Engineering Design Process — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. The Wright brothers tested many glider shapes before the first powered flight in 1903. In Grade 3 terms, what were they doing?
A) Skipping the test step to save time
B) Iterating their design based on each test
C) Using only their very first sketch
D) Choosing the cheapest idea without testing
In Grade 3, the Wright brothers iterated by testing and improving gliders until powered flight worked.
2. Ruth Wakefield ran out of baker's chocolate and used chopped chocolate bar pieces instead. In Grade 3 engineering words, this was an example of:
A) Ignoring the constraint of missing materials
B) Creatively solving a problem with available materials
C) Refusing to bake until supplies arrived
D) Copying someone else's recipe exactly
In Grade 3, Ruth Wakefield met a constraint by creatively using what she had and invented chocolate chip cookies.
3. Thomas Edison tested thousands of filaments before his light bulb worked. What Grade 3 lesson does this show?
A) One test is always enough to succeed
B) Many failures can lead to a working design
C) Engineers should stop after the first failure
D) Testing with different materials is never useful
In Grade 3, Edison shows that failed tests still move engineers closer to a working design.
4. What do the Wright brothers, Ruth Wakefield, and Edison all share in Grade 3 design process terms?
A) They all used exactly one prototype and stopped
B) They all iterated and learned from each test
C) They all avoided testing their ideas first
D) They all copied a finished design from a book
In Grade 3, all three inventors iterated prototypes until their designs solved real problems.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. The Wright brothers built and tested many prototypes before their powered plane flew.
Their Grade 3 lesson: many prototypes lead to one working final design.
2. Ruth Wakefield used the materials she had on hand to invent chocolate chip cookies.
In Grade 3, engineers often work with the materials available, not the ideal ones.
3. Edison tested thousands of filaments, which is a clear example of iteration in Grade 3 terms.
Each Grade 3 iteration brought Edison closer to a filament that lasted.
4. Each failed test taught real engineers something new, so failure was actually a lesson.
In Grade 3, treating failure as a lesson is what turns trial into success.
5. Real Grade 3 worthy engineers improve their designs again and again until they work well.
Improving across iterations is the key habit shared by famous inventors.