This summer, I had the opportunity to serve as an educator extern at the University of Idaho College of Engineering. My work focused on creating lessons that integrate the engineering design process in ways K–12 and especially K–8 students can engage with. These lessons will be used in the college’s Adventure Club, where engineering ambassadors lead hands-on STEM activities with elementary students. I also had the chance to assist with the middle school coding camp, guiding students as they explored programming and problem-solving through creative projects.

As a 6–8 teacher, this experience was especially valuable. I learned about the wide array of fields engineering incorporates and gained insight into the research and projects currently underway at the university, as well as the hopes for future innovation. Talking directly with graduate students and professors gave me a clearer sense of the foundational skills I can build into my own classroom, helping students start to “think like engineers” early on.

This externship not only gave me practical classroom resources but also strengthened my understanding of how to connect real-world engineering practices to middle school learning. I returned inspired to make my lessons more hands-on, inquiry-based, and reflective of the exciting opportunities waiting for students in STEM.

Grade Level and Subject Taught: 6/7/8 business management, marketing, digital media