Inquiry-Based Design
The individual curriculum Units present two types of projects; engineering-design challenges and driving-question
investigations. Design-challenge Units begin by presenting students with a scenario and problem
and challenging them to design a device or plan that will solve the problem. Driving-question investigations
begin by presenting students with a complex question with real-world implications. Students are
challenged to develop answers to the questions. The scenario and problem in the design Units and the
driving question in the investigation Units are carefully selected to lead the students into investigation
of specific science concepts, and the solution processes are carefully structured to require use of specific
scientific reasoning skills.