Improving students’ understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts is a critical goal of today’s society. Particularly in the US, encouraging students to pursue STEM-related professions has been a challenge that continues to receive both attention and funding. While many initiatives have focused on increasing the number of undergraduates enrolled in STEM degree programs, it has also become increasingly clear that science and technology need to be strengthened in the K-12 curriculum [1].

What sets this paper apart from other publications focused on STEM and K-12 education is the focus on engineering education, and especially on the hands-on scaffolding approach where middle school students are presented with a project and then encouraged to pursue several stages of problem solving. The target population (seventh grade) also allows for early intervention.

The publication is a worthy read for both novices and experts in STEM education. Beyond a well-researched literature review, the paper is also strong in its description of the three main project activities, as well as in the systematic approach to assessment that included control groups. The results are also encouraging, suggesting that the students engaged in the activities outperformed their control group counterparts in standardized testing. Overall, this is an excellent contribution.