Did you know engineers played a crucial role in creating the Burj Khalifa, the tallest skyscraper in the world?
At 2,717 feet, this incredible piece of architecture stands as proof of the innovative mindset and vision of engineers.
This amazing accomplishment highlights just how much engineers can do with their creativity and skills.
And that’s why National Engineers Week is important – it is the perfect time to introduce your young children to the world of engineering.
Best place to start?
Define engineering for them and teach them about different careers.
Then share with them about famous engineers and fun facts about this field.
And…
Celebrate with some fun activities.
A Simple Definition
Engineering is at the intersection of creativity, science, and math. Engineers use the combination of these three skills to solve problems. Engineers design everything around us, from the buildings we live in to the technology we use daily.
When building or inventing anything, engineers follow 5 basic steps :
Find a Problem: Engineers look for things that need to be fixed or made better; or, in the case of the Burj Khalifa, build something unimaginable!
Think of Solutions: Engineers brainstorm different ways to solve the problem. They think of all sorts of creative solutions.
Use Science and Math: Engineers use science to understand how things work and use math to calculate measurements and make sure their ideas will actually work in reality.
Build and Test: They make a sample and test it out to see if it works.
Improve, Improve, Improve!: Engineers use their findings from the testing phase to improve their solutions. They try until it's just right.
Careers in Engineering
There are many different options. Here are a few:
Aerospace Engineer: Design and build aircraft, spacecraft, and satellites.
Biomedical Engineer: Develop medical devices and technologies to improve healthcare.
Civil Engineer: Plan, design, and manage the construction of roads, bridges, and buildings.
Software Engineer: Create software applications and systems.
Mechanical Engineer: Develop and manufacture machinery and mechanical systems.
Inspirational Engineers
Elon Musk: Elon Musk is known for creating electric cars (Tesla), rockets that can come back to Earth after launching (SpaceX), and devices that might let us control computers with our minds (Neuralink).
Gitanjali Rao: Gitanjali Rao invented a device that checks if water is safe to drink by detecting any harmful substances. Her device helps people know if their water is clean or not.
Fei-Fei Li: Fei-Fei Li is a computer scientist and AI (artificial intelligence) researcher. She teaches computers to understand images, like recognizing objects in pictures or helping cars drive themselves.
Mary Jackson: Mary Jackson helped improve spaceships at NASA and was one of the first black women to do this.
Aicha Evans: Aicha Evans is the CEO of Zoox, a company that is working on creating cars that can drive themselves. It's like having a robot driver that can take you places without needing a human to control it.
Interesting Facts about Engineers
Engineers invented LEGO bricks which let us build all kinds of cool designs like castles, cars, and spaceships.
Engineers created the technology behind video games which allow us to explore imaginary places and go on exciting adventures right from our living rooms.
Engineers use special computer programs to create amazing animations which bring our favorite cartoon characters to life.
Engineers design the world's fastest cars, like race cars, which can zoom around tracks 200-250 mph!
Engineers help design theme parks full of rides such as the ferris wheel, roller coasters and spinning teacups!
Engineers work with scientists to explore outer space and build rockets and spaceships that can fly to the moon.
Engineers design electric cars that run on batteries instead of gas, helping to keep our planet clean and healthy.
Engineers help build amazing playgrounds with fun slides, swings, and climbing structures for kids to play on.
Engineers design super cool gadgets like smartphones and tablets that let us take pictures, play games, and connect with our friends anytime, anywhere!
Engineers create incredible sports stadiums where you can watch your favorite teams play games like soccer, basketball, and football.
Fun Ways to Celebrate
Read Engineering Books: This is my favorite option! Spend time reading books about engineering with your kids. Read stories about famous engineers, engineering careers, or books that introduce engineering concepts in a kid-friendly way. Where can you start? Read "Reach for the Stars Like Kalpana," the inspirational story of Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian women in space.
Visit a Science Museum: Take a trip to a science museum or children's museum with interactive exhibits on engineering and technology.
Build a LEGO City: Construct a LEGO city with your kids, complete with buildings, roads, bridges, and vehicles.
Create Marshmallow Structures: Use toothpicks and mini marshmallows to build geometric shapes and structures. See who can build the tallest tower or the most creative design.
Design Paper Airplanes: Have a paper airplane design contest where kids can create and test different designs to see which one flies the farthest or the fastest.
As you celebrate National Engineers Week with your kids, remember, it's not just about inspiring them for a week; it's about nurturing a lifelong passion for problem-solving, creativity, and innovation.
Whether you're learning about game-changing engineers, building LEGO cities, or designing paper airplanes, enjoy these moments of discovery and exploration.
Who knows, maybe one day your child will be the engineer behind the next architectural wonder or groundbreaking invention, fueled by the curiosity.
Happy engineering!
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