One reason I love being on the Review Crew is because I learn about different vendors and products that I have never heard of before. It's even better when they turn out to be a favorite of the kids. We have had a lot of fun with this review of Thinking Like an Engineer from Innovators Tribe.
Finding curriculum that has something to do with my children's interests can sometimes be challenging. Awhile back Gavin had made the comment that engineering and architecture interested him. I knew when I saw this review come up that he would be totally excited for it.
Thinking Like an Engineer is a hands on interactive program taught by Mr. Kroeplin aka Mr. K. Your child will be taken on a learning adventure that includes so much more than just basic information about becoming an engineer. They are presented with self paced lessons, hands on activities, design challenges, and so much more. They get to dive into their creativity and really put their problem solving skills to good use.
This course is designed for grades 6 - 12 and is geared for both girls and boys! I love that because it's definitely a great fit for either. We have currently been only using it for Gavin, but I think when he's done, we are going to let Edyn use it for at least a partial credit in high school.
Thinking Like an Engineer is divided in to six units. They include:
- Introduction to Engineering ~ In this unit they will learn exactly what engineering is, and they will start to use their problem solving skills in the hands on challenges.
- Introduction to 3D Design (tools for modern design) ~ this is Gavin's favorite part so far. Your student will be introduced to the engineering design software and will participate in activities and challenges using it.
- Engineering Rollercoasters ~ This is another one that Gav is super excited about. Your child will learn about the importance of the design of a rollercoaster, the construction of one, and even how to become a rollercoaster engineer. There are plenty of hands on activities too.
- Engineering Bridges ~ I personally find this one interesting. Lessons will include discovering different types of bridges and more 3D design work.
- Nano Engineering ~ Here is all about the engineering the small things. It's a shorter unit but still looks like a lot of interesting and fun lessons!
- Thinking Like an Engineer (course conclusion) ~ Just a short closing of the entire course.
The course is a combination of videos, text like a Power Point slide show, and plenty of hands on activites/challenges. The videos are interesting and completely engaging for your student.
Gavin loved working on the challenges. The items you will need are very easy to find, and you will most likely already have it on hand at home. For example, the first challenge that he worked on only needed paper and tape. Easy simple items! I wish I could say that I had all of the pictures from this night, but something happened to my camera and I lost most of them. Gav and his dad work on the challenges together. They REALLY enjoy this type of thing, so I let them take over. The first challenge was a tower challenge. They watched a short video and discussed the tallest tower in the world, the Burj Khalifa. Their design challenge was to build a tower of their own using only 4 sheets of paper and 1 foot of masking tape. The hard part was that they had to make the tower at least 5 feet tall, it had to stand on its own for 10 seconds, and it was to be done in an hour.
Their first attempt at cutting it into strips was a close shot, but it failed. It only stood for about 3 seconds at a time. They did some revamping of their idea and finally got a finished product that worked. I sure wish I had the pictures to show you! Anyway, the time and effort they put into it was a lot of fun. It really made Gav dive deeper into the thought process of how to make something work, and if it doesn't work the first time, then keep trying until it does!
This program went above and beyond what I thought it could be. Gav is having a blast using it, but the important thing is he's learning some really cool stuff! This is the type of program that can give your child a taste of something they might want to make a career out of. If you're wanting something fun and different to add to your homeschool, go check out Thinking Like an Engineer OR Thinking Like an Architect from Innovators Tribe. It's well worth it!
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