Session 1: Engineering Design + Tinkercad

Industrial Designer Pathway · Sketch, prototype, iterate
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1. Spark

Woven notebook: open your notebook now. Use it to record every prediction, sketch, and partner discussion in this phase. Your notebook is the record of your thinking - and also where your design sketches will live before they ever hit a screen.

Welcome. For the next 5 weeks you'll practice three engineer skills - HANDS (build things that physically work), BRAIN (build things that sense and decide), HEART (build things for someone real). Same workflow used at SpaceX, Medtronic, and every product company in LA. Today is Day 1 - the HANDS week begins.

Where we are in the arc: Week 1 · HANDS · Engineering Design This is Day 1. Over the next 5 weeks you'll practice three engineer skills: HANDS (build things that physically work), BRAIN (build things that sense and decide), HEART (build things for someone real). Today's cross-cutting theme: SHAPE DECIDES FUNCTION. The same paper folded one way will fall over; folded another, it holds weight. Same with the shapes you'll make in Tinkercad. Shape is everything.
10 case studies across this workshop: Every session opens with a real engineering case - a problem someone actually solved with the same tools you'll use. Read each one as an engineer reads them: what was the problem, who was it for, what choices did the engineer make, what would YOU have done differently? The cases: 1. Toyota engineer's coffee cup grip (assistive) 2. Tesla mechanical engineer (transportation) 3. NASA Mars rover landing (high-stakes precision) 4. James Dyson's 5,127 vacuum prototypes (consumer products) 5. BBC micro:bit (the chip that lives in everything) 6. California ShakeAlert (public safety sensors) 7. Ring doorbell (consumer IoT) 8. Fitbit step counter (wearable health tech) 9. Microsoft Xbox Adaptive Controller (AI + accessibility) 10. Engineering founder pitches (telling the story) These are not random examples. They show what happens when you take the same loop you're learning today and apply it for years.
The Hook: A Toyota engineer in Long Beach noticed her coworker struggling to hold a coffee cup - he had nerve damage from a car accident. That weekend she sketched a custom grip on a napkin, modeled it in Tinkercad on Sunday, and 3D printed a prototype on Monday. Two weeks later, her coworker had a working grip. She didn't have a million-dollar lab. She had a sketch, a free CAD app, and a printer. This is engineering: see a problem, sketch a fix, prototype it, test it, fix it again. That's the loop. Today you start.

The Engineering Process - Crash Course Kids

Watch this short Crash Course Kids before you build. Engineering is not just math - it is a loop of seeing, sketching, building, testing, and fixing.

Foundations - The Engineering Design Process

Heads up: the video above and the 5-step loop below don't line up word-for-word. Some sources call out 4 steps, some 5, some 7. NASA, Stanford, and Crash Course all teach slightly different versions. The names change. The underlying loop does not - ASK, IMAGINE, BUILD, TEST, IMPROVE. We use the 5-step version below all summer.
5-Step Loop (memorize this): 1. ASK - What is the problem? Who is it for? 2. IMAGINE - Sketch 2 ideas, even bad ones. 3. PLAN - Pick the best, list materials. 4. BUILD + TEST - Prototype. Test. See what breaks. 5. IMPROVE - Change one thing. Test again. The magic is in step 5. Real engineers iterate 3-7 times before something works. Your first try is supposed to fail.
Before we jump in: The activity coming up is a paper tower. It is NOT solving a real-world problem like the coffee cup grip. It is a SANDBOX - a low-stakes way to run the full design loop in 20 minutes so you feel each step in your hands. Later this summer you will use the same loop on real problems (a Car Mod for your rubber band car, a microbit alarm, an assistive device for someone you love). Today the loop is the lesson. The tower is just the practice arena.
1Talk to your partner: in 30 seconds, name as many shapes as you can that you could make from one flat sheet of paper - rolls, folds, twists, cones, triangles, accordion, tubes. Which of those shapes do you think would hold the most weight standing up?
2Predict in your notebook: if you were given 5 sheets of paper and 18 inches of tape, how tall a free-standing tower could you build? Write down a number in inches.

2. Paper Tower Lab

Woven notebook: keep it open. Record your starting plan, what failed, and what you changed. Your notebook is your engineering log today.
Materials per pair: - 5 sheets of standard paper (8.5 x 11 in) - 18 inches of masking tape - Scissors (1 pair shared) - Notebook + pencil Do not start touching materials until your facilitator says GO.

The Challenge

1GOAL: Build the tallest free-standing paper tower you can in 12 minutes.
2CONSTRAINTS: 5 sheets of paper + 18 inches of tape. Nothing else.
3SUCCESS: Tower stands on its own for at least 10 seconds without holding it. Winner: tallest measured height across all teams.

The Hypothesis

4Predict in your notebook in 60 seconds: sketch your tower, mark the base shape, and write 1 sentence: 'I predict paper is strongest when ___ because ___, and my tower will reach ___ inches.'

The Build - Iterate Fast

Iterative Design Rule: Your first tower will fall over. That is normal. Every engineer's first prototype fails. The goal is not to be right on attempt 1. The goal is to iterate - test, see what breaks, change ONE thing, test again. The teams that win this challenge are the ones who fail the most times in 12 minutes.
5Build your first tower. 4 minutes.
6Test: does it stand? Measure the height. Write in your notebook. What was the weakest part?
7Change ONE thing. Build version 2. Test. Measure. Record.
8Final test at 12 min. Walk to the front. Your facilitator measures and writes your team's height on the board.

3. Tinkercad - Builder Trophy

From paper to screen - same 3D thinking: You just built a 3D structure with PAPER. You learned that the SHAPE of a material matters - rolled cylinders held weight, flat sheets folded over. That lesson stays. The Tinkercad piece you build next isn't a flat tag - it's a BUILDER TROPHY. A small freestanding 3D structure made of the same shapes you learned hold weight. Three required ingredients: 1. A STRUCTURAL BODY - a cylinder, triangular prism, cone, or shape stack as the trophy's frame 2. YOUR NAME - extruded text on the side 3. YOUR TOWER HEIGHT - the inches number engraved or extruded as engineering data This is your first portfolio piece - a tiny 3D monument to your first engineering build. Same SHAPE thinking, in plastic.
Woven notebook: sketch your Builder Trophy design BEFORE you open Tinkercad. The sketch-first rule is non-negotiable on every 3D design we do this summer.
Today's task with Tinkercad: design your BUILDER TROPHY. A small freestanding 3D printable structure (target: fits in 50mm x 50mm x 80mm tall) with three required ingredients: - A STRUCTURAL BODY made from at least 2 shapes - a column, a prism stack, a cone+cylinder combo, a triangular frame - YOUR NAME extruded on a visible side - YOUR TOWER HEIGHT (the inches you measured in Phase 2) extruded or engraved as engineering data BONUS: small cylindrical hole at the top so it can hang on a keychain too. Real industrial designers ALWAYS sketch before they open CAD. Your tower already taught you which shapes hold weight - that knowledge becomes design. Code Here - Tinkercad: Web app: https://www.tinkercad.com/ No download needed - works in any Chrome browser. Sign in: your facilitator will give you a class code or you can sign in with your Google account (TELACU email works). New design: click 'Create' then '3D Design'.

Tinkercad Tutorial for Beginners (5 min)

Watch this BEFORE you start. Covers Place, Move, Rotate, Resize, Group - the 5 moves you need today.

Make It Yours - Art + Engineering

Make It Yours - Structure + Art: Your Builder Trophy is part engineering record (structural shapes + name + height) and part personal expression. Pick at least 2 structural shapes from the list - then add an art element on top. STRUCTURAL SHAPES (combine 2 or more for the body): - Cylinder column (the rolled-paper shape that held weight) - Triangular prism (the strongest 3D base shape) - Cone + cylinder stack (rocket-style) - Cube tower with triangle top - Hexagonal prism (Aztec-inspired) ART ELEMENTS (add one on top of the structure): - A character on the front face, logo, animal silhouette - A piece of LA (palm tree, lowrider, sun) - Aztec pattern, soccer ball, music note, F1 car shape By Session 9 these EXACT same Tinkercad moves let you design something real for someone in your life - like the coffee cup grip from this morning. Today is the practice. The shapes you choose now are the shapes you'll choose then.
1Sketch your Builder Trophy in your notebook from 2 angles - front view + isometric (3D corner view). Include: (1) the structural shapes you'll combine, (2) where your NAME goes, (3) where the HEIGHT NUMBER goes. Rough size: fits in 50x50x80mm. Sketch first - the sketch shapes the design, not the software.
2Open Tinkercad. Complete the 'Place It' and 'Move It' starter tutorials (3 min total).
3Build your Builder Trophy: start with a structural BASE shape (triangular prism or cylinder, ~30mm tall). Stack a second structural shape on top (cone, smaller cylinder, prism). Use the Text tool to extrude your NAME on one side face. Use the Text tool again for your tower HEIGHT (e.g., '18 in') on the opposite side. Add an art element on the front face. GROUP everything into one piece.
4Add a hole at one end (small cylinder, 'Hole' setting) so it can hang on a keychain ring.
Print Form Checklist (do this BEFORE you submit): 1. Rename your project to 'YourFirstName-NameTag' (top-left corner, click the auto-generated name to edit). 2. Group all pieces together: select all (Ctrl+A or Cmd+A), then click 'Group' in the top-right (or Ctrl+G / Cmd+G). 3. Lay the design flat on the workspace (use the 'Align' tool, bottom face flush with the floor). 4. Confirm it fits within 100mm x 100mm x 50mm using the Ruler tool. 5. Show your facilitator before you export. They check the 5 things above and tell you GO or FIX.

How to Export Your Tinkercad Design as STL

Watch this 60-second tutorial on STL export from Tinkercad. Same steps every session - export -> .STL -> save to Downloads -> upload to Padlet.

5EXPORT AS .STL: top-right corner click 'Export' -> '.STL' -> save to Downloads. UPLOAD TO PADLET (use the embedded Padlet right below this step, or open https://padlet.com/ramseymusallam/telacu-kv3uqok6k69ic606): Click the '+' button. Fill in: - SUBJECT: 'YourFirstName - Builder Trophy' - BODY (1-sentence): name your structural shapes + tower height + art element. Example: 'Triangular prism + cylinder Builder Trophy - tower height 18 in, with my initials in bold.' or 'Cone-on-cylinder Builder Trophy - tower height 14 in, with a soccer ball front.' - ATTACH: drag the .STL from Downloads. Hit Publish. Your facilitator reviews, approves, and the print runs overnight. Pick up next session.

4. Career & Reflect

Woven notebook: 60 seconds of writing closes every session. This is your career log.
Closing the loop: Remember that Toyota engineer this morning - the one who designed the coffee cup grip for her coworker with nerve damage? She used the SAME 5-step loop you just ran on the paper tower (predict, build, test, improve), and she modeled her grip in a CAD tool just like the Tinkercad you just used. Same loop. Same software family. Different stakes. Today you practiced. By Session 9 you will run this loop on a real problem for a real person.

Pathway: Industrial Designer

Day in the Life of an Industrial Designer

Real industrial designer walks through her day - sketching, CAD, prototyping, client review.

Career Connection - Industrial Designer: An industrial designer designs the physical form of products: phones, tools, cars, medical devices. They sketch, they CAD model (Tinkercad is the entry-level version of what pros use), they 3D print prototypes. Entry path: ELAC -> Cal State LB or CSULA -> Industrial Design BA, OR portfolio + bootcamp into a junior role at a Bay Area / LA design firm. Salary: $65k-$120k starting, $150k-$250k senior. Top firms: IDEO Pasadena, frog Long Beach, Tesla Hawthorne, SpaceX, Medtronic, Apple Cupertino. First step from here: build a Tinkercad portfolio of 5 designs by Session 10.
TELACU Spotlight - Ana Lopez Salinas: Ana grew up in Boyle Heights, took her first CAD class at ELAC, transferred to Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, and is now a senior industrial designer at frog. Her path was not straight. She iterated.

Reflection

1Notebook: what was the hardest moment in today's session and what did you do about it?
2Notebook: what is one design (yours or a teammate's) that surprised you?
3Notebook: which part of an industrial designer's day looks most interesting to you, and why?
Bridge to next session: today you built shape with your HANDS. Next session you'll build MOTION - cars powered by stored energy. Same loop, different physics.
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Session 2: Functional Design

Mechanical Engineer Pathway · Energy, friction, motion
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1. Spark

Woven notebook: open it. Today you log energy, friction, and the moment your car finally moves.

Welcome back. Your Builder Trophies are at the front - grab yours when you enter. Today: build a car powered by nothing but a rubber band, then design a Car Mod that mounts on it.

Where we are in the arc: Week 1 · HANDS · Engineering Design Last session you learned that SHAPE decides function. Today's cross-cutting theme: ENERGY TRANSFERS. A rubber band stores energy when twisted; the energy becomes motion when released. Same idea drives every car, every catapult, every robot arm. You'll feel it in your hands. Today: rubber band car (physical) + a Car Mod that mounts on it (digital). Two builds, one loop.
The Hook: A mechanical engineer at Tesla in Fremont gets paid to figure out how cars move. Wheel spin, axle friction, weight distribution, suspension - every detail is a tradeoff. The same physics that moves a Tesla moves a rubber band car. The math is just smaller. Today you become that engineer. Your car: cardboard, a rubber band, two skewers, four bottle caps. Your job: make it go as far as you can.

Rubber Band-Powered Car Build

Watch this 3-min build before you start. See how a rubber band stores energy that becomes wheel motion. Same physics, smaller scale than every engine on Earth.

Foundations - Energy + Friction

Three things move (or stop) every car: 1. STORED ENERGY - twisted rubber band, tight spring, charged battery. 2. FRICTION - wheels on the ground (good), axles in their holes (bad). 3. WEIGHT - heavy car wastes energy moving its own mass. More stored energy + less axle friction + lighter body = farther distance. That is the whole tradeoff.
1Talk to your partner: if you wanted your car to go farther, would you ADD twists to the rubber band, or RELEASE the friction in the axles? Predict which matters more.

2. Rubber Band Car Lab

Woven notebook: log distance for each test run. You'll need this data to redesign.
Materials per pair: - 1 corrugated cardboard chassis (pre-cut, 8 x 5 in) - 4 plastic bottle caps (wheels) - 2 wooden skewers (axles) - 2 rubber bands (one thick #33, one thin #19) - Masking tape, scissors - Notebook + pencil

The Challenge

1GOAL: Build a rubber band powered car that travels at least 2 meters.
2CONSTRAINTS: Materials above, 15 minutes build, 3 test runs maximum.
3SUCCESS: Car crosses the 2m line under its own power. Winner: farthest distance after 3 runs.

The Hypothesis

4Predict in your notebook: sketch your car, mark which rubber band you'll use, and write 1 sentence: 'I predict my car will travel ___ meters because ___.'

The Build

Iterative Design Rule (still applies): First run: probably won't make it 1 meter. That's fine. Look at what failed - axle friction? wheel slipping? rubber band came off? Change ONE thing. Test again. Three runs total - make each one count.
5Punch axle holes through the cardboard with the tip of a pencil. Slide skewers through.
6Push bottle caps onto the skewer ends. Tape them so they don't spin freely - the WHEEL must spin WITH the axle, not separately.
7Tie one end of the rubber band to the back axle. Tape the other end to the front edge of the cardboard.
8Wind it up: spin the rear wheels backward to twist the rubber band 15-20 turns. Set on the floor at the start line. Release.
9Measure distance. Record. Identify weakest part. Change ONE thing for run 2 (wheel grip? rubber band tension? axle friction?). Repeat.

3. Tinkercad - Car Mod

Woven notebook: measure your car FIRST. Then sketch your mod. Engineers always design to a physical constraint - the part you make today has to physically fit on the car you just built.
From car to part - same physics: You just built a rubber band car. You learned that ENERGY TRANSFERS - rubber band stores it, wheels release it - and that EVERY GRAM matters (heavier car = less travel, axle friction kills speed). Now you design a 3D printed PART that mounts on that exact car. The same physics still applies. A heavy spoiler = less travel. A lighter racing plate = same travel + style. A driver pod adds weight. Engineering is the tradeoff. Your mod has to PHYSICALLY FIT your car. That's the constraint.
Today's task with Tinkercad: design a CAR MOD that mounts on the rubber band car you just built. Pick ONE: - RACING PLATE: your racer number + name on a flat plate (mounts on front or top) - SPOILER: aerodynamic wing on the back - DRIVER POD: a small driver figurine that sits on the chassis - WHEEL HUB COVERS: custom rim design that snaps over your bottle cap wheels Required: must physically fit YOUR specific car. MEASURE first. Code Here - Tinkercad: https://www.tinkercad.com/ - same login as Day 1.

Tinkercad Quick Build Reference

60-sec refresher on dragging shapes, grouping, and the Text tool in Tinkercad. The same moves apply whether you're building a Builder Trophy or a Car Mod.

Make It Yours - Race Identity

Make It Yours - Race Identity: Pick a number, pick a vibe, claim your car. Examples: - Racing #88 with checkerboard plate + your initials - Lowrider-style hub covers with chrome look - Aztec spoiler with geometric pattern - Driver pod shaped like your favorite character (animal, mascot, silhouette) - Spoiler with the LA city skyline Pick ONE part + ONE art identity. Engineering and art live in the same file - just like every Tesla, Lamborghini, and lowrider designer.
1MEASURE your car FIRST: chassis length, chassis width, axle position, available height. Write all in mm. THEN sketch your mod showing exactly where it attaches.
2Open Tinkercad. Start a new design. Name it 'YourFirstName-CarMod'.
3Build your mod to the EXACT dimensions you measured on your real car. Use the Ruler tool. Use Group, Hide, and Hole to combine simple shapes into a complex form.
4Test it digitally: rotate the design in 3D view. Imagine attaching it to your real car. Does the geometry actually fit? If not, fix in CAD before you submit.

How to Export Your Tinkercad Design as STL

Watch this 60-second tutorial on STL export from Tinkercad. Same steps every session - export -> .STL -> save to Downloads -> upload to Padlet.

5Run the Print Form Checklist (renamed, grouped, flat, fits print bed). Show your facilitator. Export .STL. UPLOAD TO PADLET (use the embedded Padlet right below this step, or open https://padlet.com/ramseymusallam/telacu-kv3uqok6k69ic606) - SUBJECT: 'YourFirstName - Car Mod (Plate/Spoiler/Hub/Pod)' - BODY: 1 sentence: which mod + your race identity. Example: 'Racing plate #88 with checkerboard pattern.' or 'Aztec-style spoiler.' - ATTACH the .STL. Hit Publish. Print comes back next session.

4. Career & Reflect

Woven notebook: 3 reflection sentences. Same drill.

Pathway: Mechanical Engineer

Day in the Life of a Mechanical Engineer

What a mechanical engineer actually does in a day - from CAD to test bench to design review.

Career Connection - Mechanical Engineer: A mechanical engineer designs anything that moves: cars, robots, medical devices, aerospace parts. CAD + physics + iteration. Today's rubber band car uses the SAME tradeoffs (energy, friction, weight) as every car at Tesla. Entry path: ELAC / Rio Hondo / Cerritos -> Cal Poly Pomona, CSULA, UC Riverside ME degree. Salary: $75k-$125k starting, $150k-$220k senior. Big LA-area employers: Tesla Hawthorne / Fremont, SpaceX Hawthorne, Northrop Grumman El Segundo, Boeing Long Beach, Medtronic. First step from here: get on Cal Poly Pomona's mailing list, ask about their summer engineering bridge.
TELACU Spotlight - Carlos Mendoza: Carlos came up through Garfield High and Cal Poly Pomona ME, now leads a propulsion team at SpaceX. He says the most important class he ever took was the one where he failed his first prototype - because that is when he learned to iterate.

Reflection

1Notebook: what changed between your car run 1 and run 3? Why?
2Notebook: what is one new Tinkercad move you used today that you didn't know yesterday?
3Notebook: when you imagine yourself working at Tesla or SpaceX, what feels real? What feels far away?
Bridge to next session: today you released stored energy in one shot. Next session you'll launch a marshmallow with a catapult and learn the engineer's discipline of changing ONE variable at a time.
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Session 3: Engineering Iteration

Aerospace Engineer Pathway · Predict, launch, redesign
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1. Spark

Woven notebook: open it. Log every launch distance, then log what you changed before the next launch.

Welcome back. Car Mod prints are at the front. Today: catapults, projectile launching, and a 3D printed upgrade you'll design for your launcher.

Where we are in the arc: Week 2 · HANDS · Iteration & Reverse Engineering Last session you built things. Today's cross-cutting theme: CHANGE ONE VARIABLE AT A TIME. This is the heart of the experimental method - if you change two things at once, you can't tell which one mattered. Catapults will teach you this in your hands. Today: catapult (3 launches, 3 lessons) + a 3D printed launcher upgrade.
The Hook: When NASA's Curiosity rover landed on Mars in 2012, the team had ONE chance. No iteration. They had spent 8 years iterating on Earth - testing every component, every launch angle, every parachute fold. By the time the real launch came, they had failed thousands of times in simulation. That is what iteration buys you: the right to succeed when it counts. Today's catapult is your iteration sandbox.

NASA: 7 Minutes of Terror (Mars Curiosity)

Watch how NASA engineers iterated for 8 years to get one shot right. Same engineering loop - bigger stakes.

Foundations - Projectile Engineering

Three variables control every projectile: 1. ANGLE - low (straight) goes far, high (steep) goes high. 2. FORCE - more spring tension = farther flight, but harder to control. 3. RELEASE POINT - when does the projectile leave the cup? Change ONE per test. Two changes at once and you can't tell which one mattered. That is iteration discipline.
1Predict in your notebook: at what angle will your catapult shoot the farthest? 30 degrees? 45? 60? 75? Pick a number.

2. Catapult Engineering

Woven notebook: log angle + distance for every test launch. The data tells you what to change.
Materials per pair: - 7 popsicle sticks - 4 rubber bands - 1 plastic spoon - Masking tape - 3 mini marshmallows or pom-poms (projectiles) - Measuring tape (shared)

The Challenge

1GOAL: Launch a marshmallow at least 3 meters with controlled accuracy.
2CONSTRAINTS: Materials above, 12 minutes build, 3 test launches.
3SUCCESS: Marshmallow lands within 0.5 meters of your called target distance. Winner: most accurate launch (closest to called target), tiebreaker is farthest.
Safety: Launch ONLY toward the marked safe zone. Never aim at a person. Eye protection is on if your facilitator hands it out. If your catapult slips, stop and re-tape - don't keep launching unsafe.

The Hypothesis

4Sketch your catapult in your notebook. Mark the spoon angle. Predict launch distance.

Inspiration - watch the build, then study 4 real catapults

Watch the build video below first. Then study the 4 photos of real catapults built by other students. Notice which use a triangular base (stable), which use a stack (simple), which extend the launch arm (long range). Pick the IDEA that matches your goal - you don't have to copy any one build.

The Build

Iterative Design Rule: Launch 1: probably wild. Launch 2: pick ONE thing to change (spoon angle? rubber band tension? launch arm length?). Launch 3: refine. Three launches, three lessons.
5Stack 5 popsicle sticks. Wrap a rubber band tightly around each end. This is your fulcrum stack.
6Take 2 more popsicle sticks. Cross them through the fulcrum stack like an X. Rubber band them at the crossing point.
7Tape the plastic spoon to the upper arm. The spoon's bowl is your launch cup.
8Place a marshmallow in the spoon. Pull the spoon down. Release. Measure. Record angle and distance.
9Change ONE thing. Launch 2. Record. Change ONE thing. Launch 3. Record.

3. Tinkercad - Launcher Upgrade

Woven notebook: name the SPECIFIC problem with your catapult before you open Tinkercad. Vague problems get vague fixes.
Today's task with Tinkercad: design a 3D printed UPGRADE for your catapult. Not a new catapult - an upgrade. Pick ONE thing that frustrated you and fix it. Common upgrades: - Stabilizer base (your catapult tipped over) - Projectile cup (the spoon was inconsistent) - Trigger mechanism (release was unpredictable) - Angle guide (you couldn't repeat the same launch angle)

Tinkercad Refresher (5 min)

Refresher from Day 1 if you need it. New Tinkercad move today: aligning multiple parts using the Align tool.

Make It Yours - Engineering Fix

How to design an upgrade: 1. Name the problem in 1 sentence. 2. Sketch 2 different fixes. 3. Pick the simplest one. 4. Measure your catapult parts (use a ruler or calipers if available). 5. Build the upgrade in Tinkercad to those exact dimensions. 6. Imagine attaching it - does it actually fit?
1Notebook: write the problem in 1 sentence. 'My catapult ___ when ___.'
2Sketch 2 different fixes in your notebook. Pick the simplest one.
3Measure the part of your catapult the upgrade attaches to. Write dimensions in mm.
4Open Tinkercad. Build the upgrade to those dimensions. Use the Align tool to keep parts straight.

How to Export Your Tinkercad Design as STL

Watch this 60-second tutorial on STL export from Tinkercad. Same steps every session - export -> .STL -> save to Downloads -> upload to Padlet.

5Run the Print Form Checklist. Show facilitator. Export .STL. UPLOAD TO PADLET (use the embedded Padlet right below this step, or open https://padlet.com/ramseymusallam/telacu-kv3uqok6k69ic606) - SUBJECT: 'YourFirstName - Catapult Upgrade' - BODY: 1 sentence: what specific problem it solves. Example: 'Stabilizer base that keeps my catapult from tipping.' or 'Better projectile cup so the marshmallow flies straight.' - ATTACH the .STL. Hit Publish. Print comes back next session.

4. Career & Reflect

Woven notebook: 3 reflection sentences.

Pathway: Aerospace Engineer

Day in the Life of an Aerospace Engineer

Real aerospace engineer at work - design, simulate, test, redesign. Same loop as your catapult, scaled up.

Career Connection - Aerospace Engineer: Aerospace engineers design rockets, planes, satellites, drones. Iteration is their religion - test in simulation, test in wind tunnels, test in real flight. Your catapult iteration today is the SAME engineering process at smaller stakes. Entry path: ELAC -> Cal Poly Pomona / Cal State LB / UC Riverside Aerospace Engineering BS, OR USAF Academy / Naval Academy + service. Salary: $80k-$130k starting, $160k-$240k senior. LA-area employers: SpaceX Hawthorne, Northrop Grumman El Segundo, Boeing Long Beach, Aerospace Corporation El Segundo. First step from here: SpaceX runs a high school internship - applications open every January.
TELACU Spotlight - Maria Reyes: Maria graduated Roosevelt High in East LA, did 2 years at ELAC, transferred to Cal Poly Pomona Aero, and is now a propulsion test engineer at SpaceX. She says iteration is the only skill aerospace really wants - everything else they teach you on the job.

Reflection

1Notebook: what was the ONE variable you changed between catapult launches that mattered most? Why?
2Notebook: what's the SPECIFIC problem your upgrade solves?
3Notebook: aerospace iteration is years. Yours was 12 minutes. What would you change about your catapult if you had a week?
Bridge to next session: today you iterated FORWARD - made something, then made it better. Next session you'll iterate BACKWARD - find the flaws in things that already exist and fix them. This is reverse engineering.
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Session 4: Reverse Engineering

Product Designer Pathway · Take it apart, understand, redesign
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1. Spark

Woven notebook: today's notebook is a teardown log. You'll dissect, sketch, and redesign 1 everyday object.

Welcome back. Catapult upgrades are at the front. Today: pick a boring object, find what's broken about it, and design a fix.

Where we are in the arc: Week 2 · HANDS · Iteration & Reverse Engineering Last session you iterated FORWARD. Today's cross-cutting theme: EVERY DESIGN HIDES A FLAW. James Dyson built 5,127 vacuum prototypes by reverse-engineering every other vacuum first. Find the flaw, fix it, ship it. This is how Apple, IDEO, and every product company ACTUALLY works. Today: pick a boring object, find what's broken, prototype the fix in cardboard, then in CAD.
The Hook: Dyson didn't invent the vacuum. He took an existing vacuum apart, found out the bag was the part that sucked (literally - it clogged), and designed a vacuum without one. He iterated 5,127 prototypes before the bagless vacuum worked. Reverse engineering is the secret that almost every product company is built on: someone bought the competitor, took it apart, found the flaw, and fixed it. Today you become that engineer.

James Dyson on 5,127 Prototypes

Dyson explains the reverse-engineering loop that built his company. Failure is the path to a product that ships.

Foundations - Reverse Engineering

The reverse engineering loop: 1. OBSERVE - what does the object DO? How is it used? 2. DISSECT - what are the parts? How do they work together? 3. CRITIQUE - what is annoying, broken, weak, or stupid about it? 4. REDESIGN - sketch a fix for ONE flaw. 5. PROTOTYPE - build it (in CAD today).
1Walk to the object table. Pick ONE object. Bring it back to your seat.

2. Teardown + Critique

Woven notebook: today the notebook is your dissection log. Every part, every annoyance, every design choice.

The Challenge

1GOAL: Find ONE specific design flaw in your object, prototype the fix in cardboard, then translate to Tinkercad.
2CONSTRAINTS: 8 min observe + sketch, 5 min cardboard prototype, 25 min CAD.
3SUCCESS: Your fix works in cardboard before it ever hits CAD. Winner: best critique + clearest cardboard prototype.

Observe + Dissect

4Use the object for 60 seconds the way it's meant to be used. Notice everything that feels weird, awkward, or annoying.
5Dissect (visually - don't break it): what parts does it have? Sketch each part in your notebook. Label what each part DOES.
6Switch objects with your partner for 60 seconds. Use theirs. What is annoying about it that THEY didn't notice?

Critique

7Notebook: write the SPECIFIC design flaw in 1 sentence. 'This object's ___ fails when ___ because ___.'
8Sketch your fix. It can be a new part, a replacement part, or an attachment. Keep it simple - one improvement.

Rapid Cardboard Prototype - 5 min

Before CAD: prove it in cardboard. The smartest engineers test geometry in cardboard FIRST - it takes 5 min and catches design flaws that would cost you 25 min in Tinkercad. If your fix doesn't work in cardboard, it won't work in plastic either.
Materials per pair: - Cardboard scraps (2-3 pieces, ~3 in x 3 in) - Masking tape - Scissors
9Cut a rough version of your fix from cardboard. Match your sketch dimensions roughly with the ruler.
10Tape it to the actual object. Test it. Does the geometry work? Does it solve the flaw you named?
11If it doesn't work, change ONE thing and retape. Two attempts max in 5 min.

3. Tinkercad - Build the Fix

Woven notebook: log every measurement. Vague guesses produce parts that don't fit.
Today's task with Tinkercad: build the fix you sketched. Measure the part of the object your fix attaches to. Match those dimensions exactly. Code Here - Tinkercad: same login as before.

Using the Ruler Tool in Tinkercad

Watch this 3-min tutorial on the Tinkercad Ruler tool BEFORE you start. Precision matters today - your fix has to physically attach to a real object.

Make It Yours - Precision Engineering

Precision rules for today: - Measure with a ruler or calipers, not by eye. - Add 0.4mm of clearance for any part that has to slide over another part. - Add 0.2mm of clearance for any part that has to press-fit. - 3D prints are slightly larger than the CAD design - account for it.
1Measure the attachment surface on your object. Length, width, thickness. Write all 3 in mm.
2Open Tinkercad. New design. Name 'YourFirstName-Fix'.
3Drop a ruler on the workplane (Tinkercad has a ruler tool - left toolbar). Use it to measure as you build.
4Build the fix. Use the Align tool to keep parts straight. Use Group when you're done.
5Imagine attaching it to the real object. Does the geometry actually work? If not, fix in CAD before you submit.

How to Export Your Tinkercad Design as STL

Watch this 60-second tutorial on STL export from Tinkercad. Same steps every session - export -> .STL -> save to Downloads -> upload to Padlet.

6Run the Print Form Checklist. Show facilitator. Export .STL. UPLOAD TO PADLET (use the embedded Padlet right below this step, or open https://padlet.com/ramseymusallam/telacu-kv3uqok6k69ic606) - SUBJECT: 'YourFirstName - Fix for [object name]' - BODY: 1 sentence: what flaw your fix solves. Example: 'Grip sleeve for a binder clip so it doesn’t pinch fingers.' or 'Replacement pencil grip with finger ridges.' - ATTACH the .STL. Hit Publish. Print comes back next session.

4. Career & Reflect

Woven notebook: 3 reflection sentences.

Pathway: Product Designer

IDEO Shopping Cart Design Process (ABC Nightline)

The classic ABC Nightline documentary. IDEO's team has 5 days to redesign the shopping cart. You'll see the EXACT loop you ran today - observe, critique, sketch, prototype, test, refine - run by professional designers on a real product.

Career Connection - Product Designer: Product designers do the loop you just ran for a living. They observe, they critique, they redesign. They live in CAD (Tinkercad is the entry-level version of SolidWorks/Fusion 360). Entry path: ELAC / Pasadena City -> Art Center College of Design Pasadena, Cal State LB Industrial Design, ArtCenter Foundation Program (free for low-income LA students). Salary: $70k-$120k starting, $150k-$220k senior. Big LA-area employers: IDEO Pasadena, frog Long Beach, Tesla, Apple, Specialized Bicycles. First step from here: build a Tinkercad portfolio (every fix you make this summer is a portfolio piece).
TELACU Spotlight - Daniela Cruz: Daniela was a 1st-generation college student from Lincoln Heights. She did Pasadena City College, transferred to ArtCenter on a Foundation scholarship, and now leads consumer product design at frog Long Beach. Her first portfolio piece was a redesigned binder clip - exactly what you did today.

Reflection

1Notebook: what flaw did you find that nobody else in your cohort named?
2Notebook: how did the ruler tool change your design? Were your eyeball estimates close?
3Notebook: if you had 5,127 prototypes (like Dyson), what would you redesign?
Bridge to next session: this is the END of the HANDS week. Next session you meet the BRAIN - tiny chips that sense the world and run code. Your engineering layer just got smarter.
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Session 5: Microbit Foundations

Embedded Systems Engineer Pathway · Code that lives in things
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1. Spark

Woven notebook: today the notebook tracks code logic - what you wrote, what happened, why it surprised you.

Welcome back. Reverse-eng prints are at the front. Today: a complete shift. We pivot from 3D printers to MICROCONTROLLERS - tiny chips that run code and listen to the world.

Where we are in the arc: Week 3 · BRAIN · Microcontrollers & Sensors Layer shift. Last week was HANDS. This week is BRAIN. Today's cross-cutting theme: SENSE -> DECIDE -> ACT. This is the universal loop inside every smartwatch, drone, car airbag, ATM, smart speaker, and lottery machine. The chip in front of you runs that exact loop. Today: code three programs that sense (button presses), decide (which button), and act (show an icon, score reaction time).
Why we shift gears now: The HANDS week taught you that engineering is the design loop applied to physical materials - paper, cardboard, popsicle sticks. Real, but limited. You can build a tower; you can't build a tower that knows when there's an earthquake. The BRAIN week adds SENSING and DECIDING to the same loop. The chip in front of you is what every modern device uses to feel the world (light, motion, temperature, sound) and respond. Same engineering loop, smarter materials. By Week 4 you'll combine HANDS + BRAIN. By Week 5 it all aims at one specific person you love.
The Hook: Every Apple Watch, Fitbit, smart thermostat, electric car, Roomba, ring doorbell, smart speaker, and lottery machine has a chip just like the one in front of you. Embedded systems are the largest part of the software industry - bigger than mobile, bigger than web. And every one of them runs the same loop: SENSE -> DECIDE -> ACT. Today you start writing for that chip.

BBC Micro:bit - What Is It?

BBC's official 2-min intro to the micro:bit chip. 25 LEDs, 2 buttons, accelerometer, compass, radio - all in something the size of a credit card.

Foundations - Sense, Decide, Act

The microcontroller loop: SENSE - input from buttons, accelerometer, light sensor, temperature sensor. DECIDE - the code: 'if button A is pressed, then ___'. ACT - output to LEDs, sound, radio, motors. Every program you write today is some version of this loop.
1Talk to your partner: name 3 devices you've used today that have a microcontroller in them.

2. MakeCode + First Programs

Woven notebook: write down each program you build. Also write what BREAKS - bugs are where the learning is.
Materials per pair: - 1 micro:bit V2 with battery pack - 1 USB cable - 1 laptop/Chromebook - Notebook + pencil
Today's task with MakeCode: write 3 short programs that get progressively harder. Names display, button reactions, and a Reaction Time game. Code Here - MakeCode for micro:bit: Web app: https://makecode.microbit.org/ No download needed - works in any browser. Connect: plug in the USB cable, then click the gear icon in MakeCode -> 'Pair device' -> select 'BBC micro:bit'.

The Challenge

1GOAL: Get TWO programs running on your real micro:bit. Build 1 = your name scrolling. Build 2 = button A and button B trigger different icons.
2CONSTRAINTS: MakeCode only. 18 min combined.
3SUCCESS: Both programs work end-to-end on the physical chip (not just in the simulator). Winner: cleanest button reaction tested in front of your partner.
First-time flash - watch this BEFORE you build: The code-to-chip workflow has 4 moves: (1) write code blocks in MakeCode, (2) click the purple Download button bottom-left, (3) a .hex file lands in your Downloads folder, (4) drag that .hex file onto the MICROBIT drive that pops up when you plug in the USB cable. The yellow LED on the BACK of the chip flashes while it loads. When it stops flashing, your program is running. Watch the 2-min tutorial below once - it'll feel obvious after that.

How to Download from MakeCode and Flash Your Micro:bit

2-min walkthrough: MakeCode -> Download -> .hex file -> drag onto MICROBIT drive. Watch this once before your first program; you won't need it again.

Build 1 - Show Your Name

4Open MakeCode. New project. Name it 'YourName-Day5'.
5Drag 'on start' from Basic. Inside it, drag 'show string' and type your first name.
6FLASH IT (same workflow as the tutorial above): Click 'Download' (purple button bottom-left of MakeCode). The .hex file lands in your Downloads folder. Drag the .hex onto the MICROBIT drive (it pops up as a USB drive when the chip is plugged in). The yellow LED on the back flashes while it loads - when it stops, your program is running.
7Watch your name scroll across the LED grid.

Build 2 - Button Reaction

8Add 'on button A pressed' from Input. Inside, 'show icon' -> heart.
9Add 'on button B pressed'. Inside, 'show icon' -> happy.
10Flash. Press A then B. Watch.

3. Reaction Time Challenge

Woven notebook: log your fastest and slowest reaction times. Write what surprised you about your own reaction speed.

The Challenge

1GOAL: Code a Reaction Time game where the micro:bit shows a random delay, then displays an icon. The player presses A as fast as possible. Display the milliseconds.
2CONSTRAINTS: MakeCode only, 20 min build.
3SUCCESS: Game shows reaction time in ms. Winner: fastest reaction across the cohort (post on board).

Micro:bit Reaction Time Tutorial

Watch this tutorial demonstrating the Reaction Time logic. Random pause, capture start time, listen for button, calculate the difference.

Make It Yours

Once your basic game works, customize: - Change the icon (heart -> star -> arrow) - Add a sound when the icon appears (Music -> play tone) - Make the random delay range bigger or smaller - Add 3 rounds and average the times - Display 'TOO FAST!' if they press before the icon appears

The Build

4On start: show string 'GO'. Pause(500). Show string 'WAIT'.
5Add a 'pause' block with a RANDOM number from Math (range 1000 to 5000 ms).
6Set a variable 'startTime' to the current 'running time (ms)' from Input -> more.
7Show icon (heart). This is the GO signal.
8On button A pressed: set 'reactionTime' to running time minus startTime. Show number reactionTime.
9Flash. Test. Record your fastest time. Then customize using the 'Make It Yours' callout above.

4. Career & Reflect

Woven notebook: 3 reflection sentences.

Pathway: Embedded Systems Engineer

Day in the Life of an Embedded Software Engineer

Real embedded engineer at work - same SENSE -> DECIDE -> ACT loop you just coded.

Career Connection - Embedded Systems Engineer: Embedded engineers write code that runs INSIDE a physical product. Cars, watches, drones, medical devices, ATMs. Less competitive than 'big tech' jobs, more hands-on, and a HUGE LA market because of aerospace + defense + automotive. Entry path: ELAC / Cerritos / Pasadena CC -> Cal Poly Pomona / CSULA / UC Riverside Computer Engineering or EE. Salary: $80k-$135k starting, $160k-$240k senior. LA-area employers: SpaceX, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Honeywell Torrance, Tesla, Skyworks Newport Beach, Medtronic. First step from here: keep your micro:bit, build 5 more programs by Session 10.
TELACU Spotlight - Jose Garcia: Jose grew up in Pico Rivera, did 2 years at Rio Hondo, transferred to Cal Poly Pomona Computer Engineering, and now writes firmware for SpaceX rocket avionics. He says the embedded path was less crowded than CS - and just as paid.

Reflection

1Notebook: what bug did you fix today that taught you the most?
2Notebook: name 3 products you use that probably have a chip like the micro:bit inside.
3Notebook: does embedded engineering feel real for you, or far away? Why?
Bridge to next session: today the chip just reacted to button presses. Next session it will sense MOTION - the same accelerometer that runs every earthquake early warning system on Earth.
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Session 6: Earthquake Detector

Hardware Engineer Pathway · Sense the world, threshold the data
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1. Spark

Woven notebook: log every accelerometer reading. Write the threshold you choose and why.

Welcome back. Today: build a working earthquake detector that triggers an LED warning. Same logic that runs every phone's screen-rotation, every Fitbit's step counter, every car's airbag.

Where we are in the arc: Week 3 · BRAIN · Microcontrollers & Sensors Last session: chip basics with buttons. Today's cross-cutting theme: THRESHOLDS - the line between noise and signal. A real earthquake reads 1500 mg of acceleration. Someone bumping the table reads 200 mg. The threshold is what tells the chip 'this matters'. Set it wrong, you get false alarms or missed earthquakes. Today: build an earthquake detector. Tune the threshold. Sketch the case for next session.
The Hook: In 2019 California launched ShakeAlert - the first early-warning earthquake system in the US. It uses thousands of accelerometers (the same chip in your micro:bit) to detect shaking 5-30 seconds BEFORE the wave reaches you. That window is enough to stop a train, drop into 'duck and cover', or pause a surgery. The difference between a useful warning and a false alarm? The threshold. Set it too low - false alarms every time someone drops a book. Too high - real earthquakes get missed. Today you tune that threshold.

ShakeAlert: California's Earthquake Early Warning

USGS explains how California's ShakeAlert system uses accelerometer data to give a 5-30 second warning. You'll build a tiny version today.

Foundations - Accelerometer + Threshold

Accelerometer basics: - Measures acceleration (change in motion) on 3 axes: X (left-right), Y (forward-back), Z (up-down). - Sitting still: shows ~1g of gravity on Z (the chip is feeling Earth pull it down). - Shaking: spikes on all 3 axes. - Threshold: a number you pick. If the reading exceeds it, the chip declares 'EARTHQUAKE!'.
1Predict in your notebook: should the threshold for an earthquake detector be HIGHER or LOWER than the threshold for a step counter? Why?

2. Build the Detector

Woven notebook: log accelerometer readings at calm, light shake, hard shake. Use that data to pick your threshold.
Materials per pair: - 1 micro:bit + battery pack - 1 USB cable - 1 laptop - Notebook + pencil

The Challenge

1GOAL: Code an earthquake detector that flashes a warning icon when shaking exceeds your threshold.
2CONSTRAINTS: MakeCode, 25 min. Use the accelerometer.
3SUCCESS: Detector triggers reliably on hard shake, ignores gentle handling.

How to Program the Micro:bit Accelerometer with MakeCode

Watch this tutorial demonstrating how to read accelerometer values and use the on-shake event in MakeCode.

The Hypothesis

4Predict in your notebook: pick a threshold number (in milli-g, where 1000 = 1g of gravity). Write 1 sentence: 'I predict a real earthquake reads above ___ mg, while gentle handling stays below ___ mg.'

The Build

Iterative Design Rule: First threshold: probably wrong (false alarms or no detection). Test by walking around. Test by setting the chip down hard. Test by gently picking it up. Tune the threshold each time. Engineers at USGS spent YEARS tuning ShakeAlert thresholds. You have 25 min.
5Open MakeCode. New project 'Earthquake-Detector'.
6Add 'forever' loop. Inside it: set variable 'shake' to 'acceleration (mg) of strength' from Input -> more.
7Add 'if shake > [your threshold]' (use the number from your notebook prediction). Inside: 'show icon' -> giraffe / skull / lightning. Pause(2000). Clear screen.
8Bonus: in the if-true branch, also 'show number' shake. This displays the actual reading.
9Flash. Test by shaking gently (should NOT trigger), then hard (should trigger). Adjust threshold. Repeat 3+ times.

3. 3D Print Case Sketch

Woven notebook: today's notebook is a sketchbook. No Tinkercad - just careful drawing of your sensor case design.
Today's task: sketch a 3D printable case for your earthquake detector. NO computer this phase - notebook and pencil only. Why sketch first: Session 7 you build the case in Tinkercad. The sketch you make now is the blueprint.
Three case archetypes to consider: 1. OPEN FRAME - clips around the chip, leaves LEDs visible. Easiest to design, weakest protection. 2. CLIP-ON - snaps onto a wall or desk, vibrates with the building. Best for earthquake detection (matches building motion). 3. FULL ENCLOSURE - protects the chip but you need a window for the LED display. Best for outdoor/dirty environments.

Sketch + Plan

1Measure your micro:bit with a ruler: length, width, thickness. Write all 3 in your notebook in mm.
2Pick one of the 3 archetypes (open frame, clip-on, full enclosure). Write 1 sentence why.
3Sketch your case from 3 angles: top view, side view, isometric (3D corner view). Label the LED window, the USB port hole, and the mount point.
4Add a character/art element: a logo, a lightning bolt, a Cal-themed motif - this case is YOURS. Tape kids to dorm walls.
5Sign and date your sketch. Tear out the page or fold it - this is the blueprint for Session 7.

4. Career & Reflect

Woven notebook: 3 reflection sentences.

Pathway: Hardware Engineer

Inside Apple's Chip Lab (CNBC)

CNBC's rare access inside the Apple silicon lab where engineers design the chips in every iPhone and Mac. You'll see real hardware engineers running real chip tests. Same accelerometer category as the chip in your hand today, designed at industrial scale.

Career Connection - Hardware Engineer: Hardware engineers design the chips and boards inside devices. They pick the accelerometer, lay out the circuit, run signal tests. Aerospace, defense, automotive, medical - all hardware-heavy industries. Entry path: ELAC / Cerritos -> Cal Poly Pomona / UC Riverside / CSULA EE or Computer Engineering BS. Salary: $85k-$140k starting, $170k-$260k senior. LA-area: SpaceX, Northrop Grumman El Segundo, Boeing, Skyworks Newport Beach, Honeywell Torrance. First step from here: keep your micro:bit. Build 1 sensor project a week through senior year.
TELACU Spotlight - Sofia Ramirez (USGS Pasadena): Sofia grew up in El Sereno, did Cal State LA, and now works at USGS Pasadena maintaining the ShakeAlert sensor network. She says the early-warning system runs on the EXACT chip you used today, just with industrial-grade housing. Same physics.

Reflection

1Notebook: how did your threshold change between test 1 and test 3? Why?
2Notebook: ShakeAlert thresholds are tuned over years. Yours was tuned in 25 min. What would you change about your threshold if you had a month?
3Notebook: imagine you work at USGS Pasadena. What part of Sofia's job appeals to you? What feels hard?
Bridge to next session: today the chip lived on a desk. Next session it lives inside something YOU built - a 3D printed case that mounts to a locker or backpack.
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Session 7: Motion Alarm

IoT Engineer Pathway · Code + sensors + enclosures
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1. Spark

Woven notebook: today integrates everything - code logic, sensor threshold, and 3D enclosure. Log all three.

Welcome back. Today's the first session that combines EVERYTHING: code, sensor, and a 3D printed case. You'll build a motion alarm and design its enclosure.

Where we are in the arc: Week 4 · HANDS + BRAIN · Smart Devices The two layers FUSE. Today's cross-cutting theme: SYSTEMS THINKING. Every smart device has 5 parts that have to work together: SENSOR + LOGIC + OUTPUT + PACKAGE + POWER. If any one fails, the whole device fails. Today you build all five. Today: motion alarm code + 3D printed enclosure with a locker mount. You become Ring (the doorbell company) at smaller scale.
The Hook: A Ring doorbell is a $99 product that contains: a motion sensor, a camera, a microcontroller, a wifi chip, a battery, and a 3D-printed-then-injection-molded plastic case. The hard part is not any one component - it's making them work together inside something that looks good on a porch. Today you are the systems engineer. Code: motion alarm. Sensor: micro:bit accelerometer. Case: Tinkercad enclosure with locker mount.

How Smart Home Devices Work

How IoT devices combine sensors, microcontrollers, and physical packaging. The same systems thinking applies to your motion alarm today.

Foundations - Systems Engineering

Systems engineering = making components work together. For a motion alarm, you need: 1. A SENSOR (accelerometer detects motion) 2. A LOGIC (if motion > threshold, alarm) 3. AN OUTPUT (LED + sound) 4. A PACKAGE (case that mounts to a locker / backpack) 5. A POWER source (battery) If any one component fails, the whole system fails. Today you make them work together.
1Talk to your partner: what is the WORST place to put a motion alarm? (Answer: somewhere that vibrates a lot - a washing machine, a moving bus.) What does that tell you about threshold tuning?

2. Code the Alarm

Woven notebook: log your threshold + arming logic + sound choice.
Materials per pair: micro:bit + battery pack + USB cable + laptop. Optional: small headphones or speaker (alligator clip from pin 0 to a small speaker amplifies the alarm tone).

The Challenge

1GOAL: Build a motion alarm that arms when you press button A, sounds when something moves the chip, and disarms when you press button B.
2CONSTRAINTS: MakeCode, 20 min. Use accelerometer + buttons + sound.
3SUCCESS: Alarm arms, triggers on motion, can be disarmed.

The Build

4Open MakeCode. New project 'Motion-Alarm'. Or open your Session 6 'Earthquake-Detector' project and Save As 'Motion-Alarm'.
5Add a variable 'armed' set to FALSE on start.
6On button A: set 'armed' to TRUE. Show icon (target). Pause 5000 ms (5 sec to leave the room).
7On button B: set 'armed' to FALSE. Show icon (yes). Stop sound.
8Forever loop: if armed AND acceleration > threshold: play melody (Music -> play melody -> alarm tune). Show icon (skull).
9Flash. Test: press A, walk away, jiggle the chip, alarm should sound. Press B to disarm.

3. Tinkercad - Locker Enclosure

Woven notebook: pull out your Session 6 case sketch. Update it with the locker mount.
Today's task with Tinkercad: build the case for your motion alarm. Use your Session 6 sketch as the blueprint. Add a locker mount feature. Code Here - Tinkercad: same login as before.

How to Design a Tinkercad Enclosure (Arduino, same techniques)

Watch this Arduino enclosure tutorial - the SAME techniques apply to your micro:bit case: box base, hollow it, USB hole, snap fit.

Make It Yours - Mount + Style

Mount options (pick one): - Magnetic strip groove (case has a slot for a magnet you'll attach later) - Velcro tab (case has a flat back surface) - Adhesive pad (flat back, peel-and-stick from facilitator kit) - Backpack carabiner loop (printed loop on the side) Don't overthink it. The simplest mount is the one that ships.
1Open Tinkercad. New design 'YourFirstName-AlarmCase'. Drop the ruler tool.
2Build the base: rectangle slightly bigger than your micro:bit dimensions (add 2mm clearance per side). Hollow it (Hole shape, smaller than the base, grouped).
3Add the LED window: a hole on top so the LEDs are visible. Match the size of the LED grid (about 28mm x 28mm).
4Add the USB port hole: 12mm wide x 5mm tall on one short side.
5Add your mount feature (from the callout above).
6Add a character/art element on the visible face. This is YOUR alarm, make it look like yours.

How to Export Your Tinkercad Design as STL

Watch this 60-second tutorial on STL export from Tinkercad. Same steps every session - export -> .STL -> save to Downloads -> upload to Padlet.

7Run Print Form Checklist. Show facilitator. Export .STL. UPLOAD TO PADLET (use the embedded Padlet right below this step, or open https://padlet.com/ramseymusallam/telacu-kv3uqok6k69ic606) - SUBJECT: 'YourFirstName - Alarm Case' - BODY: 1 sentence: where it mounts + your art element. Example: 'Locker-mount alarm case with lightning bolt design.' or 'Backpack alarm case shaped like a soccer ball.' - ATTACH the .STL. Hit Publish. Print comes back next session.

4. Career & Reflect

Woven notebook: 3 reflection sentences.

Pathway: IoT / Smart Device Engineer

Jamie Siminoff: Inventor of Ring Doorbell (Innovation Nation)

Henry Ford's Innovation Nation profiles Jamie Siminoff, who built the first Ring Doorbell in his garage with 3 engineers. Started after a Shark Tank rejection, sold to Amazon for $1B. Same SENSOR + LOGIC + CASE pattern you built today, scaled to a billion-dollar company.

Career Connection - IoT / Smart Device Engineer: IoT engineers integrate hardware + firmware + cloud connectivity. Doorbells, smart locks, fitness trackers, smart appliances. Hot field, accessible entry points, lots of LA-area startups. Entry path: any CS / EE / CompE degree -> firmware internship -> junior IoT role. Many engineers self-taught via micro:bit -> Arduino -> ESP32 -> Raspberry Pi. Salary: $85k-$140k starting, $160k-$240k senior. LA-area: Ring (Santa Monica), Snap Inc (Santa Monica) hardware team, Razer Irvine, Tile Culver City. First step from here: get an Arduino kit ($35) and build 5 more sensor projects this fall.
TELACU Spotlight - Diego Vargas: Diego came up through Lincoln High and ELAC, transferred to CSULA Computer Engineering, and now leads firmware on the Ring doorbell team. He says he started with a micro:bit just like the one in front of you - same exact chip, same MakeCode interface.

Reflection

1Notebook: which of the 5 IoT system parts (sensor, logic, output, package, power) was hardest for you today?
2Notebook: what mount did you pick and why?
3Notebook: name a smart device in your house that probably uses the same loop you just coded.
Bridge to next session: today the smart device sat on a locker. Next session it lives ON YOUR BODY. Tech becomes wearable. Tech becomes intimate.
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Session 8: Step Counter

Wearable / Biomedical Engineer Pathway · Tech you wear
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1. Spark

Woven notebook: today the notebook tracks step counts and the algorithm tweaks you make.

Welcome back. Alarm cases are at the front. Today: build a wearable step counter, then design the band/clip you wear it on.

Where we are in the arc: Week 4 · HANDS + BRAIN · Smart Devices Last session: smart object near you. Today's cross-cutting theme: BODY-AWARE DESIGN. Wearable tech has to fit a human. The form changes the function. A wristband, a pendant, a shoe-clip - same chip, different geometry, different lived experience. Today: step counter code + 3D printed wearable mount in the form YOU pick.
The Hook: Fitbit was started in 2007 by two engineers who taped a microcontroller and an accelerometer to their wrist with a rubber band. Their first prototype counted steps with WORSE accuracy than what you're about to build. They iterated for 2 years and sold the company for $2.1 billion. The technology is not magic. It's a chip you have, plus an algorithm you can write, plus a 3D printed wrist mount. The whole thing fits in your hand.

How Step Counters Work

Watch this 4-min explanation of how a step counter algorithm distinguishes a step from random movement. The same algorithm Fitbit uses.

Foundations - Step Detection

Step counter algorithm: 1. READ accelerometer continuously. 2. WAIT for a sharp spike (foot hits ground). 3. WAIT for the spike to drop back below a low threshold (foot lifts). 4. COUNT the cycle as 1 step. The trick is NOT counting every wiggle as a step. Threshold + cooldown delay = accurate count.
1Predict: walk 20 steps in place. How accurate do you think your step counter will be? Off by 1? 5? 10?

2. Code the Step Counter

Woven notebook: log step accuracy. Walk 20 measured steps. Record what the chip says.
Materials per pair: micro:bit + battery pack + USB cable + laptop. You will walk with the chip - hold it, clip it to a sleeve, or strap it to a wrist for testing.

The Challenge

1GOAL: Code a step counter that displays a running total on the LED display. Walk 20 steps, count manually, compare to the chip's count.
2CONSTRAINTS: MakeCode, 20 min.
3SUCCESS: Step counter is within 5 of actual step count for 20 steps.

Micro:bit Step Counter Tutorial

Watch this 5-min tutorial demonstrating the step-counter algorithm in MakeCode.

The Build

4Open MakeCode. New project 'Step-Counter'.
5Add variable 'steps' set to 0 on start.
6BASIC version: 'on shake' (Input) -> change steps by 1, show number steps. Flash, walk 20 steps, see count.
7ADVANCED version: forever loop -> if acceleration > 1500 mg AND last_step > 300 ms ago, change steps by 1, store time. This is closer to real Fitbit code.
8Add 'on button B' -> set steps to 0 (reset).
9Test: walk 20 steps slow, walk 20 steps fast, jump 5 times. Compare counts. Tune threshold or cooldown.

Bonus Path - Train an AI Step Counter (10 min if you finish early)

Your threshold-based step counter works because YOU picked the right number (1500 mg). Real Fitbit / Apple Watch step counters do something different - they LEARN what walking looks like from real samples. Micro:bit has a free AI tool that lets you do the same thing: createai.microbit.org. You walk for 5 seconds, the chip records the accelerometer pattern, you label it 'walking'. Then 5 sec of standing still, label it 'still'. Train the model. Now the chip knows walking even if your stride is different from someone else's. This is the SAME machine learning that powers every modern wearable. Free, in your browser, on the chip you already have.

Micro:bit CreateAI Tutorial - Train Your First Movement Model

5-min walkthrough of createai.microbit.org. Connect your micro:bit -> record movement samples -> label them -> train -> deploy. Same chip, smarter brain.

10BONUS: open createai.microbit.org. Connect your micro:bit (same USB cable). Create two actions: 'walking' and 'still'. Record 5+ samples of each. Train the model. Test it. If you have time, add a third action: 'jumping'.

3. Tinkercad - Wearable Mount

Woven notebook: sketch your wearable mount in 3 styles BEFORE you open Tinkercad. Pick the one you'll actually wear.
Today's task with Tinkercad: design a wearable mount for your step counter. Wrist band, sleeve clip, necklace pendant, shoe attachment - your choice. Code Here - Tinkercad: same login as before.

Tinkercad Watch Design - Wearable Form Reference

Watch how a wearable form comes together in Tinkercad. The same body shape and mount approach work for your step counter wearable.

Make It Yours - Wear What You Make

Wearable form options: - WRIST BAND: 2 rigid pieces + threaded elastic band - ARM CLIP: clips on a sleeve, no band needed - NECKLACE PENDANT: case with a top loop for a chain - SHOE ATTACHMENT: clips to laces (great for step counter accuracy) - JEWELRY-STYLE: case shaped as an animal, character, or geometric form The rule: it must hold the micro:bit AND look like something you'd actually wear.
1Sketch 3 different forms in your notebook. Pick the one you'd actually wear.
2Measure your micro:bit + battery pack together. Width and thickness matter for the mount.
3Open Tinkercad. New design 'YourFirstName-Wearable'.
4Build the form. Use Group, Hole, Align. Add an elastic-band slot if you're going wrist-band style (2 small rectangular holes through the side).
5Add character/art element - logo, animal, your name, geometric pattern.

How to Export Your Tinkercad Design as STL

Watch this 60-second tutorial on STL export from Tinkercad. Same steps every session - export -> .STL -> save to Downloads -> upload to Padlet.

6Print Form Checklist. Show facilitator. Export .STL. UPLOAD TO PADLET (use the embedded Padlet right below this step, or open https://padlet.com/ramseymusallam/telacu-kv3uqok6k69ic606) - SUBJECT: 'YourFirstName - Wearable Mount' - BODY: 1 sentence: what form it takes + how it mounts. Example: 'Wrist band with elastic slot.' or 'Necklace pendant case with my initials.' - ATTACH the .STL. Hit Publish. Print comes back next session.

4. Career & Reflect

Woven notebook: 3 reflection sentences.

Pathway: Wearable / Biomedical Engineer

Fitbit Founder James Park Demos the First Wearable (TechCrunch CES 2014)

Fitbit's founder James Park demos the wearable he built. He started with the same insight you used today - a chip with an accelerometer can count steps. He raised $400k from family and friends and turned it into a $2.1B company. Same engineering loop, same physics, same chip family.

Career Connection - Wearable / Biomedical Engineer: Wearable engineers design health monitors, fitness trackers, medical devices that you wear on your body. Crossover field: half engineering, half biology, half product design. Entry path: ELAC / Pasadena CC -> UC Riverside / Cal Poly Pomona / CSULB Biomedical Engineering BS. Or EE/ME with bio focus. Salary: $80k-$130k starting, $150k-$240k senior. LA-area: Medtronic, Edwards Lifesciences Irvine, Apple Watch team Cupertino, Whoop, Fitbit (Google), Masimo Irvine. First step from here: anatomy class as a senior + a biomedical engineering bridge program at UCLA or USC.
TELACU Spotlight - Lourdes Hernandez: Lourdes came up through Bell High and Cal Poly Pomona BME, did a research summer at Edwards Lifesciences Irvine, and now designs heart-monitor wearables for ICU patients. She says wearable design is the most artistic engineering field - you have to make it look good or no one wears it.

Reflection

1Notebook: how accurate was your step counter? What would make it better?
2Notebook: what's the difference between code that works and a wearable that someone actually wears?
3Notebook: name 1 wearable health device that didn't exist 5 years ago.
Bridge to next session: HANDS, BRAIN, both done. Next session is HEART. Everything you've learned aims at one specific person you love. The coffee cup grip story from Day 1 closes its loop.
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Session 9: Adaptive Engineering

Inclusive / Adaptive Designer Pathway · Microbit + 3D combine to solve a real problem
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1. Spark

Woven notebook: today's notebook is a design log for ONE person. Pick a real user and stay specific.

Welcome back. Step counter mounts are at the front. Today: shift from gadgets to GADGETS THAT SOLVE A REAL PROBLEM. Adaptive engineering - microbit + 3D combine for one specific person or one specific problem you care about.

Where we are in the arc: Week 5 · HEART · Adaptive Engineering & Showcase Final layer. Today's cross-cutting theme: DESIGN FOR ONE. The Microsoft engineers who built the Xbox Adaptive Controller didn't design for 'people with disabilities' - they designed for ONE kid who couldn't reach a button. The same loop solves a sibling's reach problem, a grandma's open-fridge problem, your own slouching-at-homework problem. Pick a real user, pick a real problem, combine microbit + 3D, ship a fix.
Where engineering is going - the AI layer: The adaptive build you'll design today uses HANDS + BRAIN (3D printed structure + microcontroller sensing/signaling). The next layer - which TELACU students will work on in 3-5 years at college - is HANDS + BRAIN + AI: the chip learns the user's specific motion or gesture instead of using a fixed threshold. createai.microbit.org makes this entry-level free, in your browser. If you finish your build early today, train an AI model to recognize a custom motion - that's how real wearable assistive tech for users with limited motor control actually works.
The Hook: In 2015 a small team of engineers at Microsoft sat in a hospital room with kids who couldn't use a regular Xbox controller. Some had cerebral palsy, some had limb differences, some were veterans with combat injuries. The kids loved games. The controllers couldn't reach them. Three years later that team shipped the Xbox Adaptive Controller - $99, two giant buttons, 19 input jacks for any custom switch a player needs. It is the most-celebrated piece of adaptive engineering of the decade. The team didn't start with a billion-dollar lab. They started with one specific kid and one specific game. Today you become that engineer. The XAC was built for kids with disabilities - but the LOOP they ran (one specific user, one specific problem, microbit + 3D combined) works for any problem you care about. A sibling who can't reach a button. A grandma who keeps leaving the fridge open. Yourself slouching during homework. Pick the user. Pick the problem. Combine the chip + the print.

Microsoft Inclusive Design - Xbox Adaptive Controller

Watch how Microsoft's design team built the Xbox Adaptive Controller. The same loop you'll run today - one specific user, one specific need.

Why this app, what you'll do (OPTIONAL DEMO): This is a live tester for the Xbox Adaptive Controller (XAC). It also works with a standard Xbox controller (or any USB/Bluetooth game controller) - just plug it into the facilitator laptop and every button + joystick lights up here in real time. OPTIONAL: only run this demo if someone happens to have a controller handy. An XAC is ideal (you'll see the 19 jacks + giant buttons concept light up live), but a regular Xbox controller works too and still drives the point home: adaptive input is just any input that fits the user. If no controller is available, that's fine - the video above carries the story. Just point at this app and say 'this is the kind of testing tool real adaptive engineers use to verify input mappings.'

Foundations - Design for One

Adaptive engineering design rules: 1. PICK ONE PERSON OR ONE REAL PROBLEM. Real and specific. A grandma, a sibling, yourself, a teammate. NOT 'old people' or 'students.' 2. PICK ONE NEED. The smaller, the better. 'Open this exact bottle' or 'remind me to sit up' beats 'help with arthritis' or 'study better.' 3. DESIGN FOR THEM. Their hand size, their reach, their environment, their constraint - measure it. 4. COMBINE MICROBIT + 3D. The chip senses or signals. The print holds it, mounts it, adapts it. Both are required today. 5. CARDBOARD FIRST. You will prototype in cardboard before you open Tinkercad. The cardboard proves the idea fast. 6. PURE-DISABILITY ISN'T REQUIRED. Adaptive means designing FOR a specific user's specific constraint - whatever it is.
1Talk to your partner: name 1 person OR 1 real problem you'd want to solve. The user can be anyone (sibling, grandma, teammate, yourself). The problem can be anything (reach, grip, posture, an open fridge, a noisy roommate). What is the specific task or moment that fails right now?

2. Define + Cardboard Prototype

Woven notebook: the user's name. The exact task. The current pain point. Then a sketch of the fix.
Materials per pair: - Cardboard squares (5 in x 5 in, 3 per pair) - Masking tape - Popsicle sticks (5) - Paper clips (3) - Binder clips (2) - Scissors - Notebook

The Challenge

1GOAL: Pick a user OR a real problem, sketch the fix, build a cardboard prototype.
2CONSTRAINTS: Materials above. 20 min. The final build (Phase 3) MUST combine microbit (sense or signal) + 3D printed structure - both are required today.
3SUCCESS: Cardboard prototype works on YOU mimicking the constraint or simulating the problem. NEXT (Phase 3): translate cardboard to Tinkercad + program the microbit code.

Define + Sketch

4Notebook: write 1 sentence: 'I am designing for ___ to help them ___.' Be specific.
5Notebook: list 3 reasons the current way fails for them. (Grip strength? Reach? Vision? Tremor?)
10 examples to spark your idea (don't copy - find your own): 1. Bottle opener for someone with hand-strength loss - printed grip cradles a standard cap, microbit beeps once it's loose enough. 2. Fridge-left-open alarm - microbit accelerometer/light sensor in a printed clip on the door, buzzes if the door is open >30 sec. 3. Wearable bike turn-signal - microbit LEDs flash arrows in a printed enclosure that clips to a backpack strap. 4. Posture buzzer for homework - microbit accelerometer in a printed pendant, vibrates/beeps when you slouch. 5. Switch-button extension for a sibling who can't reach a controller button - printed lever + microbit-triggered audible click feedback. 6. Locker / desk-drawer chirp - microbit reed switch or tilt in a printed mount, alerts when opened. 7. Hydration reminder wristband - microbit on a printed elastic-band cuff, buzzes every 30 min. 8. Adaptive pencil grip with logger - printed contoured grip + microbit that counts writing sessions and shows total minutes. 9. Roommate 'do not disturb' indicator - printed door-mount slider + microbit display showing icon + light. 10. Backyard-game score keeper - printed enclosure + microbit buttons + display, two-team score with audible win cue. Notice: every one of these combines microbit (sense or signal) + 3D printed structure. That's the rule today.
6Sketch 3 ideas. Pick the simplest one.

Build the Cardboard Prototype

7Build it in cardboard + tape. 8 minutes. No CAD yet.
8Test on YOURSELF mimicking your user's constraint. (One-handed? Limited grip? Eyes closed?) Does the prototype actually solve the task?
9Iterate. Tape on more cardboard. Cut differently. Test again.

3. Tinkercad + Microbit — Print + Code

Woven notebook: log dimensions you measured from your cardboard prototype. Those become Tinkercad numbers.
Today's task: translate your cardboard prototype to a 3D printable enclosure/attachment AND program the microbit code that makes it work. Two deliverables - the STL prints overnight for showcase, the .hex code runs live on your microbit. Code Here - Tinkercad: same login as before. Code Here - MakeCode: makecode.microbit.org, same flow as Sessions 5-8.

Make It Yours - For Your User or Problem

Translating cardboard to CAD + microbit: 1. Measure each cardboard piece. Length, width, thickness. 2. In Tinkercad, build each piece to those dimensions. 3. Carve out a microbit cavity if the chip mounts inside (microbit V2: ~52 x 43 x 5 mm; battery pack: ~62 x 30 x 13 mm). Add 1mm clearance. 4. Group everything that's connected. 5. Open MakeCode. Pick the simplest possible code path: input event -> logic check -> output. 3-5 blocks total. 6. Test the chip behavior on the microbit BEFORE you submit the print - if the code doesn't work, the print is wasted. The cardboard prototype proved the IDEA. CAD ships the STRUCTURE. MakeCode ships the BEHAVIOR. Both required today.
1Measure each piece of your cardboard prototype. Write all dimensions in mm in your notebook.
2Open Tinkercad. New design 'YourFirstName-AdaptiveBuild'. Use the ruler tool.
3Build each piece in CAD to the measured dimensions. Add clearances for moving parts.
4Add your user's name OR the problem name in small text on the underside (a personal touch - this makes it real).
5Test in 3D view. Rotate. Does it work? Fix anything that doesn't.

Now Code the Microbit

Microbit code recipe (keep it simple): - INPUT: button press, accelerometer (shake/tilt), light sensor, sound, or temperature. - LOGIC: 'if input crosses threshold...' - OUTPUT: show icon, play tone, vibrate (via servo), or set LED pattern. 3-5 blocks. If your code grows beyond 8 blocks, you're overbuilding.
6Open makecode.microbit.org. New project named 'YourFirstName-AdaptiveBuild'.
7Drag in the input block that matches your design (on shake / on button A / on logo press / on light below threshold / etc.). Add the logic + output.
8Test on your microbit. Plug in via USB, click Download, drag the .hex onto the MICROBIT drive. Trigger the input. Confirm the output fires.
9Save your .hex to the laptop Downloads folder. Name it 'YourFirstName-AdaptiveBuild.hex'. You'll bring it Session 10 to showcase live.

How to Export Your Tinkercad Design as STL

Watch this 60-second tutorial on STL export from Tinkercad. Same steps every session - export -> .STL -> save to Downloads -> upload to Padlet.

10Run Build Form Checklist (renamed, grouped, flat, fits print bed, microbit cavity correct, code tested on chip). Show your facilitator. Export .STL. UPLOAD TO PADLET (use the embedded Padlet right below this step, or open https://padlet.com/ramseymusallam/telacu-kv3uqok6k69ic606) - SUBJECT: 'YourFirstName - Adaptive Build for [user / problem]' - BODY: 1 sentence: who/what it's for + what the microbit does + what the print holds. Example: 'Fridge-open alarm for my abuela - microbit detects door open >30 sec and beeps; printed clip holds chip on the door.' or 'Posture buzzer for me - microbit accelerometer detects slouch and vibrates; printed pendant hangs from a lanyard.' - ATTACH the .STL. Hit Publish. Print comes back next session for the showcase. Bring your .hex on the laptop too.

4. Career & Reflect

Woven notebook: 3 reflection sentences.

Pathway: Inclusive / Adaptive Engineer

How the Xbox Adaptive Controller Came to Be - Bryce Johnson

Bryce Johnson, Microsoft's Inclusive Lead, walks through the design process. Real assistive tech engineering at scale.

Career Connection - Inclusive / Adaptive Engineer: Inclusive engineers design for specific human constraints. The most famous slice is assistive tech (prosthetics, adaptive controllers, communication devices, mobility aids), but the same skill ships consumer products that work for left-handed users, smartwatches that track wheelchair pushes, voice-command homes, and ergonomic tools. The common thread: design for ONE specific user, then expand. Entry path: any engineering BS (BME, ME, EE, ID) -> Makers Making Change network / e-NABLE / hospital innovation labs / consumer-product inclusive design teams. Salary: $70k-$120k starting, $140k-$220k senior. LA-area: Microsoft Inclusive Design (Burbank), e-NABLE (volunteer-paid), Rancho Los Amigos National Rehab Center (Downey), Apple HID team (Culver City). Fastest growing field in engineering: aging population + ADA + smart-device explosion + AI accessibility.
TELACU Spotlight - Andres Castillo: Andres grew up in South LA, did 2 years at LA Trade Tech, transferred to Cal State LA Mechanical Engineering. He now leads a team at Microsoft's Inclusive Tech Lab in Burbank, designing the Xbox Adaptive Controller. He says inclusive engineering is the most engineering-creative field he's worked in - every user is different, every solution is custom, and the same loop you ran today (one specific user, one specific problem, microbit + 3D) is exactly what his team runs at scale.

Reflection

1Notebook: who was your user, and what does your design do for them?
2Notebook: what did the microbit add that pure 3D couldn't have? What did the 3D add that pure code couldn't have? Why does combining them matter?
3Notebook: imagine you handed your build to your user (or used it yourself for the problem). What would they say? What's the next iteration?
Bridge to next session: tomorrow you tell the story of what you built. Every engineer has to explain their work in 60 seconds. You become the founder pitching the product.
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Session 10: Innovation Showcase

Engineering Leadership Pathway · Pitch what you built
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1. Spark

Woven notebook: today is the last day. Open it for one final logging session, then a celebration.

Welcome to Day 10. Your Day 9 adaptive build prints are at the front. Pull up your .hex too - we'll demo the microbit live. Today: review every project you made, prep a 60-second pitch, and showcase to the cohort. Then we celebrate.

Where we are in the arc: Week 5 · HEART · Adaptive Engineering & Showcase Last day. Today's cross-cutting theme: TELL THE STORY OF WHAT YOU MADE. Engineering doesn't end at the build. It ends at the explanation. Every founder, every senior engineer, every TELACU alum at SpaceX or IDEO does this: stand up, in 60 seconds, name the problem and the fix. Today: pitch your favorite project. Showcase. Awards. Photos for your portfolio.
The Hook: Every engineer at SpaceX, Apple, Tesla, Microsoft has to do this exact same thing on Mondays: stand up, in 60 seconds, explain what they built last week and why anyone should care. The skill is not the engineering. The skill is the PITCH. Founders raise $50M with a 60-second pitch. Engineers get promoted by 60-second pitches. Today you practice.

The 60 Second Pitch That Gets You Hired

Watch this short explainer on the 60-second pitch structure. Use it as your template today.

Foundations - The 60-Second Pitch

60-second pitch structure: 1. THE PROBLEM (15 sec) - 'My user, ___, struggles with ___ because ___.' 2. THE FIX (15 sec) - 'My design solves it by ___.' 3. WHAT YOU LEARNED (15 sec) - 'The hardest part was ___. I iterated by ___.' 4. WHY IT MATTERS (15 sec) - 'This matters because ___.' Four parts. 15 seconds each. Practice once before you stand up.
1Look back at your notebook. Which project are you most proud of - your Day 9 adaptive build, your alarm, your Car Mod, or your Builder Trophy?

2. Pitch Prep

Woven notebook: write your full pitch script. 4 lines, one per pitch section.

The Challenge

1GOAL: Write and practice a 60-second pitch for your favorite project from the summer.
2CONSTRAINTS: 4-part structure, 15 min prep.
3SUCCESS: You can deliver it in 60 seconds without reading your notebook. NEXT (Phase 3): live cohort showcase, peer applause + facilitator awards.

Write the Pitch

4Notebook: write line 1. THE PROBLEM. 'I designed [project] for [user/use case] because they struggle with [specific issue].'
5Notebook: write line 2. THE FIX. 'My design solves it by [specific mechanism].'
6Notebook: write line 3. WHAT I LEARNED. 'The hardest part was [iteration / measurement / coding / mounting]. I iterated by [specific change].'
7Notebook: write line 4. WHY IT MATTERS. 'This matters because [real-world relevance].'
8Practice once with your partner. Have them time you. Aim for 50-60 seconds. Not less, not more.

3. Showcase + Gallery

Woven notebook: as you watch peer pitches, jot down 1 phrase you loved from each. You'll vote for Best Story / Best Design / Best Iteration at the end.
The Showcase: - Each kid pitches for 60 seconds. - Audience claps for every pitch. - After all pitches: facilitator awards (Best Iteration, Best Sensor Use, Best Story, Best Design-For-Someone-Specific). - Then: upload to the Gallery Padlet.

Pitch Order

1Watch the order on the board. When you're up, walk to the front. Hold your project. Pitch.
2Listen for the partner's name. Applause is the rule - every pitch gets it.

Gallery Upload

3Take a photo of your project (use your phone or the cohort camera). Upload it to the Gallery Padlet.
4Type your 4-line pitch under the photo as the caption.
5Tag the project with your name + the session it came from (Session 1 Builder Trophy, Session 9 adaptive build, etc.).

4. Career & Final Reflection

Woven notebook: final 3 sentences of the summer. Save this notebook - it is your portfolio.

Pathway: Engineering Leadership

Boston Dynamics - The Robotics Engineer

How the engineering loop scales from one prototype to a robot dog. Same iteration, bigger system.

Career Connection - Engineering Leadership / Founder: Every engineer at SpaceX, Tesla, Apple, IDEO started where you are now: with one project, one user, one pitch. The path forward is: keep iterating, keep building, keep pitching. Entry path: ELAC / community college -> 4-year engineering BS -> first engineering job (3-5 years) -> senior engineer -> tech lead -> manager OR founder. Salary at the leadership level: $200k-$500k+ for tech leads at LA-area firms. Founders: variable, but the cap is much higher. First step from here: keep your notebook. Every project, every iteration, every pitch is a portfolio piece. Use it for college apps.
TELACU Spotlight - All of You: Twenty years from now, one of you is going to be the senior engineer who interviews and hires the next TELACU summer student. You are the spotlight. Save your notebook. The path starts here.

Final Reflection

1Notebook: what is one thing you can do now that you couldn't do on Day 1?
2Notebook: which engineer pathway felt most real for YOU after these 5 weeks?
3Notebook: your first step from here. What's the one thing you'll keep working on after the workshop ends?
After this workshop: you keep building. The notebook in your hands is your engineering portfolio - every prediction, every iteration, every print. Use it for college apps, internships, and the next thing you make.
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