Engineering and Computer Science Essentials™ Grade 3

Engineering Unit: Designing Maglev Systems

Transportation engineering comes alive in this unit! Students begin engineering as they learn how “maglev” or magnetic levitation trains move by using magnets instead of wheels. The storybook Hikaru’s Toy Troubles tells how a boy uses maglev technology to help his family’s toy store in Japan. The technological innovation behind maglev trains makes relevant, real-world connections for students as they send magnets sailing, help magnets hover, and poke around magnetic fields. With their new insights into the science of magnets, students then follow the steps of the Engineering Design Process to imagine, plan, create, and improve their own tabletop maglev transportation systems.

Computer Science Unit: Building Automated Systems

Automation helps get things done. Devices that do tasks without direct control from humans offer enormous savings in time and energy. In the story Hikaru’s Signal System, Hikaru uses a system of inputs and outputs to help his family’s toy store run more efficiently. Students engage in hands-on learning about computer-controlled automated systems using the BBC micro:bit hardware and Microsoft MakeCode software. They then follow the steps of the Engineering Design Process to imagine, plan, create, and improve an automated system that makes a home safer or more efficient. Students extend their computational thinking skills to mathematical concepts as they practice strategies for multiplication and division.

Core Program Unit Components

We recommend one Educator Guide per teacher, one Storybook per student (engineering units), and one Materials Kit per 30 learners. Together, these components create a high-quality, hands-on STEM learning experience. 

Educator Guide Print + Digital

Storybook

Materials Kit

In stock

SKU

Essentials Grade 3

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Grouped product items
Product Name	Qty
Essentials Maglev Systems Guide Print $69.00
Essentials Maglev Systems Kit $399.00
Essentials Maglev System Refill Kit $229.00
Essentials Automated Systems Guide Print $69.00
Essentials Automated Systems Materials Kit $199.00
Extra Print Maglev/Automat (1 per guide) $0.00

Resources

Program Components

Print + Digital:

Printed copy of the Educator Guide containing instructions to facilitate the unit
One (1) copy of the printed accompanying Storybook (Engineering units)
Digital access to the Educator Guide via yes.mos.org/curricula

Additional Program Components

Storybook
- Available in print and digital for individual purchase to accommodate any class size (for engineering units)
Materials Kit
- Includes materials to support 30 learners
Refill Kit
- Replenishes the consumable items from the Materials Kit

Engineering Essentials Resources for Diverse Learners

As a set of high-impact resources, the Resources for Diverse Learners are designed to help remove distractions and decrease literacy demands so that all students can succeed in engineering and problem solving. They contain built-in vocabulary support, suggestions for objects to create context and background, multiple points of entry for different learning styles, and multiple ways for learners to express understanding meet the needs of today’s diverse classroom.

Resource for Diverse Learners	Included in Educator Guide Book	Included in Classroom Resources Book	Included in Resource Package	Included in Digital Unit
English Learner Strategies	*			*
Differentiated Classroom Resources, English and Spanish¹		*		*
Differentiated Instruction Notes at point of use	*			*
Teacher Discussion Support	*			*
Student Discussion Support, English and Spanish¹		*		*
Alternative Lesson Progressions	*			*
Flip book Storybook, English and Spanish¹			*	*
Character Cards, English and Spanish¹			*	*
Visual Vocabulary Cards, English and Spanish¹			*	*
Materials Sheet, English and Spanish¹			*	*
Illustrated Engineering Design Process Poster, English and Spanish			*	*

¹ Spanish version available in the Digital Unit only.

Computer Science Essentials Resources for Diverse Learners

Resource for Diverse Learners	Included in Educator Guide Book	Included in Classroom Resources Book	Included in Resource Package	Included in Digital Unit
English Learner Strategies	*			*
Differentiated Instruction Notes at point of use	*			*
Teacher Discussion Support	*			*
Student Discussion Support, English and Spanish¹		*		*
Flip book Storybook, English and Spanish¹			*	*
Computer Science Storybook Epilogue, English and Spanish¹		*
Character Cards, English and Spanish¹			*	*
Visual Vocabulary Cards, English and Spanish¹			*	*
Materials Sheet, English and Spanish¹			*	*
Illustrated Engineering Design Process Poster, English and Spanish			*	*
Illustrated What is a Computer? Poster, English and Spanish			*	*

¹Spanish version available in the Digital Unit only.

Professional Development

Create a STEM mindset. Implement engineering and computer science with fidelity. Partner with us to create a culture of STEM as you learn best practices for teaching through full day or multi-day workshops; teacher educator institutes, and multi-year implementation planning and strategy development. Explore our professional development programs and empower STEM.

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