A great way to join the BUILDING BIG outreach initiative is to visit a school classroom or after-school program. By spending just a few hours of your time, you can enable a roomful of children to experience the challenges of engineering and the excitement of successful problem-solving. Your job is interesting, creative, and critical to society. How about sharing that with a group of 11-year-olds? Show them the power of science and math in the "real world."
Use this guide to construct the perfect visit to a classroom or after-school group.
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What does a classroom visit involve?
How do I set up a visit?
What do I say?
How should I prepare?
Sample Hands-on civil engineering activities
What does a classroom visit involve?
You can meet with a group of students in their elementary or middle-school classroom, or in an after-school program such as a Boys & Girls Club, Computer Technology Centers Network, Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, 4-H, or other youth group. You can visit one time for an hour or 90 minutes, or once a week for several weeks-it's up to you. In a single visit, you can share information about your work, answer questions, and lead students in a fun activity that will give them a chance to think like engineers. If you have more time, you can work with students on ongoing activities, such as a Local Wonder project and perhaps take a field trip to a local engineering project site.
You don't have to go alone! Tag along with an engineer who has visited groups before, or team up with someone else who wants to give this a try. Or, suggest to the instructor that you are available for a "technology night" and you can run a table of engineering activities with a coworker.
How do I set up a visit?
First, choose a site. If you have children, their schools are a natural starting point. Identify other local schools and after-school programs by asking friends and coworkers. Your employer may already have a relationship with a local school--try asking Human Resources.
Once you choose a school or program, call to set up the visit. At a school, try to speak with the science teacher or science department chair. It is more direct than asking for the principal or guidance counselor. At an after-school program, ask for the youth programs director or group leader.
Teachers are hard to reach during the day. If you leave a message, make sure to include your home phone and appropriate calling hours. If it is convenient for you, ask whether e-mail is a better way to communicate.
What do I say?
Explain that you are interested in visiting the class or program and leading hands-on activities related to engineering. Let them know that you have the materials and that the activities were written for fifth- to eighth-graders. Set up a date and time for your visit; agree on an arrival time, set-up time, and length of presentation. Also ask:
- What structure-related concepts the children have already studied and if they have done any structures activities.
- Whether there is an engineering topic the teacher would like you to cover or introduce.
- Whether you will have access to a TV/VCR or slide projector.
- How old the children are and how many are in the group.
- Whether there are any children with disabilities that need accommodation and how best to do this.
- How to get to the school or program and where to park.
How should I prepare?
One week before visit:
- Choose a topic and activity, keeping in mind any requests from the teacher or leader. Take a look at some sample hands-on civil engineering activities. Assemble enough materials for the group, including cleanup.
- Collect any background materials or information for the teacher or leader. e.g. local engineering resources or age-appropriate materials developed by national engineering societies.
- Consider hand-outs you might want to distribute or give-aways for the children, such as pens or pencils with your company's logo, and make sure to pack enough for the group.
- If you are bringing a videotape or slides, let the teacher know to arrange any A/V equipment.
Day of visit:
- Make sure to wear clothes typical for your job and suitable for leading an activity. Don't dress up if that isn't your typical work attire. Students will enjoy seeing outdoor clothing and gear.
- Allow extra time to find the building's location and the exact room.
- Stay relaxed and keep smiling--this is going to be fun! As an engineer, you get to make decisions that affect an entire town or city, build big, complicated structures, and walk past the fences into construction sites--students will be interested.
Day after visit:
- Do a self-evaluation after the visit. Write down any thoughts or ideas you had during the visit. Next time you run the activity you can incorporate the ideas. If you develop extensions to the activity or new activities, share them with others in your section, branch or chapter. Ask the teacher or group leader for feedback on your session.
