Young Engineers – Edinburgh Awesome STEM for East Central Scotland
Young Engineers nursery program is targeted at children aged 3 to 5. Sessions provide learning opportunities targeted at the numeracy and science experiences and outcomes of Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence. A
Our lessons last 35 to 40 minutes and typically start with 10 minutes introducing and understanding a new STEM concept. This is followed by 20 minutes of building one or more K’NEX® models which consolidate the learning in a fun way. The children are then encouraged to play with their models, tell stories and interact with their classmates before we all tidy up our kits and learn how to put all the pieces back in the right places.
We aim to help our young participants:
- broaden their horizons:
- enhance their motor skills
- develop their communications skills
- think creatively
- have lots of fun!
Our programme is interdisciplinary and aligns to several areas of the curriculum.
Examples include:
Expressive Arts: The children experience a range of stimuli and learn to communicate their ideas and feelings (EXA 0-05a). They use their curiosity and imagination to solve design problems (EXA 0-06a)
Languages: All the children get a chance to listen and talk in different situations, they learn to take turns and develop their awareness of when to talk and when to listen (LIT 0-02a). They get an opportunity to explore different events and characters and to express themselves in different ways (LIT 019a)
Technologies: Our program helps children to develop problem solving strategies and construct models through discovery and imagination (TCH 1-14a). The children explore materials and tools to discover what they can do and how they can use them to help solve problems and construct 3D objects (TCH 1-12a).
Sciences: Our children experience a wide range of toys and models, they learn how they are put together and the basic science behind what makes them move. (SCN 0-04a). We explain simple forces like gravity and friction and use toys and models to help children understand the impact of forces (SCN 0-07a)
Maths: The children learn about counting and the different sizes of our models and can explain these concepts through story telling (MNU 0-01a). By using their own kits the children learn to explore numbers and understand what they represent (MNU 0-02a).
Pricing is based upon the number of sessions booked and the number of children participating, ranging from £3.50 to £4.95 per child.