YES Enrichment
Engineering Rescue Shuttles
Youth design a shuttle to land a rope near a person who needs a rescue.
Unit Overview
Youth use the Engineering Design Process to design a rescue shuttle that lands near a person who needs a water rescue. Youth investigate how different variables (length, material, weight, fins) affect a shuttle’s flight distance.
- 9 activities (5 core, 4 optional)
- 45–60 minutes per activity
- Youth materials available in Spanish
- Connects to Careers Exploration module: Disaster Recovery Careers Exploration
| Curriculum Line | YES Enrichment |
| Engineering Field | Aeronautical Engineering |
| Science Domain | Physical Science |
| Science Topic | Extreme weather |
| Suggested Grade Level | Upper Elementary |
Standards Alignment
YES Enrichment units connect with state and national standards.
Unit Resources
Digital Resources (FREE)
YES provides these materials free of charge! Use the link below to download resources from our Google Drive.
Download ResourcesPurchase Materials
- Full-color print educator guide, plus multiple sets of heavy-duty reusable color-print resources (ex. vocabulary cards, materials glossaries, station signs, and student instructions) for the class.
- Hands-on materials to support 30 learners.
Watch A Clip From Engineering Rescue Shuttles
A pair of 4th grade students, Alanna and Felix, work in the Improve Phase of the Engineering Design Process as they try to reach a specific target distance with their rescue shuttles.
I Didn't Think It Would Be So Hard!
Educator Preparation Videos
Activity 2: Model Shuttle
Activity 2: Shuttle Launch
Activity A: Station A
Activity A: Station B
Activity A: Station C
Activity A: Station D
Activity A: Station E
Unit Map
Our funders
Major support for this project has been provided by the National Science Foundation.