Engineering Problems

Engineering Problems Worksheet (Grade 6 Science, TEKS 6.1A)

Show grade 6 students how engineers define a problem before they build anything. This one-page reading and activity sheet teaches the key terms criteria and constraints through one simple story about hikers who need to cross a creek.

What's Inside

• A short reading on engineers, defining the problem, criteria, constraints, and solutions
• One real-world design problem: a footbridge for a nature park
• Activity 1: Students sort six notes about the bridge into criteria or constraints
• Activity 2: A word bank fill-in to review the key terms
• A visual answer key with answers marked in red

How Teachers Use It

Use it to start an engineering design unit, before a design challenge, or as a review of scientific and engineering practices. Every term is taught on the page, so no prior knowledge is needed. The sheet takes about 10 minutes and prints clearly in black and white.

This worksheet is part of the Reading in Science series for grade 6. It supports TEKS 6.1A: ask questions and define problems based on observations or information from text, phenomena, models, or investigations. Pair it with the other sheets in the series to build a full unit on scientific and engineering practices, one skill at a time.

Why It Works

Each sheet teaches one or two new terms in plain words first, then asks students to use only what the page taught. Activities stay at the sort, circle, and match level, so students build confidence while the answer key gives teachers the reasoning they need.