Engineering a Metropolis

Grades 2nd To 4th

Help us discover the inner urban planner in your child as we engineer a metropolis! Over the course of the semester, kids explore what it takes to create a metropolitan area with the goal of developing skills to design their own city of choice. From street layouts and building placement to power source identification, students learn about the challenges that architects, engineers, and urban designers face when building cities from scratch. How will we light our street lamps? Let’s learn about hydroelectric power and build a working model of a dam out of clay! How will we cross the rivers that surround our island city? Let’s use popsicle sticks and glue to simulate bridges that traverse these wide spans. By the end of the class, Launch kids use teamwork combined with the knowledge they’ve gained to design their own simulated city!

Additional topics include:
• Machines and materials
• Building types
• Transportation systems
• Building codes
• Environmental considerations

Architecture + Engineering

Grades 5th To 7th – Not Offered spring 2020

Let’s build it up and break it down! Join us as our students explore various aspects of architecture and civil engineering while dissecting the life cycle of a building of their choice. Upon deciding the function of their structure, our aspiring architects and engineers step through structural life cycle milestones ranging from design and scale model development, to construction, operation, and ultimately demolition. Along the way kids learn the scientific principles behind various topics including the geometry of supporting structures, types of construction materials, and elevator physics and functionality. The class wraps up with students testing the physical limits of their structures – and then lining them up for the wrecking ball!

Additional topics include:
• Variations in architectural design
• Plumbing and HVAC systems
• Earthquake simulation/structural design
• Construction methods and technology
• Powering a building

Looking For Spring 2020 Class Schedules?
Visit Our STEM Classes Page!