STEM in Grade 4: Turning Earth Science into Engineering

n Grade 4 science, our unit on Processes that Shape the Earth looked at how natural forces like earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, volcanoes, and landslides change our planet. Rather than stopping at research, we asked students to take the next step: to design, build, and test a model that could help reduce the impact of their chosen disaster.

From earthquake-resistant buildings on a shake table to flood barriers in a mini-river, students were able to bring their learning to life in a very hands-on way.

This wasn’t just science content. It became a project where inquiry, creativity, and problem solving all came together.

What Worked Well

Student ownership and choice- Giving students the freedom to pick their disaster gave them real ownership. Many chose ones they felt a connection to, which made the work more meaningful.

Iterative design mindset- Most groups built a first draft, tested it, noticed flaws, and tried again. They began to see that setbacks weren’t failures, but part of the design process.

Cross-disciplinary thinking- Students drew on physics, geology, math, and engineering, applying ideas like force, stability, and proportion in very practical ways.

Communication and reflection- Presentations gave students the chance to explain their reasoning and design changes. Reflection prompts such as “What surprised me?” helped them think more deeply about their learning.

Visible growth over time- It was powerful to compare first attempts to final models. The improvement in design thinking, troubleshooting, and scientific reasoning was clear to see.

Why It Matters

For elementary teachers, projects like this show how STEM design challenges can really enrich a science unit. Students weren’t just learning about the Earth’s processes — they were thinking like engineers, testing ideas, and creating their own solutions to real-world problems.