Design and Discovery is a comprehensive inquiry-based curriculum, which introduces students ages 11-15 to engineering through design. The curriculum is organized into six sections which are further divided into 18 sessions. Each session is 2.5 hours and includes two to four 20–90 minute hands-on activities.

Each activity includes a facilitator instruction page and a student handout with directions for students. Many activities also include a student reading. Some sessions include a Home Improvement activity, which should be completed at home with input from family members. Key Concepts provide supporting information for the facilitator on new concepts introduced in sessions 1-12. 

Understanding the Design Process >
In the first two sessions, students are introduced to the designed world through a shared experience and then practice the 10-step design process that is revisited throughout the curriculum.

Engineering Fundamentals >
These four sessions provide background in materials, electrical, and mechanical engineering principles that students may want to incorporate in their designs.

Thinking Creatively >
In these three sessions, students identify interesting and personally meaningful problems and develop ideas for solutions. 

Making, Modeling, and Materializing >
Throughout these three hands-on working sessions, students turn their thinking into things and begin several cycles of building trials and testing their ideas.

Prototyping >
In these three sessions, students refine their projects into working prototypes.

Final Presentations >
Design and Discovery culminates with students sharing their projects. In the final two sessions, students plan for and participate in an event to showcase their projects and get feedback.