Recently Added Curriculum

Students act as chemical engineers tasked with improving the stability of protein-based medicines by developing a cost-effective surfactant to reduce protein aggregation during shipment. They learn about surface tension, surfactants, and the contributions of the scientist Agnes Pockels before using a simple Langmuir-Pockels trough model to test unknown additives. Using their collected data, students propose and evaluate a surfactant solution to minimize protein aggregation caused by agitation.

Students use readily available materials to design and build a device that transports a large amount of material down a hill. They must work within limited resources to construct their design. As they learn about motion and forces, students apply concepts of kinematics and dynamics to evaluate the performance of their system to determine the maximum weight it can safely carry down the hill in the least amount of time without breaking the rope. Finally, students perform a force analysis to calculate the acceleration of their load.

Students are challenged to efficiently extract a model rare earth element, terbium, which is essential for electronics but typically refined using harmful acid-washing methods. Students first learn about water and solution properties such as hydrophobic/hydrophilic interactions, solubility, and the effects of temperature and agitation. They then apply this knowledge to a simulated extraction challenge: separating black pepper (terbium) from a solution of water (acid), salt (calcium), and sugar (iron). Finally, competing student groups must determine the fastest, most cost-effective combination of variables (temperature, agitation, etc.) to dissolve the salt and sugar, leaving only the "purified" pepper, thereby modeling the innovative and fiscally responsible problem-solving used by environmental engineers to safely extract rare earth elements.

Students explore the fundamentals of digital logic by building truth tables and designing their own logic circuits. Using a series of scaffolded worksheets, students gain hands-on experience with core logic gates such as AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR, XOR, and XNOR. They apply this knowledge by analyzing multi-input circuits and eventually designing their own four-input logic system. On the final day, students use the free online circuit simulator Wokwi to test and verify their custom logic gate designs. Through this activity, students gain foundational experience in binary reasoning, digital electronics, and circuit logic that underpins real-world computing systems.

Students become red team ethical hackers by building a safe hacking lab and learning tools used to test real networks. Students are introduced to ethical hacking, containers, network engineering, wordlist generation, and brute-force password cracking. Using Podman, students create and network their hacker system (Kali Linux) and target system (Metasploitable2 or “Meta2”). With Netcat, they scan the target’s IPs, ports, and services, then design efficient username and password lists with Maskprocessor. Finally, students test vulnerabilities by attempting controlled brute-force attacks on the target and its DVWA web server using Medusa and their custom wordlists. The activity builds practical lab skills and broadens understanding of computer science topics such as cryptography, web apps, networking, containers, and AI/LLMs.

Teams of students become startup car companies aiming to win a contract with Porsche. The project requires them to design and build four prototype vehicles using plastic bricks. They then take on various engineering roles to plan a production floor layout and run a simulated production process. After analyzing their initial performance and making improvements, a second simulation determines which team wins the contract based on the number of high-quality vehicles they produce. The project concludes with each team creating a report using data from both simulations to evaluate their performance and suggest future improvements.

In this high school engineering activity, students use a sound level meter or Arduino microcontrollers to measure sound levels at various locations and then analyze the data. The project begins with identifying constraints and learning to set up and program Arduino devices with sound sensors, while also brainstorming community issues related to noise pollution. Students then collect sound level data over time, analyze it using descriptive statistics, and create graphs and charts to visualize trends. Applying principles of sound insulation and damping, they design and build a soundproofing system, test its effectiveness by measuring sound levels before and after application, and use statistical tests to determine whether the reduction is significant.

Students use Arduino microcontrollers to measure heart rate and blood oxygen levels with the MAX30102 sensor board and to capture electrocardiogram (ECG) signals using the AD8232 sensor board. They analyze the data to detect arrhythmias by comparing results from both sensors. Throughout the activity, students gain hands-on experience with installing the Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE), adding libraries, compiling code, and running programs on Arduino microcontrollers.

Students use the engineering design process to investigate radiation and its effects on human health. Students design and build simple Geiger counters, learn about different types of radiation and typical background levels, and gather data from various locations. They then analyze their findings, compare them to accepted safety standards, and refine their devices for improved performance. The activity culminates in a final report where students explain their results, justify conclusions with evidence, and reflect on the strengths and limitations of their investigation and design.

Students learn that 40–50% of carbon emissions contributing to climate change come from energy used in building construction and operation. Using CAD software, they calculate the total energy consumption of a house or building across its entire life cycle. By testing their models, students see the quantitative impact of their design choices and then modify their designs to reduce energy use and minimize environmental impact.

Students tackle a real-world problem by designing and testing plant-based solutions to break down toilet paper. Using the engineering design process, they research, brainstorm, prototype, test, and refine their approaches—just like professional engineers. By experimenting with different plant materials, students develop creative problem-solving skills while considering real constraints faced in global sanitation systems.

Students become fairy tale engineers as they explore the classic tale of The Three Little Pigs through the lens of design and testing. After reading and comparing The Three Little Pigs and The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs, students work in teams to build three model houses using straws, popsicle sticks, and LEGO bricks. They then test the strength of each house by using a leaf blower to simulate the "huff and puff" of the Big Bad Wolf, while measuring wind speed with an anemometer. Students apply engineering principles to investigate which materials provide the most structural strength and learn how real-world engineers use testing and data to improve designs.

Students explore the environmental and human health impacts of microplastics while designing and testing their own filtration solutions. After learning about how microplastics enter the environment and human body through various pathways, potentially leading to serious health issues such as cancer, students work in teams to develop a practical solution to filter microplastics from water. Using readily available and cost-effective materials, students engage in the complete engineering design process: from initial research and brainstorming to prototyping, testing, and presenting their solutions. Students test their filters using water samples containing microplastic particles and evaluate the effectiveness of their designs through visual inspection or microscopic analysis.

Students design and construct a functional, budget-friendly microscope using lenses and a variety of accessible materials. Through this process, they investigate how light behaves as it travels through different media, gaining a deeper understanding of optical principles. As their exploration progresses, students enhance their comprehension of key concepts such as reflection, refraction, absorption, and the wave nature of light.

Students explore the concept of sediment transport and its impact on bayous, which play a vital role in city drainage systems in low-lying areas, such as those found in the southeastern United States. Using the engineering design process, they build bayou models in plastic bins using sand and water, observe how water moves sediment, and investigate the effects of erosion, deposition, and flood risks. To address these challenges, students design and test solutions such as sediment traps and barriers to control sediment buildup and improve water flow.