Inventions in Engineering

About the Course

Inventions in Engineering

Grades 3-5
CTY-Level
Session-Based
Science and Engineering

Calling all inventors! CTY’s Inventions in Engineering course introduces young students to the imaginations, habits, and characteristics of successful inventors, and the history and impact of their creations. From Rube Goldberg machines to upcycled cars, you’ll use the engineering design process to solve problems while creating your own inventions. You and your classmates will work on a hands-on project in addition to writing peer reviews, keeping an idea log, and participating in forums and live class meetings to share your ideas and reflect on your designs. Adult supervision is recommended for the hands-on projects, especially for younger students. For the final project, you’ll create and showcase your own invention!

Time Commitment: 3-7 hours per week (up to 1 hour of class time, up to 1 hour of optional meetings, 3-5 hours of independent work).
Meeting Times: There are 5 one-hour virtual class meetings during this course. Instructors poll students with a couple different options for days and times of live meetings and choose the one the greater number of students can attend. Meeting recordings are posted for those who could not attend.

Course Overview

What we'll do

We’ll complete 10 hands-on invention projects over the course of 11 units, culminating in a peer-reviewed final invention design project. Each unit includes an interactive lesson with an introduction, video, lessons, and a practice activity; a forum; and a hands-on project that is open-ended to encourage problem-solving and take you through the engineering design process. Along the way, we’ll complete idea logs to prepare and plan for the final project. In forums, you’ll share and discuss your projects with your classmates and instructors. The final project includes an invention proposal, a prototype, a mock patent application, and a video commercial or a virtual presentation of the invention using Microsoft Sway. Through the peer-review process, you will review classmates’ projects and receive their feedback.

What we’ll learn

What inventions are and an overview of inventions through history
The characteristics and habits of successful inventors
An introduction to the engineering-design process, and how to apply it to our own inventions
The properties of insulators, conductors, and electrical circuits
The importance of, and best practices for, building prototypes
How to build series and parallel circuits
How inventors name and share information about their inventions, and why they patent and trademark their work
How to be a helpful peer reviewer

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Identify problems, constraints, stakeholders, and criteria for success
Identify a problem and research and brainstorm possible solutions
Evaluate potential solutions based on their usefulness, practicality, ease of use, cost, aesthetics, and environmental impact
Create a prototype design plan by drawing detailed diagrams and selecting appropriate materials
Effectively test and evaluate a prototype and improve its design to ensure your invention meets the criteria for success
Give and receive useful feedback through the peer-review process
Create an informative Sway presentation

How we'll measure learning

Instructors will evaluate student work using project guidelines and rubrics and provide detailed feedback.

This course is

ungraded.

Classes

Register for an Online course by selecting an open class below. If no open classes are listed, then course enrollment is currently closed. Note: You will need to have an active CTY Account to complete registration through MyCTY.

Jan 21 - Apr 13

$1,015

Enroll

Jun 16 - Sep 7

$1,015

Enroll

Testing and Prerequisites

	Math	Verbal
Required Level	CTY-Level	Not required

Check your eligibility using existing test scores If you do not have existing test scores:

Students must achieve qualifying scores on an advanced assessment to be eligible for CTY programs. If you don’t have qualifying scores, you have several different testing options. We’ll help you find the right option for your situation.

Cost and Financial Aid

Tuition
- Varies
Application fee
- Nonrefundable Application Fee - $15 (Waived for financial aid applicants)
- Nonrefundable International Fee - $20 (outside US only)

Financial Aid

We have concluded our financial aid application review process for Academic Year 2023-2024 Online Programs (Courses with start dates July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024). Our application for Academic Year 2024-2025 Online Programs is expected to open in January. We encourage those who may need assistance in the future to apply for aid as early as possible.

Learn More

Course Materials

Please acquire all course materials by the course start date, unless noted as perishable. Items marked as “perishable” should not be acquired until the student needs them in the course. If you have questions about these materials or difficulty locating them, please contact [email protected].

Inventions in Engineering - Course Materials

Technical Requirements

This course requires a computer with high-speed Internet access and an up-to-date web browser such as Chrome or Firefox. You must be able to communicate with the instructor via email. Visit the Technical Requirements and Support page for more details.

This course uses a virtual classroom for instructor-student communication. The classroom works on standard computers with the Zoom desktop client, and on tablets or handhelds that support the Zoom Mobile app. Recorded meetings can only be viewed on a computer with the Zoom desktop client installed. The Zoom desktop client and Zoom Mobile App are both free to download.

Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed to fill PDFs in this course. Download the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.

Terms & Conditions

Students may interact in online classrooms and meetings that include peers, instructors, and occasional special guests.

Courses may include videos from the web. Recommendations or links at the end of videos are provided by the video host and are not CTY recommendations. 

Virtual class meetings may be recorded for students to review.

After a you complete a course, your projects may be used to illustrate work for future students. 

Our Science and Engineering courses bring a variety of science topics to life. By introducing topics not covered in standard science curricula, we build and reinforce your science knowledge. All courses support critical thinking, problem solving, and reasoning, and encourage a real-life, hands-on approach to learning about Earth, space, life sciences, chemistry, and the physical world. Guided by expert CTY science educators, you’ll master science lab kits, perform hands-on experiments using common household objects, participate in dynamic group discussions, or prepare for AP exams.

More engaging science enrichment courses!

In the newly revised Inventions in Engineering course, students bring fantasy into reality by creating inventions to solve the problems of favorite fictional characters and the real world alike. A new unit in Introduction to Forensics asks students to evaluate the validity of various kinds of forensic evidence and its impact on the lives of individuals, and to provide recommendations on which types of forensic evidence should be admissible in the criminal justice system. In Household Chemistry, students engage in newly revised activities that help develop their skills in making and recording detailed observations using all 5 senses as they explore states of matter and the role chemistry plays in their daily lives.

Meet our Science and Engineering Instructors

I am amazed at the level of tenacity of my students and am inspired by their quest to learn beyond walls and defined standards. They inspire me to learn more about our dynamic scientific world for continuous growth of their eager minds.

Tamica Stubbs

Science and Engineering Instructor

One of the joys of teaching science is encouraging students to observe closely the world around them. I enjoy when students start to think critically about how everything in the natural world interacts with everything else, and how they can apply what they have learned in class to real life.

Keith Gallinelli

Science and Engineering Instructor

Online Programs