Students

Engineering Projects

Presentation

Students should keep it in mind as they document key steps along the way—with photographs, sketches and handwritten notes. That way, when it comes time to post things on their display board, they’ll have more than enough to choose from. The value of the presentation should not be underestimated. After weeks of hard work, it all comes down to a few minutes—that’s how long a student has to captivate each group of visitors at their booth.

Your chosen project:

Design Question
My younger brother and sister are too small to reach the light switches. I always have to go turn on the light for them. How can I make it so they can turn their bedroom room lights on or off?

Science Topic
Human accessibility

  1. 1

    Left Panel

    List the materials used during the engineering design process. Display the data collected using images, charts, tables, graphs, and notes.

    Expert tip! Label all graphs, charts, and tables. On graphs, make sure you label the x and y axes. Space elements evenly across your layout, to achieve a balanced, consistent look.

  2. 2

    Main Panel

    Treat the center panel of the tri-fold board as center stage. Come up with a catchy title and display it prominently. This is where the story of the experiment or investigation should be chronicled in precise steps. Typically, this panel includes the problem, your proposed solution, pictures, background research, and your design or model.

    Expert tip! Learn how to edit your text down to the essentials. Through creative use of color, type, and graphic elements, you can make your ideas pop and bring your project to life. Be sure every photo has a caption beneath it. Write descriptive captions for photos.

  3. 3

    Right Panel

    This is typically where your results and conclusion are displayed. You may display your results using tables, charts, graphs, and pictures. Use a ruler, yardstick or T-square to measure and cut evenly.

    Expert tip! Proofread and spellcheck all text before sticking it on your display board. Use black or dark colors for type and make the type large enough to read from four feet away. As a general rule, use 24 pt. type for headings, 16 pt. type for text blocks. Use subheads and bullet points rather than long paragraphs of dense text.

  4. 4

    Artifacts

    May include models, working models, prototypes, an invention, or materials used.

Kids Workshops

Kids Workshops provide a mix of skill-building, creativity, and safety for future DIYers every month in Home Depot stores across the country. After registering for the next Workshop, download these exclusive extension activities from Discovery Education. Each extension provides opportunities to reimagine or use their Workshop creation in an unexpected new way.