Jyniffrec Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 what are using to support it? Dd11 is showing a strong interest in it and I want to encourage her with the right information/materials/classes. I tried searching but didn't come up with specific recommendations besides a few movies. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 This is a good company to request a catalog. Their website is confusing, but their catalogs are well laid out. These books might be a helpful introduction. Engineering the City The Art of Construction 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurad1125 Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 I was just going to post the same question! My ds12 seems very attracted to engineering and design. I really want to encourage him and need ideas. :bigear: One thing we plan to do is a mechanical drawing course (well, working through a book, anyway) He's interested in drawing and I thought mechanical drawing might interest him as well. The Potter's School offers some CADD classes that he'll probably take but they are for 9-12th graders, so we've got some time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxy Roller Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 (edited) I have 4 boys that all seem to be interested in Engineering of some sort. I think when they are in middle school I will get a couple of other families together and have my husband do these books with them. They look like loads of fun, and are on my RR wish list, but we haven't ordered them yet. http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Building+Math%3A+Stranded!+Book+with+DVD/043228/1301080895-636690 http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Building+Math%3A+Everest+Trek+Book+with+DVD/043227/1301080895-636690 http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Building+Math%3A+Amazon+Mission+Book+with+DVD/043226/1301080895-636690 Edited March 25, 2011 by Roxy Roller Changed Links Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Roxy - when I clicked on your links, and then went to add it to my wishlist, it's someone else's wishlist. THe wishlist has 43 items in it. Is it your wishlist? if so, you might want to log out, and then copy the links again and replace the ones on your post. FOlks might start adding things to your wishlist! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in WI Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 My son is like this. For toys, he's really enjoyed: Fischertechnik Mechanic & Static Kit Erector Motorized Racing Car & More For websites, he loves: http://www.discoverengineering.org/ For activities, he enjoyed last year: http://www.firstlegoleague.org/ In the future, he's looking forward to applying for: http://www.usna.edu/admissions/stem.html Hope this helps! :-) ETA: Oh, and the advice we've been given most and taken to heart is: "Concentrate on math, math, math! And writing." Hee-hee! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxy Roller Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 (edited) Roxy - when I clicked on your links, and then went to add it to my wishlist, it's someone else's wishlist. THe wishlist has 43 items in it. Is it your wishlist? if so, you might want to log out, and then copy the links again and replace the ones on your post. FOlks might start adding things to your wishlist! Oops, thanks Capt! Edited March 25, 2011 by Roxy Roller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jyniffrec Posted March 25, 2011 Author Share Posted March 25, 2011 Thanks everyone! This is a great start. DD just made a pulley system and made loads of sketches for it but wants more to work with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 My oldest wants to be a Mechanical Engineer and/or Computer Scientiist. My second wants to be an Aeronautical Engineer. I am giving them a strong math and science background, planning ahead so that they can get AP math and science courses. We did First Lego League. They read Make Magazine, Popular Science, and Popular Mechanics. We bought them several electronics guides and help them complete projects (we just got home from "the Shack." :D) All birthday and Christmas money is spent on gadgets and kits. They are going to take Engineering Drafting at our co-op, and I bought them an old drafting textbook that they work from for fun. I just found out that two local universities have special days/weeks for high school students in engineering. The good things about having a dd interested in a STEM career is that everyone wants to help her! For example, we signed up for a "girls in engineering" camp this summer. I try to include an architecture element to their history studies at each time period, and we check out books on robotics, building, computers, gadgets, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMCassandra Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Great replies so far. I'd like to add: Consider taking up model rocketry as a family. We have done this, and the experience has been of tremendous benefit for all of us, even my humanities-loving daughter. She loves tracking rockets (which involves trig, of all things)--whoda' thunk? My engineering-bound son has learned tons of science and started making friends in the engineering/technical community (since these are the types who often take up this hobby). Bonus: Leadership skills. The club we belong to has youth officers, and both my children are officers now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jyniffrec Posted March 26, 2011 Author Share Posted March 26, 2011 Great replies so far. I'd like to add: Consider taking up model rocketry as a family. We have done this, and the experience has been of tremendous benefit for all of us, even my humanities-loving daughter. She loves tracking rockets (which involves trig, of all things)--whoda' thunk? My engineering-bound son has learned tons of science and started making friends in the engineering/technical community (since these are the types who often take up this hobby). Bonus: Leadership skills. The club we belong to has youth officers, and both my children are officers now. Is there a website you can link to for the model rocketry? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMCassandra Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 Is there a website you can link to for the model rocketry? The overall organization is the National Association of Rocketry (NAR). Their website is here. The page where they list their local clubs is here. Honestly, I didn't know that much when I started looking. I googled model rocket + our state and when from there. We found our club right away. And it turns out it's one of the best in the country!:party: I hope this helps a little. There are other forums and websites, but that might confuse you at this point . . . let me know if you want more links. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jyniffrec Posted March 26, 2011 Author Share Posted March 26, 2011 The overall organization is the National Association of Rocketry (NAR). Their website is here. The page where they list their local clubs is here. Honestly, I didn't know that much when I started looking. I googled model rocket + our state and when from there. We found our club right away. And it turns out it's one of the best in the country!:party: I hope this helps a little. There are other forums and websites, but that might confuse you at this point . . . let me know if you want more links. Thanks for the information! We don't have any groups close to us but I looked at the Cadet program. We might try that. Our 2 older ones are the perfect age for it. Where do you get your rocket kits from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jyniffrec Posted March 26, 2011 Author Share Posted March 26, 2011 For those of you who have used the PITSCO catalog, could you recommend some good middle school kits to start with? I just got a catalog today and it is a bit overwhelming (but not as bad as the webiste!). And are the Discovery Education videos in the catalog available on Discovery Education Streaming? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMCassandra Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 Thanks for the information! We don't have any groups close to us but I looked at the Cadet program. We might try that. Our 2 older ones are the perfect age for it. Where do you get your rocket kits from? Oh, I totally forgot to mention the NARTrek Cadet Program! It's great. My son is working on the Apollo level. He loves getting the certificates. We get a lot of our kits and motors from http://www.hobbylinc.com. They have great prices and carry most things. If you get into designing your own rockets, the best place to go for parts is http://www.balsamachining.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurad1125 Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 about JunkBox Wars http://sciencespot.net/Pages/junkbox.html A friend's daughter participated in this at school. It's setup for a group of kids but, after reading the details of the projects, I plan to have my boys work on the projects at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennynd Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 there was a junkyard war TV show. That was great show. Ithat seem like the same idea?? about JunkBox Wars http://sciencespot.net/Pages/junkbox.html A friend's daughter participated in this at school. It's setup for a group of kids but, after reading the details of the projects, I plan to have my boys work on the projects at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurad1125 Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 Yes, they even have a comparison of the program and TV show. I loved that show!! http://sciencespot.net/Pages/junkboxcompare.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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