Unit 2 — The Engineering Design Process
Description
This unit focuses on teaching students the systematic steps of the engineering design process and introducing them to Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) as a tool for accurate design and creation. Students learn to list and explain each step of the design process and understand how CAD facilitates precision in engineering work. Through hands-on activities with TinkerCAD software, students design and create digital models of structures such as cities, vehicles, bridges, or other items. Research reports on building and bridge structures allow students to examine both successful and failed designs. Students compare past solutions, evaluate design approaches, and develop criteria for effective problem statements. The unit emphasizes the connection between design evaluation methods and the iterative nature of engineering work.
Essential Questions
- What are the necessary steps to efficiently solve a problem using the engineering design process?
- What is CAD and how does it improve engineering design?
- How are designs evaluated and compared?
- What makes a good problem statement?
Learning Objectives
- List and explain the steps involved in the engineering design process.
- Understand how to use CAD programs to facilitate accurate design and creation.
- Produce a digitally created design using basic mechanical drawing techniques or a computer design program.
- Research and evaluate building structures, including information about successes and failures.
- Research and evaluate bridge structures, including information about successes and failures.
- Develop and apply criteria for evaluating design quality.
- Understand the difference between English and metric measurement systems.
Suggested Texts
- The Engineering Design Process — instructional guide
Supplemental Resources
- Printed word lists of design process vocabulary for reference
- Graphic organizers for recording design process steps
- Rulers for measuring drawings
- Index cards for brainstorming and organizing design ideas
- Sticky notes for recording problem statement criteria
Engineering Design
Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science
Geometry
Standards for Mathematical Practice
Students engage in collaborative discussions with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly while working through design challenges and presenting their engineering findings.
Students apply mathematical practices including making sense of problems and persevering in solving them, reasoning abstractly and quantitatively, constructing viable arguments, modeling with mathematics, using appropriate tools strategically, and attending to precision while designing and testing structures.
Students apply the engineering design process to define criteria and constraints, evaluate competing solutions, analyze test data, and develop models for iterative testing while following multistep procedures and safety protocols.
Formative Assessments
- Poster or multimedia project highlighting the parts of the design process.
- TinkerCAD design activities creating digital models of cities, vehicles, bridges, or structures.
- Group discussion ranking sample problem statements and developing criteria for a good problem statement.
- Class discussion on design evaluation methods.
Summative Assessment
Research report on building structures or bridge structures that includes analysis of successes and failures in real-world examples.
Benchmark Assessment
A short quiz or practical task requiring students to identify and explain at least three steps of the engineering design process, evaluate a provided design for strengths and weaknesses, and demonstrate basic CAD skills by modifying or completing a simple digital model. This assesses mastery of design process knowledge and CAD tool proficiency covered in Unit 2.
Alternative Assessment
Students may demonstrate understanding of the engineering design process steps through a labeled diagram with written or oral descriptions, or by arranging process step cards in correct order with teacher guidance. CAD design requirements may be simplified to include fewer design features or completed with digital supports such as templates or pre-made components.
IEP (Individualized Education Program)
Students may benefit from graphic organizers or visual flowcharts that outline the steps of the engineering design process, reducing the cognitive load of holding sequential information in working memory. For digital design work in TinkerCAD, step-by-step visual guides or chunked tutorials can support independent navigation of the software. Written research tasks may be scaffolded through structured outlines, sentence frames, or the option to present findings orally or through a multimedia format rather than a traditional written report. Extended time and frequent check-ins during both design and research phases will help students monitor progress and stay on track across the unit's multi-step tasks.
Section 504
Students should be provided extended time for both the TinkerCAD design activities and the research report, as the iterative and multi-step nature of engineering work can require additional processing time. Preferential seating near the instructor during demonstrations of CAD tools and design process instruction supports focus and access. A print or digital reference sheet summarizing the engineering design process steps may remain available during assessments and discussions.
ELL / MLL
Vocabulary central to this unit — such as 'iteration,' 'criteria,' 'constraint,' 'prototype,' and 'CAD' — should be introduced with visual supports, diagrams, and real-world examples before students are expected to use these terms independently. Directions for TinkerCAD activities and research tasks should be provided in short, clear steps accompanied by visual models of expected outcomes. Where possible, allow students to discuss design ideas or research findings with a partner who shares their home language before transitioning to whole-class or written responses.
At Risk (RTI)
Connecting the engineering design process to familiar, real-world structures — such as local bridges, school buildings, or everyday vehicles — can help activate prior knowledge and make abstract steps feel concrete and relevant. Students may benefit from beginning TinkerCAD work with a simplified design task that builds confidence before progressing to more complex structures. Research tasks can be scaffolded by providing pre-selected, accessible sources and a structured note-taking format that focuses attention on key information about design successes and failures rather than open-ended searching.
Gifted & Talented
Students who demonstrate early mastery of the engineering design process steps and basic TinkerCAD skills can be challenged to analyze structural failures through an engineering or materials science lens, examining not only what failed but why — incorporating concepts such as load distribution, material properties, or environmental forces. Research into real-world engineering case studies, such as notable bridge collapses or innovative architectural achievements, can extend into comparative analysis across multiple design generations. Students may also be invited to develop their own rigorous criteria framework for evaluating design quality and apply it to critique peer designs or historical examples, deepening their understanding of the iterative nature of professional engineering work.