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Learn how to look closely, ask questions, and find clues to solve problems like a real engineer!
People have always needed to solve problems. Long, long ago, people looked closely at the world around them to figure things out. They watched animals, plants, and the sky. They used their eyes, ears, and hands to learn about things. This is called gathering information!
So here is a big question: How do we find out what we need to know before we can solve a problem? Let's find out together!
When you gather information, you use your senses and your brain to learn about a problem. You look, listen, touch, and think. You also ask questions! Here are the most important ideas.
Look at the picture above. You can see the five ways to gather information at the top. At the bottom, you see a notes page and a drawing page. When you find clues about a problem, you can write them in words or draw a picture. Both ways help you remember what you learned!
Engineers follow steps when they gather information. You can follow these steps too! Think of it like a path you walk down. Each step helps you learn more about the problem.
When you look at a problem, there are many things you can notice. Let's learn about different kinds of observations. An observation is something you notice using your senses.
Look at the chart above. There are three big groups of observations. You can notice what something looks like, what it feels like, and what it sounds like. The green box shows great questions you can ask. Try to use all of these when you have a problem to solve!
Let's pretend you have a problem to solve. Your class pet hamster's water bottle keeps falling off the cage. The hamster can't get water! Let's gather information about this problem step by step.
Sometimes kids want to jump right in and start fixing a problem. But if you don't gather enough information, your solution might not work! Let's compare what happens when you gather good information and when you don't.
| With Good Information | Without Enough Information |
|---|---|
| You know what the real problem is. | You might try to fix the wrong thing. |
| You can pick the right materials. | You might use materials that don't work. |
| Your plan makes sense. | Your plan might not solve the problem. |
| You save time because you don't have to start over. | You might have to do it again and again. |
Gathering information is the very first step in the engineering design process. Real engineers — the people who build bridges, design toys, and make apps — always start by gathering information. When you grow up, you can use this same skill!
| What You Do Now | What Real Engineers Do |
|---|---|
| Look at a broken toy | Look at a broken bridge |
| Ask your teacher questions | Ask the people who use the bridge |
| Draw a picture of the problem | Draw detailed plans on a computer |
| Write notes about what you see | Write long reports about what they find |
As you get older, you will learn more ways to gather information. Scientists use special tools like microscopes and thermometers. Engineers use computers and math. But it all starts with the same thing you are learning now: looking carefully and asking good questions!
Today we learned that gathering information is the first and most important step when you have a problem to solve. You use your senses — your eyes, ears, and hands — to make observations about the problem. You ask questions and talk to people to learn even more.
After you gather your clues, you record what you find by writing or drawing. This is the same skill that real engineers use every day! Remember: always look before you build. Good information leads to great solutions!