Real engineers ask questions BEFORE they build. The more you understand the problem, the better your solution will be!
📋 NGSS Standard:K-2-ETS1-1 — Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change in order to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.
🎯 Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
Observe a challenge situation closely before jumping to solutions
Ask at least 3 good questions about the challenge
Gather information by testing before designing
🔬 The Big Idea
Here's a secret that separates great engineers from average ones: great engineers ask questions first. Before touching a single piece of material, they want to understand everything about the problem. How big? How heavy? How fast? How many? What are the limits?
Today, we'll practice the most important engineering habit: ask before you act.
💡 Key vocabulary: observe, gather information, question, constraint (a limit — something you can't change, like how much tape you have), criteria, test
📦 Materials
🏠 What You Need
10 small household objects of similar size (choose one):
Pebbles or rocks from outside
Pennies or coins
Dried pasta pieces (penne or rotini work great)
LEGO bricks or small toys
Folded paper squares
A few sheets of plain paper
Pencil or crayons
Student worksheet (last pages of this lesson)
🏆 The Challenge
🧩 Design a way to carry 10 small objects across the room without dropping any!
— But first, we have questions to ask…
🔬 Let's Get Started
Step 1 — Present the Challenge (3 min)
Read the challenge aloud. Then say: "Before we do anything — before we pick up a single object — we're going to be real engineers and ask questions."
Ask: "Why would asking questions help us build a better solution?"
Step 2 — Generate Questions Together (10 min)
Work through these questions as a group. For each one, talk about WHY it matters.
Q1How heavy are the objects?
→ Why it matters: If they're heavy, your carrying method needs to be strong. Folded paper might not hold rocks.
Q2How far is "across the room"?
→ Why it matters: A short trip is different from a long one. Carrying something in your hands for 3 feet is easy — but 30 feet might need a container with a handle.
Q3Can I use my hands?
→ Why it matters: If hands are allowed, that changes the design completely! If not, you need a tool.
Q4Do they need to stay organized, or just get there?
→ Why it matters: If they just need to arrive, a bag or cup works. If they need to stay organized (like eggs!), the design needs dividers.
Q5How fast do I need to carry them?
→ Why it matters: Carrying slowly is easier than running. If speed matters, the design needs to be secure, not just big.
💡 Answer for today's challenge: Objects are light-medium weight. Room is ~15-20 feet. Hands are allowed. They just need to arrive (not organized). No speed requirement. — Now you know what you're designing for!
Step 3 — Gather Information by Testing (10 min)
Before designing, do quick information tests. These aren't building — they're learning!
Test A: Cup your hands together. How many objects fit? (Count and record)
Test B: Fold a piece of paper into a tray/bowl shape. How many fit? Does it hold them?
Test C: Pick up all 10 with your hands flat (like a waiter). What happens if you walk?
Record results in the worksheet data table. You're not building yet — you're gathering information!
Step 4 — What Did You Learn? (5–8 min)
Go through the test data together:
Which method held the most objects without dropping?
What surprised you?
What information helped you most?
If you were going to design a carrying tool now — what would it look like?
Key point: "We learned more by testing for 5 minutes than we could have guessed in an hour!"
💬 Discussion Questions
🗣️ Talk about these together:
What's the difference between a question and a guess?
What's one thing you learned from the tests that surprised you?
If you could ask ONE more question about this challenge, what would it be?
Can you think of a real problem at home where someone should ask questions before trying to fix it? (New furniture, fixing a leak, planting a garden…)
Why do you think engineers spend time asking questions before building? Isn't that wasted time?
🚀 Extensions
🏗️ Build It! Based on your information, design and build a simple carrying tool using only what's around the house. Test it!
📋 Question Board: Make a "Question Bulletin Board" in your home. Every time someone is about to solve a problem, first post at least 3 questions on the board.
🎒 Real-World Test: Try carrying 10 objects in different containers around the house — a bag, a box, a towel folded like a pouch. Which works best and why?
📚 Read Aloud:"Rosie Revere, Engineer" by Andrea Beaty — about a girl who asks questions and keeps trying until things work.
👩🏫 Parent/Teacher Notes
Resist the urge to solve: Kids will want to jump to building. That's the point — slow them down and model the habit of questioning first. Say: "I love that you want to start! But first let's be real engineers and ask some questions."
The questions don't have to be from the list: If students generate their own, great! Any question that helps understand the challenge better is a good engineering question.
Testing is gathering information: Steps 3 and 4 might feel like playing, but they're actually practicing data collection — a core science and engineering skill.
Assessment: Can each student ask at least 3 relevant questions about a challenge before trying to solve it? Can they explain why each question helps? That's success for Lesson 2.
