TOWNSEND -- Most students never study engineering unless they choose to do so in college. But for two classes of Hawthorne Brook Middle School fifth graders, that opportunity is coming early.
Science teacher Judy Brown's fifth graders are participating in a study through the Museum of Science, Boston to introduce students to engineering.
The E4 Project, or Exploring the Efficacy of Elementary Engineering, will gauge the efficacy of different techniques for teaching engineering to fifth graders. It will also evaluate how engineering instruction affects children from groups that are underrepresented in engineering, including girls.
"Despite the national discourse on STEM education today, elementary schools rarely put the 'E' in STEM by making engineering part of classroom instruction," said the Museum's vice president for research, Dr. Christine Cunningham, who leads the E4 project. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
"But our preliminary research suggests that very young children really can master engineering concepts and practices -and that they benefit in a number of ways when engineering is part of their classroom experience," she said.
Throughout the program, students keep science journals, take pre- and post-tests, and engage in hands-on projects, such as building miniature bridges out of popsicle sticks that must bear weight.
Brown is one of 300 teachers in five states who volunteered to participate in the study in order to give her students a new opportunity inside the classroom.
"They get a lot of problem solving experience, critical thinking skills, and they get to see that this isn't just an isolated unit, it relates to real world problems," Brown said.
Brown said that teaching the extra units doesn't interfere with the standard fifth grade science curriculum, but enhances it, adding to the existing instruction on matter and energy with units on civil engineering and electricity.
This is the first year of a two-year commitment Brown made to the program. The program is designed to meet Common Core standards.
Students Morgan Rosseau and Kaleb Naticchioni said that building the bridges was their favorite part of the program's curriculum so far.
Rosseau, 10, said she enjoyed being partnered with three of her friends. They managed to successfully build a weight-bearing bridge with 199 popsicle sticks out of a possible 200 they were allowed to use.
"We had a lot of fun doing it," Rosseau said.
Naticchioni, 11, said his group used 51 popsicle sticks, and that this was the first big building project that the class had done.
While neither student has thought much about a future in engineering, Rosseau said that for now she is enjoying her science class.
"I really do like science, it's one of my favorite subjects. Not so much with what we learn, but with what I do for projects and experiements," Rosseau said.
But while her students are having fun, Brown said she knows they are also learning valuable skills, and getting to see what engineers do on a daily basis.
"It's more than just building bridges. It's about understanding the process civil engineers face and working as a team to solve problems together," Brown said.