Youth Engineering Solutions Progressions: A PreK–8 Workshop Series

Discover how engineering and computer science learning develop from early childhood through middle school in the YES Progressions Workshop Series. Across three days, you’ll explore the frameworks and design challenges that shape the YES curriculum at each grade band.

By the end of the workshop, you will be:

• Ready to teach YES units

• Confident in engaging students with authentic engineering practices

• Equipped to lead open-ended, inquiry-driven challenges that inspire young problem solvers.

Attend the full series to understand the complete PreK–8 progression or join the individual day most relevant to your teaching.

Day 1: Engineering in Early Childhood

Experience how early learners take their first steps as engineers. Through Wee Engineer, you’ll tackle four playful design challenges using everyday materials. In Engineering Sun Hats, you’ll work with a partner to design a sun hat using the Engineering Design Process, exploring how materials, form, and function come together to solve real needs.

Day 2: Elementary Engineering + Computer Science

Dive into engineering and computing as you design wearable safety devices for busy intersections. You’ll use the Engineering Design Process to create a safety vest for pedestrians, cyclists, or skateboarders, applying your understanding of electrical circuits and communication systems to help the vest convey important information to others. Then, you’ll design a smaller, lightweight signal bracelet. You’ll determine the three messages your bracelet should send and program a micro:bit LED display to communicate them effectively.

Day 3: Middle School Engineering + Computer Science

Discover how design and computation expand what we can see and understand. You’ll engineer a wearable “vision extender” that lets users see behind themselves, investigating field of view and how light reflects off curved surfaces. Then, in the computer science module, you’ll explore how scientists hunt for exoplanets. After learning to spot telltale patterns in telescope light curves, you’ll uncover how these human-recognizable features must be translated into explicit instructions for a computer to detect.

Who Should Attend?

These workshops are perfect for classroom educators eager to deepen their STEM practice. They are also well suited for STEM leaders, instructional coaches, administrators, and others preparing to support teachers with the YES curriculum.

Workshop Details:

Breakfast and lunch are included in the registration fee and will be provided. Free parking with validation.