One “What is Engineering?” website defines engineering this way.  “Engineering combines the fields of science and maths to solve real world problems that improve the world around us. What really distinguishes an engineer is his ability to implement ideas in a cost effective and practical approach. This ability to take a thought, or abstract idea, and translate it into reality is what separates an engineer from other fields of science and mathematics.”  Engineers figure out how things work and find practical uses for scientific discoveries.

Look at one of our young engineers in action solving a real world problem!

Karis’s mom shared, “Karis used her skills from all the engineering projects to figure out how to provide ample water for her bunnies on such a hot day. Smart girl!”

You might be a little steamy this week with all these ninety degree days, so why not be STEAMy too? Cool off at the picnic table under a leafy tree with these fantastic engineering ideas using common things around your house.

Click link here:

Instructable’s Project-Based Engineering for Kids

In our end-of-the-year reflections, many of the young tinkerers mentioned realizing that engineering involves a lot of teamwork.  Collaboration is a big part of STEAM, as makers share ideas and build improvements to projects again and again.  What an important real world skill!

Mrs. Hunewell is known as “my tech friend” in our class.  Even though my students at MVCS have never met her (except virtually), she infuses my personal professional development with so much energy and light, greatly enriching my students through her influence for over ten years now.  How thankful I am to have a collaborator as we both teach our students teamwork.

Mrs. Hunewell constantly shares great ideas she comes across, and here is one she shared this week that may interest you STEAMers–virtual Maker Camp!

Maker Camp is a 6-week virtual summer camp for anyone interested in DIY, making, creating, crafting, hacking, tinkering, and discovery. Maker Camp 2015 started July 6, but it’s not too late to join in.

Your parents can sign you up to participate online at home.  It’s free.  You can explore a new project every day. Get an overview about the project in the daily video playlist. Follow links to work on projects at home.  They have field trip Friday and a place to share projects that you try.  They send an e-mail letting you and your family know what supplies are needed for each week’s projects, and there are lots of connections for other things you can try.  They even show you information about real Maker Camps all around the country, in case your family ever wants to try one!

Here’s a screen shot of the upcoming week’s project.  If you try it, be sure to share your results with us all on this blog in addition to their sharing site!  Happy STEAMing!

As you carry out your many summer adventures, what do you observe that intrigues you?  Think of Science/Technology/Engineering/Art/Math as you look, and some amazing things pop out all around you.  Your challenge this week is to snap a photo of something STEAMy that interests you along the path of your life.  Share it on your blog, send it to me to share on mine, or add a comment to this post.  Here are a few STEAM samples that have grabbed me lately.

***Brookfield Floating Bridge:  Vermont recently reopened the famous Brookfield floating bridge, and it is only a few miles from my parents’ house so we love to walk there.  It is the state’s only floating bridge, originally built in 1820 across Sunset Lake, which was too deep for traditional pillared span bridges.  The bridge’s architecture is so unique, as it was buoyed by floating barrels and now longer-lasting pontoons.

***NH Grand Hotels:  Part of NH’s state history includes grand hotels built for tourists who wanted to escape the heat and humidity of summer in the cities, once trains were in place for convenient travel.  I grew up not far from the Sunset Hill House (now demolished) and the Mount Washington Hotel, and the architecture and sheer size have always fascinated me.  There are four remaining grand hotels, and one of my bucket list treats a few years ago was to finally travel up the Cog Railway and then stay a night in the Mount Washington Hotel.

***Our Yard:  STEAM is everywhere, as you can see from our family project today.  My brother is using a fulcrum to level a step at my parents’ house.  (Bonus to you if you can spot other STEAM besides the fulcrum here.  Leave a comment.)  You, too, will be using your STEAM skills day by day in your life to solve the actual problems around you!