25 Activities & Resources for Teens Interested in Engineering Careers


The word engineer is derived from the Latin words ingeniare (“to contrive, devise”) and ingenium (“cleverness”). Today, engineering is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world.

In the classroom, engineering calls for teens to apply what they know about science and math—and their learning is enhanced as a result. At the same time, because engineering activities are based on real-world technologies and problems, they help teens see how disciplines like math and science are relevant to their lives.

In anticipation of Engineers Week next month, I’m delighted to share with you 25 activities and resources to help you teach engineering concepts to teens. 

Engineering is one of the five subjects that comprise the popular acronym STEAM. The activities and resources shared below bring together science, technology, engineering, art, and math.

Discover Engineers Week

Engineers Week is a focused celebration of how engineers make a difference in the world. In 2022, the celebration is slated for February 20th – 26th with events around the world.

Founded originally by the National Society of Professional Engineers in 1951, National Engineers Week is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers.

The goal is to bring engineering to life for kids, educators, and parents.

World Engineering Day is an opportunity for you to get involved. It can be as simple as sharing a photo of an engineering wonder on social media.

DiscoverE events are not limited to a week in February, however. Opportunities are available year-round.

Reach out to your local chapter to find events in your area or consider hosting a DiscoverE event of your own.

Activities for Homeschool Teens

There are many engineering activities easily implemented at home or in a co-op that are challenging, engaging, and a ton of fun! Here are twenty of my favorite:

  1. Strongest Shapes – Using index cards and only one shape in your design, build a bridge that can support a toy car.
  2. Slender Tower Challenge – Build the tallest tower you can with the smallest footprint possible.
  3. Wind Powered Cars – Design and build a car that moves by wind power.
  4. Design a Catapult – Build a catapult that launches a projectile and hits a target.
  5. Squishy Circuits – Create a play dough creature with eyes that light up.
  6. Alarming Surprise – Build an electrical circuit to power an alarm that is small enough to hide and that goes off when you flip the switch.
  7. Aeronautical Airfoils – Design an airfoil that will enable a glider to fly the greatest distance.
  8. Bobsled Racer – Build a miniature bobsled that can win a race down a frozen slope.
  9. Water Pollution Cleanup – Design a process to treat water contaminated with acid and oil.
  10. Design a Dome – Design a domed structure strong enough to support 60 pennies.
  11. Paper Towers and Skyscrapers – Make a paper tower that can withstand as much wind as possible.
  12. Marble Run – Make a roller coaster for a marble that has a loop, a hill, and a jump.
  13. Spaghetti Towers – Build a tower with spaghetti noodles and marshmallows. Can you build one that can withstand an “earthquake”?
  14. Reverse Engineering – Take apart an alarm clock or cassette player.
  15. Better Roofing – Design a roof that will keep a cardboard house from getting wet.
  16. Green Roofing – Design a green or living roof for sustainable gardening.
  17. Build a Simple Motor—Explore how we can convert the potential chemical energy inside a battery to kinetic energy by creating a very simple motor.
  18. Ice Keeper – Design a container to keep an ice cube from melting.
  19. Mini-Robots – Using a HexBug, create a robot that can draw its own designs.
  20. Bridges – Design a toothpick bridge that can withhold the heaviest load. Alternatively, try straws or wooden coffee stirrers.

Professional Coursework or Dual Enrollment for High Schoolers

Healthcare careers offer many opportunities for aspiring engineers or technicians. And because homeschool students are not nailed down to the typical high school curriculum, they can take engineering or career training programs from a much younger age.

For example, high schoolers can dual enroll at a local community college or take classes online in the EKG tech or medical coding fields. Medical assistant school programs are another option, giving students either a long-term career or short-term job as they work through a bachelor’s or master’s degree.

Look for any engineering or technology-based field your children may be interested in when considering dual enrollment for high schoolers!

Biographies and Milestones

Biographies can introduce students to a whole new world of historical figures and different eras. Studying them can also inspire students as they read about people who overcame problems, faced obstacles and criticism, but persevered to succeed.

Here are a few biographies of engineers and inventors who made a difference in their respective fields:

Let your children embrace their inner engineers and explore the field of engineering in your homeschool activities!

Eva

About the author

Eva Varga is a veteran homeschool mom with one graduate at university and her youngest dual-enrolled at the local community college. She is a former middle school science specialist now immersed full time as an ESL educator. Travel and authentic learning experiences are important to her family. She writes science curriculum and teaches both youth and professional development courses online.

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