Our Big Vision
The League is on a mission to ensure that, regardless of zip code, engineering design is taught at every elementary school in the U.S. as an annual, progressive, core content area that equips students with a problem-solving skill set that they’ll utilize for a lifetime.
Engineering in Elementary School
Engineering design is a process that engages our youngest learners in meaningful, multi-dimensional learning experiences, supporting not only knowledge acquisition but also skill and mindsets.
By creating a curriculum-based solution for teachers, we believe that we can help to expand access to, and participation in, the creative process for our youngest learners – fostering a generation who will be ready to take advantage of the growing pipeline of STEM programs available in both middle and high school. These technology-based, open-ended programs require a strong foundation in engineering design. Without access to these meaningful experiences in elementary school, rising middle schoolers will already be behind.
Problem-Solving Skillset
The League’s curriculum helps students develop a problem-solving skill set that they’ll utilize for a lifetime:
Hands-On Building & Spatial Reasoning
Rather than simply listening, children are asked to take an active role in their own learning through play-based exploration and the making of 3-D models using everyday materials. This experience helps children strengthen their visualization skills and gives them a more tangible grasp of the physical world.
Scientific Investigation & Understanding
As the saying goes, seeing is believing. Children gain familiarity with scientific methods of observation, experimentation, data collection, and analysis as an integral part of learning and of making. This helps students develop an understanding of science as a part of daily life.
Risk Taking & Resilience
As engineers and inventors, children quickly learn that failure is central to the learning process – not something to be feared. Students learn to embrace failure as a way to investigate what works and what doesn’t, and use that data to improve their designs.
Teamwork & Collaboration
Working together on projects gives children the opportunity to learn from and support one another as they research and build together. This reinforces the importance of cooperative work as a vital part of innovation.