Solving Simple Design Problems

Common Core Content Activity: Solving Simple Design Problems

Solving Simple Design Problems is a Common Core–aligned instructional unit designed to introduce students to foundational engineering and problem-solving skills through structured, accessible activities. This unit supports students in learning how to identify a problem, understand rules and limits, plan a solution, test ideas, and make improvements using clear visuals, hands-on tasks, repeated routines, and simplified language.

Students learn what a design problem is, how constraints act as rules or limits, and how success criteria define what a design must do. Instruction emphasizes the engineering design process—plan, test, and improve—helping students develop persistence, flexible thinking, and early decision-making skills in an approachable, supportive format.

Lesson Breakdown:

Lesson 1: Pretest – Solving Simple Design Problems
Lesson 2: Introduction & Vocabulary (design problem, constraint, success criteria, plan, test, improve)
Lesson 3: Understanding Constraints
Lesson 4: Planning a Solution
Lesson 5: Testing and Improving Designs
Lesson 6: Review & Synthesis
Lesson 7: Posttest – Solving Simple Design Problems

Important Notes:

• This is a SINGLE-USE LICENSE. Materials may not be redistributed.
• ONLY the original purchaser may use these materials.
• Activities are self-explanatory and do not include formal lesson plans.
• Materials are aligned to Common Core standards only.
• Price and Willoughby, LLC makes no guarantee regarding test scores.
• Some instructional language and visual elements in this product were developed with support from AI tools (OpenAI’s ChatGPT and/or Gemini) and were reviewed and edited by SpecialEdSimplified to ensure accuracy, accessibility, and alignment with student needs.