“Learning doesn’t stop when the school bell rings or when the school vacation begins, so we’re really excited that here we can work with students, with teachers, and with their families to create an ecosystem of learning where everybody is constantly thinking about how science and engineering constantly intersect with their lives.” -Christine Cunningham, Founder of Engineering is Elementary

 

In 2003, engineering for elementary education was a radical concept.

But Christine Cunningham, an expert in engineering education, knew that the fundamentals of engineering can be taught at an early age—on the playground, in the classroom, or even at home. As Christine points out, children are always building things up, tearing them down, and building them up again—whether it’s block towers, doll beds, or train tracks.

Christine knew that this play and problem solving were just the first steps to building future engineers. So, she founded Engineering is Elementary, a K–12 engineering curriculum and education program headquartered at the Museum of Science in Boston. The program has now reached over 13 million students nationwide, and is the reason Christine was just named as one of three recipients of the 2017 Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education this week.

In this interview with Ranjini Govender of Stand for Children Massachusetts, Christine Cunningham tells Ed Tech Times about her groundbreaking work at the Museum of Science, and how she created an early engineering curriculum.

STEM, The Fastener Museum