What is engineering?

Every project begins with a specific engineering mission, such as building a bridge to span a fixed distance or a tower to resist seismic forces. Students must first understand the "constraints"—such as limited materials or target height goals—that define the success of their build.

Before picking up a single material, students enter the Design Planning phase. They create technical sketches and select structural strategies, such as using trusses, arches, or cross-bracing to manage load paths.

Students move from abstract theory to physical construction. In the Build Phase, they use real materials—from craft sticks and glue to sugar cubes—to bring their sketches to life, discovering that "alignment matters more than materials".

Testing at STEMBarn is intentional and incremental. Whether it's adding weight to a bridge or placing a tower on a shake table, students learn to identify specific "failure points" and record them as valuable data rather than mistakes.

Improve It (Iterate): This is the heart of the STEMBarn experience. Students use their testing results to reinforce weak areas, optimize efficiency (asking "can we remove something?"), and redesign for better performance.