Grade 2 • Reading & STEM
Storybook Engineering Challenge
Students become storybook engineers by designing a useful solution for a problem faced by a character.
The driving question
What could we design to help a story character solve a problem?
Read like an engineer
Who is the character?What is the problem?What has been tried?What must the solution do?
Imagine, build, and improve
- Choose a story. Identify one important character problem.
- Collect evidence. Use details from the text to describe what the character needs.
- Brainstorm solutions. Draw two ideas and choose the most promising one.
- Build a model. Use blocks, paper, cardboard, craft supplies, or recycled materials.
- Test and improve. Decide what worked and make one helpful change.
- Present the solution. Explain how the design fits the character and the story.
Student reflection
The character’s problem was __________________________.
My design helps by __________________________________.
Text evidence that guided my idea was __________________.