Help your middle school students think like real engineers!
This ready-to-teach lesson introduces students to the process of writing a design brief — a core skill in the Engineering Design Process and design thinking. With clear examples, sentence starters, and scaffolds, students learn how to communicate their ideas effectively and make design decisions like professionals.

What’s Included:

• Step-by-step lesson plan (Engage, Explain, Imagine, Plan, Reflect)
  
• Student handout that guides learners through each section of a design brief
  
• Sentence starters & scaffolds for diverse learners
  
• Teacher and student rubrics for clear assessment
  
• Real-world, relatable design scenarios for middle school students
  
• Printable and digital-friendly formats
  

Skills Covered:

• Writing a clear problem statement
  
• Defining criteria and constraints
  
• Proposing and explaining a solution
  
• Using engineering vocabulary correctly
  
• Practicing design thinking and reflection
  

Why Teachers Love This Resource:

✔️ Print-and-go lesson — no prep needed
✔️ Builds authentic engineering communication skills
✔️ Flexible for any unit in the Engineering Design Process
✔️ Works perfectly as a mini-lesson, sub plan, or morning work activity
✔️ Supports NGSS MS-ETS1-1 and MS-ETS1-2

Classroom Value:

Students move beyond just “building” — they learn to communicate, reason, and justify their design choices. This resource helps them understand that engineers don’t just create things — they write, plan, test, and improve based on evidence.

Pro Tip: Use this resource at the start of any engineering or design project to help students organize their thinking and plan with purpose!