Geotechnical Engineering Curriculum Modules for High School Math and Science Classes

High school science and math classes can often seem irrelevant to the everyday lives of students leading to difficulties in engaging students in these topics. Moreover, limited opportunities for hands-on learning can further perpetuate perceptions of subject matter difficulty and result in limited exposure to available career paths. By incorporating hands-on curriculum modules in geotechnical engineering, it is possible to overcome these issues while providing students with real-world applications making the material more engaging and meaningful. This paper presents two curriculum modules developed as part of the National Science Foundation-funded Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) site at North Dakota State University. These modules—one for a high school science class and one for a high school math class—were developed with the aim of promoting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education (STEM), while inspiring students to consider careers in geotechnical engineering. The lessons are designed to align with the Next Generation Science Standards and include hands-on activities along with real-world applications to enhance student understanding of the subject matter. The effectiveness of these modules was evaluated through formative and summative assessment and student surveys. The results indicate that the modules can effectively engage students in geotechnical engineering by connecting the math and science concepts from their classes and increase their interest in STEM fields. These curriculum modules are a valuable resource for high school math and science teachers looking to integrate engineering into their classes.