YES Elementary

YES Elementary standards-aligned K–5 units ignite curiosity by engaging students in real-world engineering challenges. Using the Engineering Design Process, they innovate, make connections across STEM fields, and refine solutions through hands-on investigation—building critical thinking and resilience.

Engineering Sun Hats

Students explore the cooling effects of shade as they engineer sun hats that block sunlight and meet users’ needs.

Engineering Trash Collectors

Students consider how materials behave in water and can be shaped as they engineer a collector to remove trash from a model pond.

Engineering Pumpkin Pollinators

After learning about pollinators and their importance, students engineer hand pollinators that move pollen from one pumpkin flower to another.

Engineering Nightlights

Students investigate how materials interact with light as they engineer nightlights that meet user preferences and communicate a message.

Engineering Magnetic Dog Doors

Students engineer dog door systems for an animal shelter that can open or stay closed using magnetic forces.

Engineering Plastic Filters

Students consider the effects of plastics on the marine ecosystem and community as they engineer filters to reduce plastic waste entering the ocean.

Engineering Safety Vests

Students engineer vests that incorporate an electric communication system to increase users' safety in a busy intersection.

Standards Alignment

YES units integrate with science ideas and standards. We carefully design engineering challenges so students develop and use science knowledge as they generate solutions.

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Engineering Drums

YES Elementary Resources

YES works closely with teachers to develop a suite of resources for each unit. These include:

Resource	Description
Teacher Guide	Contains nine 45-minute lessons with a common structure: Introduction: Introduces the lesson’s guiding questions. Exploration: Engages students in the lesson’s main activity. Wrap-Up: Connects learning to the engineering challenge.
Story or Comic	Introduces the engineering problem students will solve. (K–2) A story is read aloud and its illustrations projected at the start of the unit. (3–5) Comics that preview the engineering work students will do open each lesson.
Engineering Notebook	Records students’ observations, sketches, plans, and reflections.
Print Materials	Include print materials for group activities such as cards or signs.
Slides	Facilitate classroom projection of guiding questions, discussion prompts, sentence frames, and images.
Vocabulary Cards	Introduce new vocabulary through visual cards that can be posted on an engineering vocabulary wall.
Assessment Tools	Include opportunities and rubrics to evaluate students’ engineering growth.
Family Resources	Spur conversations about engineering at home and connect students’ learning to their communities.
Optional Resources	Provide: Additional background that prepares students for success in an engineering lesson. Deeper explorations of related STEM topics.
Video Playlist	Shows how to prepare and test materials.
Materials Kit	Supplies the physical materials needed to teach each lesson.

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