This introductory piece is designed to transition students from passive learning to active problem-solving by defining STEM and launching their first design challenge.

Lessons are most effective when they cast students in professional roles, such as being "paleontologists" who use evidence to tell a story or "engineers" designing for a specific mission. 2. The Engineering Design Process (EDP)

Build an object that can fly or glide using only recycled materials (paper, straws, tape).

Test the creation, identify what failed, and redesign it. 3. Kickoff Activity: "The Flight Challenge"