Texas STEM standards: hands-on mechanical engineering activities

Texas Standards Mapping

Teachers can use Toyineer projects to address selected Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills in Science and Mathematics through hands-on mechanical construction.

Alignment reviewed October 2026.

Executive summary

Teachers can use Toyineer projects to address Texas academic standards by giving learners physical systems they can construct, observe and explain. Learners can explain how pushes and pulls start, stop or change motion (1.7A), demonstrate and describe contact forces including pushes and pulls (3.7A), and investigate how equal and unequal forces create patterns of motion and transfer energy through a system (5.7A). Texas Mathematics adds a direct geometry connection as Kindergarten learners identify two-dimensional components of three-dimensional objects (§111.2(b)(6)(C)). The completed toy provides visible, hands-on evidence for classroom discussion of force, motion, energy transfer, systems, geometry and spatial reasoning. 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. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science: Force, Motion and Energy

Grade 11.7(A)

Explain how pushes and pulls can start, stop, or change the speed or direction of an object's motion.

Operating a Toyineer toy gives learners an immediate example: a hand-applied push or pull starts movement, and changing or removing that input changes the speed, direction or continuation of the mechanism.

Grade 33.7(A)

Demonstrate and describe forces acting on an object in contact or at a distance, including magnetism, gravity, and pushes and pulls.

Toyineer directly demonstrates the contact-force portion of this expectation. Learners apply pushes and pulls to mechanical parts and can describe where those forces act and how connected parts respond.

Grade 55.7(A)

Investigate and explain how equal and unequal forces acting on an object cause patterns of motion and transfer of energy.

A Toyineer mechanism makes equal and unequal forces and energy transfer visible. Learners can compare parts at rest and in motion, then trace how a hand-applied input moves through connected components to produce a repeating output.

II. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Mathematics: Geometry and Measurement

Kindergarten§111.2(b)(6)(C)

Identify two-dimensional components of three-dimensional objects.

Toyineer starts with flat printed components whose faces and profiles remain visible after assembly, giving learners a direct physical example of two-dimensional components within a three-dimensional object.

Official standards sources: Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science — Chapter 112, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Mathematics — Chapter 111 and TEKS in Focus — Force and Motion.

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