Pre-College Outreach Training

Teaching Tips

• Talk to the teacher or leader a few weeks in advance. Find out how old/what grade are the children, how many will be attending, and how long you have for the activity.
• Have your materials organized before you arrive.
• A little planning goes a long way toward being sure that your activities run smoothly and kids stay engaged.
• Kids can be unpredictable, so gain confidence with a few simple tips to help guide them during your classroom visit.

Civil Engineering Activities For Kids

• 100+ Civil Engineering Activities
• Order free activity guides from ASCE K-12 Outreach.
• Use the Pre-College Outreach video, "What Do Civil Engineers Do?" If you won’t be able to access the internet during the event contact the Outreach department for a digital copy.

Where to Conduct Outreach Events

Poll your fellow ASCE members for connections. It’s easiest to start where you are already known.

Possible venues include:

• Schools
• After-school programs including the YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs
• Clubs such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H
• Public libraries

Messages for Civil Engineering

Civil engineering is a dynamic field that makes a difference in people’s lives. We help them get to work and school, bring clean water to their houses, design bike routes, and make buildings safer in hurricanes and earthquakes.

Research conducted by the National Academy of Engineering has found the messages people need to hear. Use these messages to drive your presentation, sharing your interest and passion for the field.

•  Engineers make a world of difference
•  Engineers are creative problem solvers
•  Engineers help shape the future
•  Engineering is essential for our health, happiness, and safety

What's the most important thing you want any student to say at the end of an outreach event?

"I did civil engineering and I had fun!”

Outreach Tips, Techniques, and Best Practices

The ASCE Committee on Pre-College Outreach is building a network of Outreach Champions, ASCE members interested in promoting civil engineering to the pre-college audience. If you are interested, please contact the Outreach Department to be added to the list.

As part of the 2021 Virtual Multi-Region Leadership Conference (MRLC), the ASCE Committee on Pre-College Outreach hosted a K-12 STEM Training session.  Please check out the link below for the training presentation as well as some STEM outreach success stories from ASCE members.

• 2021 MRLC – CPO K-12 STEM 
  • The training portion (46 minutes) provides outreach background, resources, an example activity and tips for working with kids.
  • Tune in to the end (last 24 minutes) for a great group discussion with ASCE members sharing ideas and STEM successes.

We are building a library of 15-minute best practices webinars Some were recorded using Adobe Connect (AC) and may require a free download to view.

• Engineering STEM Camp - An overview of a weeklong high school STEM Camp and how they made the transition to virtual.
• History and Heritage Outreach - Chuck Spinks, Chair of the ASCE History and Heritage Committee, speaks about the group's mission and activities and how they can align with your outreach.
• Online Community for ASCE Pre-College Outreach Champions
• Virtual Outreach Events
• Dream, Build, Create - learn about a Dream Big legacy program introducing engineers and engineering  to people of all ages, especially families and children.
• Stem Kit Outreach 2020
• Future City Competition 2020-21 School Year
• Volunteer Management Using Meetup, an online resource (AC)  
• Civil Engineering Clubs--A brief overview (AC)
• Working with Public Libraries (AC)
• Video Chat with an Engineer--What should you keep in mind in conducting a virtual classroom visit? (AC)
• Unusual Civil Engineering Careers (AC)
• Student Activities with a Sustainability Theme (AC)
  

Videos created by the WGBH Education Department for ASCE. © 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Project Lead: Lauren Feinberg; Project Advisors: Borgna Brunner, Susan Buckey, Sonja Latimore, and Nancy Linde; Photographers: Stacey Wei and Lauren Feinberg; Volunteer Engineer models: Chris Randall and Vanessa Forero; Narrator: Gentry Menzel. Photos courtesy of ASCE, WGBH, Microsoft Corporation, SITE Design Group Inc, Leikny Johnson, David Hathcox, and Blend Images/Jose Luis Pelaez Inc /Getty Images. Special thanks to the 6th graders at James P. Timilty Middle School in Roxbury, MA.