Building Tomorrow's Problem Solvers Through Hands-On STEM

The Engineering Innovation Lab aims to establish an interactive STEM makerspace for students in grades 1 through 5, enabling them to apply engineering design principles through hands-on construction, testing, teamwork, and problem-solving. By integrating authentic engineering experiences with classroom instruction, this initiative enhances mastery of Florida Science Standards while cultivating student creativity, critical thinking, resilience, and inventive problem-solving.

Embedded directly into the elementary science curriculum, the Engineering Innovation Lab will engage around 120 students across grades 1 through 5 in continuous, standards-aligned engineering design challenges. Students will apply the engineering design process throughout the school year as they collaborate on hands-on STEM investigations—asking critical questions, brainstorming solutions, prototyping, testing, analyzing outcomes, and refining their models. Students will utilize a variety of high-quality engineering materials, including: -KEVA Planks for structural engineering and stability challenges -K'NEX building systems for mechanical engineering and simple machines -Magna-Tiles for geometry, architecture, and structural design -LEGO® Education engineering sets for robotics concepts, forces, motion, and engineering design Examples of engineering challenges include: -Designing bridges capable of supporting increasing amounts of weight -Building earthquake-resistant towers -Engineering boats that maximize buoyancy -Constructing wind-resistant structures -Designing habitats that meet the needs of living organisms -Creating machines that transfer energy or motion -Developing solutions to environmental and community problems Through hands-on trial and iteration, students will document every step of their engineering journey—evaluating outcomes, learning from setbacks, and refining their solutions. This reflective, practice-based approach brings core science principles to life while fostering creative thinking, perseverance, and inventive problem-solving.

Through authentic, hands-on engineering experiences, the Engineering Innovation Lab empowers students to move beyond passive understanding and actively apply scientific concepts. By participating in inquiry-driven engineering activities, learners discover the excitement of problem-solving and that setbacks are key opportunities for growth. Key student outcomes include: -Engaging in hands-on tasks to put grade-level science principles into practice. -Tackling real engineering challenges to cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. -Fostering resilience through iterative design testing and revision. -Enhancing collaborative and communication skills via team projects. -Strengthening spatial reasoning, design thinking, and overall creativity. -Developing self-assurance as creative problem solvers. -Establishing a strong foundation in STEM to prepare for advanced studies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The requested $1,800 grant will fund the creation of an interactive Engineering Innovation Lab serving grades 1–5. Capital will be allocated primarily toward resilient, multi-use STEM supplies, enabling students to undertake diverse engineering design initiatives throughout the academic year. Funding will provide approximately 120 students in grades 1–5 with access to high-quality, reusable engineering materials that directly support science and engineering standards. Rather than completing a single STEM activity, students will use these resources repeatedly throughout the year to ask questions, define problems, design solutions, build prototypes, test their ideas, analyze results, and redesign based on evidence. The variety of materials will allow engineering challenges to grow in complexity as students progress through the elementary grades. Younger students can begin by exploring how shapes, materials, and structures work together, while older students can tackle increasingly sophisticated challenges involving forces, motion, energy, stability, simple machines, environmental solutions, and structural engineering. Because the primary materials are durable and reusable, this grant will create a sustainable Engineering Innovation Lab that will benefit students for many years and make engineering an ongoing component of the grades 1–5 science program.

1800

KEVA Planks – classroom building sets for structural engineering, bridges, towers, and design challenges

400

K'NEX Education Sets – building materials for exploring structures, simple machines, forces, motion, and mechanical design

350

Magna-Tiles – classroom sets for structural design, architecture, geometry, and creative engineering challenges

350

LEGO® Education Sets – reusable materials for engineering design, mechanisms, forces, motion, and problem-solving challenges

550

Storage & Organization – durable bins and containers to organize materials for student teams and engineering stations

100

Engineering Challenge Supplies – supplemental consumable materials for prototyping, testing, and improving student designs

50