counselors; the implementation of curriculum using required equipment and software; the formation and use of a Partnership Team, and more. The financial demands associated with implementing the program add up to tens of thousands of dollars over the course of several years, depending on course selection and existing laboratory resources. (“The Infinity Project” and “Designing for Tomorrow” have similar, but less formal requirements on a smaller scale.)

Several curriculum projects at the elementary and middle school levels offer resources to support implementation. The most comprehensive support is provided by “A World in Motion,” “Children Designing and Engineering,” “Engineering is Elementary,” “Full Option Science System,” and “Material World Modules.” Implementation for these programs begins with the purchase of the instructional materials for the units of interest. These materials typically include teacher guides and, sometimes, videos or DVDs to support implementation. Student materials are presented as separate publications or reproducible master copies embedded in the teacher materials. “A World in Motion” requires participating teachers to involve a practicing engineer (a volunteer) in the delivery of the curriculum. The Society of Automotive Engineers (2009), which developed the curriculum, estimates that 17,000 engineer volunteers have participated since the program’s inception.

Teacher materials typically cost $40 to $130, and classroom sets of student materials cost approximately $200. In addition, these programs offer kits of tools, supplies, and materials to facilitate the learning activities. The kits, which usually come in 4- or 5-cubic-foot containers that fit on a shelf or in a storage cabinet, cost $200 to $750, depending on the topic. “A World in Motion” provides the curriculum materials and kits free upon request, after a simple partnership agreement has been signed. Several projects also offer “refill packs” to replenish the consumables in the kits; these cost $20 to $250, depending on the nature of the materials.

Most of these curriculum projects maintain websites that can be used to purchase materials and kits, exchange ideas with other teachers, and tap into additional resources, such as lesson plans, links to relevant websites, a list of books and references, duplicate master copies, curriculum updates, safety data sheets, preparatory videos, discussion boards, additional learning activities, and professional develop materials.

Implementation of “City Technology,” “Designing for Tomorrow,” and “Invention, Innovation, and Inquiry” programs require purchasing one or more books and obtaining project-related tools and materials, which are available from popular suppliers, such as home stores, office supply stores,