Indiana STEM standards: hands-on mechanical engineering activities

Indiana Standards Mapping

Teachers can use Toyineer projects to address selected 2023 Indiana Academic Standards for Science and Mathematics through hands-on mechanical construction.

Alignment reviewed October 2026.

Executive summary

Teachers can use Toyineer projects to address Indiana academic standards by giving learners physical systems they can construct, observe and explain. Learners can compare how pushes and pulls affect motion (K-PS2-1), investigate balanced and unbalanced forces in a working mechanism (3-PS2-1), and observe repeating motion patterns that support prediction (3-PS2-2). Indiana mathematics also provides strong geometry connections: learners can compare two- and three-dimensional shapes (K.G.1) and use individual 2-D and 3-D forms to create composite structures (1.G.2). The completed toy provides visible, hands-on evidence for classroom discussion of force, motion, geometry, spatial reasoning and mechanical systems. Toyineer projects are hands-on engineering activities that teach mechanics, geometry, spatial reasoning and technical problem solving through the construction of working mechanical toys. Video instruction and clear assembly guides support independent and classroom use while keeping educator preparation minimal.

Standards and evidence.

These alignments use only the ordinary Toyineer construction process. They do not depend on a separate extension activity.

I. 2023 Indiana Academic Standards for Science: Motion and Stability

KindergartenK-PS2-1

Plan and conduct an investigation comparing the effects of different strengths or directions of pushes and pulls on an object's motion.

During assembly and testing, learners directly push and pull moving parts and can compare how changes in direction or relative effort affect the motion produced.

Grade 33-PS2-1

Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on an object's motion.

Toyineer mechanisms make balanced and unbalanced forces observable. Learners can compare a mechanism at rest with one under an applied force and explain why the resulting net force changes motion.

Grade 33-PS2-2

Make observations or measurements of motion to show that a pattern can be used to predict future motion.

Many Toyineer components follow repeatable paths. Learners can observe one motion cycle and predict the next position or direction of a rocker, follower, push rod or other constrained part.

II. 2023 Indiana Academic Standards for Mathematics: Geometry

KindergartenK.G.1

Compare two- and three-dimensional shapes in different sizes and orientations using their parts and attributes.

Toyineer gives learners both flat blueprint shapes and completed three-dimensional components, allowing direct comparison of faces, edges, corners, size and orientation.

Grade 11.G.2

Use two-dimensional or three-dimensional shapes to create composite shapes and compose new shapes from them.

Learners combine cut, folded and assembled components into larger structures and ultimately into one composite mechanical object.

Official standards sources: Indiana Academic Standards for Science, Indiana Academic Standards for Mathematics and Indiana Academic Standards for Integrated STEM.

Hands-on evidence for standards-aligned learning.

Teachers can use Toyineer projects to address these standards. Students also gain skill in their use of tools and appreciate the importance of accuracy in engineering.

All standards pages