Course Overview
Design and Modeling challenges students to think like engineers. They discover the design process and develop an understanding of the influence of creativity and innovation in their lives. Students learn to sketch ideas, create 3D CAD models, and build physical prototypes — all while working toward a meaningful real-world challenge: designing a therapeutic toy for a child who has cerebral palsy. This capstone project connects technical skills to human-centered design and the power of empathy in engineering.
The Big Idea
Great design starts with understanding people. By combining creativity, technical skill, and empathy, engineers can solve real problems and improve real lives.
Course Units
Unit 1: The Design Process
Students are introduced to the engineering design process — the systematic approach engineers use to solve problems. They explore how creativity and innovation drive technological change, investigate the history of iconic designs, and practice applying the design process to simple challenges.
Key Activities
- Explore the steps of the engineering design process
- Analyze how iconic products were designed and iterated
- Complete a rapid design challenge using the design process
- Reflect on creativity and innovation in everyday technology
Unit 2: Sketching and Technical Drawing
Students develop the ability to communicate design ideas visually. They learn isometric and orthographic sketching techniques used by professional engineers and designers. Students practice translating 3D objects into 2D technical drawings and interpreting engineering drawings to understand object geometry.
Key Activities
- Practice isometric and orthographic sketching techniques
- Create multi-view technical drawings of 3D objects
- Interpret engineering drawings and identify dimensions
- Sketch original design ideas using proper conventions
Unit 3: 3D Modeling with CAD
Students use industry-standard CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software to create precise 3D digital models of their designs. They learn to apply constraints, dimensions, and features to build accurate models, and explore how CAD is used in professional engineering and manufacturing environments.
Key Activities
- Learn the fundamentals of CAD software navigation
- Create 3D models using sketches, extrusions, and features
- Apply dimensions and constraints to ensure accuracy
- Render and present a completed 3D CAD model
Unit 4: Prototyping & the Therapeutic Toy Challenge
Students apply everything they've learned to tackle the unit's central challenge: designing a therapeutic toy for a child with cerebral palsy. They research the needs of their user, develop and iterate on designs, create 3D-printed prototypes, and present their solutions — experiencing the full engineering design cycle from empathy to prototype.
Key Activities
- Research cerebral palsy and the needs of the user
- Develop and sketch multiple design concepts
- Create a 3D-printed prototype of the chosen design
- Test, evaluate, and present the final therapeutic toy
Skills You'll Build
Transferable skills developed throughout this course. Learn more about each skill →