensors. The video covers key STEM themes including the definition of engineering, the importance of collaboration ('two heads are better than one'), the concept of a prototype as an early model, and the role of sensors in robotics. It also emphasizes the iterative nature of design, showing that the first solution (a small model) often leads to questions about how to scale up or improve the design for the real world. For educators, this video serves as an excellent hook for elementary engineering units. It demystifies the term 'engineer' by framing it simply as problem-solving to make life better. The clear visual demonstration of inputs (color bricks) and outputs (flag raising/lowering) provides a tangible example of cause-and-effect and basic coding logic without needing screens. It is particularly useful for launching design challenges or introducing the vocabulary of the design cycle.