Engineering Design Process Part 2: Brainstorm Solutions

Introduce students to the second step of the engineering design process with this helpful template! Designed for middle school learners, this worksheet builds upon the work students did on the Engineering Design Part 1 worksheet by guiding them through the second step of the engineering design process: brainstorm solutions. This two-page worksheet features a graphic organizer that will help young engineers brainstorm and develop possible solutions to the problem they defined in part 1. Learners will then be guided to evaluate which solution is the most promising, design and sketch a prototype, and predict how their prototype could be tested. Students should brainstorm solutions that can be created and tested using available supplies.  Here are a few examples:

• A boat made of aluminum foil
• A cup built from household supplies such as styrofoam, cloth, bubble wrap, etc.
• A model home constructed from household supplies such as cardboard, paper, toothpicks, etc.