Course Description

What if one simple idea could change someone's life?

 Every week, students are invited into the Global Innovation Lab, where a new challenge arrives from a community somewhere in the world. Before designing anything, they'll ask questions, wonder about possible solutions, and discover how a young inventor or engineer tackled that very same problem. From creating clean water systems and harnessing renewable energy to designing shelters, improving transportation, and transforming waste into useful tools, students will explore how curiosity, perseverance, and compassion inspire meaningful innovation.

 Through hands-on engineering challenges, collaborative design projects, and the stories of young innovators from around the world, students will imagine, build, test, improve, and share their own ideas using the Engineering Design Process. Along the way, they'll discover that anyone—regardless of age—can help make the world a better place. During our final Global Gadget Expo, families are invited to explore student inventions and celebrate the next generation of innovators.

Essential Questions

  • How did someone notice a problem and decide to do something about it?
  • How can engineering, creativity, and perseverance help solve problems in our communities and around the world?
  • What can we learn from young inventors who use curiosity and compassion to improve people's lives?

Weekly Breakdown

Week 1 Students are introduced to the idea that anyone can be an inventor by learning about several young innovators from around the world. They begin their Innovation Journal and identify a real world problem to solve. 
Week 2 Students investigate the global challenge of clean water by learning about Deepika Kurup's solar-powered purification research. They design, build, and test simple water filters while practicing observation, data collection, and redesign.
Week 3 Students explore renewable energy through the story of William Kamkwamba and discover how wind can generate power. They build and test small wind-powered or renewable energy devices, learning that engineers improve their ideas through repeated testing. 
Week 4 Students examine how transportation and carrying systems help people around the world complete everyday tasks. Using recycled materials, they design and test devices that safely transport weight while considering balance, strength, and efficiency. 
Week 5 Students learn how engineers design solutions for different climates by exploring waterproof shelters and Reyhan Jamalova's innovative use of rainwater for energy. They build, test, and improve miniature shelters during a classroom "rain test." 
Week 6 Students investigate how communities grow food in limited spaces by learning about vertical and container gardens from around the world. They design small garden models and consider how engineering can improve food access and sustainability. 
Week 7 Students discover how inventors transform waste into valuable resources by exploring recycling, upcycling, and Fionn Ferreira's work removing microplastics from water. They create a functional gadget using only recycled materials and explain how it benefits people or the environment. 
Week 8 Students apply everything they have learned by working individually or in teams to design, prototype, test, and improve an original "Gadget for Good" that addresses a real-world challenge. They prepare presentations that explain their design process and the impact of their invention. 
Week 9                     Students showcase their completed inventions during the Global Gadget Expo, presenting their engineering process, design improvements, and final prototypes to classmates and families. The course concludes with reflection, celebration, and recognition of each student's growth as a problem solver and innovator. 

Instructor

Other Details

Cost

  • $337.50
    • 9 classes, 50 minute class

Location

Date & Time

  • Saturdays, September 26 - November 21st 2026
  • 11:00am - 11:50am

Refund and Transfer Deadlines

  • Full refund: Two weeks before classes start
  • 50% refund: One week before classes start
  • No refund: Less than one week before classes start