Description
STEM Disassembly & Discovery Project
4-Day (240-Minute) Hands-On Lesson
In this engaging, four-day STEM lesson, students explore how everyday objects work by taking them apart and analyzing the function of each part. Along the way, they build essential 21st-century skills like critical thinking, collaboration, and communication.
What Students Will Do:
Day 1: Investigate & Explore
Students receive a small device (such as a stapler, flashlight, or old keyboard) and begin by asking questions, observing, and researching what the object is designed to do.
Skills: Inquiry, observation, asking questions
Day 2: Disassemble & Analyze
Working carefully, students take the object apart to study the individual components. They record what each part looks like, how it functions, and how it connects to the whole system.
Skills: Problem-solving, systems thinking, attention to detail
Day 3: Organize & Explain
Students organize their findings into labeled diagrams, notes, and short written explanations. They begin designing a presentation board to teach others about their object.
Skills: Communication, writing to explain, visual organization
Day 4: Present & Reflect
Students share their presentation boards in a gallery walk. They observe their classmates’ work, ask questions, and reflect on what they learned about design and function.
Skills: Public speaking, peer feedback, reflection
This project is a great way to help students understand how designs are built for specific functions—and how every part plays a role.
4-Day Lesson: Reverse Engineering - Product Design Investigation
Highlights
Description
STEM Disassembly & Discovery Project
4-Day (240-Minute) Hands-On Lesson
In this engaging, four-day STEM lesson, students explore how everyday objects work by taking them apart and analyzing the function of each part. Along the way, they build essential 21st-century skills like critical thinking, collaboration, and communication.
What Students Will Do:
Day 1: Investigate & Explore
Students receive a small device (such as a stapler, flashlight, or old keyboard) and begin by asking questions, observing, and researching what the object is designed to do.
Skills: Inquiry, observation, asking questions
Day 2: Disassemble & Analyze
Working carefully, students take the object apart to study the individual components. They record what each part looks like, how it functions, and how it connects to the whole system.
Skills: Problem-solving, systems thinking, attention to detail
Day 3: Organize & Explain
Students organize their findings into labeled diagrams, notes, and short written explanations. They begin designing a presentation board to teach others about their object.
Skills: Communication, writing to explain, visual organization
Day 4: Present & Reflect
Students share their presentation boards in a gallery walk. They observe their classmates’ work, ask questions, and reflect on what they learned about design and function.
Skills: Public speaking, peer feedback, reflection
This project is a great way to help students understand how designs are built for specific functions—and how every part plays a role.
