This collection of lessons from the GE Brilliant Career Lab bridges the gap between education and industry, classroom and career, and the economy of the future and the skills of today.
Airplane Mechanic
This lesson highlights an example of “Everyday in the life of an Airplane Mechanic”. What kind of work might an Airplane Mechanic do? Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul aircraft engines…
Wearable Device Designer
The teacher will guide students through the design and engineering process by supporting an environment that allows for trial and error, and celebrates iteration. The series is designed for 6th…
Biomedical Engineer
This lesson reflects on “Everyday in the life of a Biomedical Engineer” What does a Biomedical Engineer do? Biomedical Engineer Conduct research, along with life scientists, chemists, and medical scientists,…
IN THIS COLLECTION
This first-of-its-kind collection of digital fabrication learning experiences is designed to engage and inspire students through STEM career paths. These lessons can be deployed in partnership with teachers in middle and high school classrooms with the resources of a mobile lab. The mobile lab visits each classroom and includes equipment, materials, and an instructor that partners with the classroom teacher.
PROGRAM AND PARTNERSHIP
As part of GE’s $25M Brilliant Boston commitment to empower students to become globally productive citizens by providing access to learning experiences and skills necessary for the workforce tomorrow, the GE Brilliant Career Lab was developed in partnership with the Fab Foundation to enable students to investigate STEM careers through hands on experiences with digital fabrication tools in a mobile lab.
ABOUT THE GE BRILLIANT CAREER LAB
The Brilliant Career Lab is a resource for educators and students, providing curriculum, essential and technical skills development, career assessments, mentoring, exposure to college and career, and access to digital fabrication tools and knowledge. The program pilot started during the 2016-2017 school year In Boston Public Schools (BPS) with Tech Boston and English High Schools. Since then, the Brilliant Career Lab has exposed over 1,500 BPS students to future STEM careers, while supporting 50 teachers in incorporating digital fabrication and career exploration activities in their classroom.
Additionally, in collaboration with the Fab Foundation, Brilliant Career Play is an extension of the Boston Celtics and GE partnership that creates access for middle school students in a mobile lab environment to engage in hands-on, interactive educational experiences. Launched in November 2017, the Brilliant Career Play program has already visited 3 school districts throughout greater Boston, and exposed over 500 middle school students to STEM careers inspired by design and sports. Coupled with the mentoring and online support from Brilliant Pathways (formerly CFES ) and Everfi, students are exposed to STEM careers through a range of online and live experiences.
Brilliant Career Play launch event at the Lilla G. Frederick Pilot School in Boston, MA in November 2017.
STEM DIGITAL FABRICATION LESSONS
My Family Abstract Sculpture (Recycled Materials)
Unit Background The Primary 4 Art unit My Family is designed to help students understand how family relationships and values can be shown through art. Using selected local artworks, students…
March 21, 2026
Design and Fabricate a Sustainable Biomaterial Product
Students are firstly demonstrated the use of biomaterial to make into a functional product. They embark on their innovative journey to create and fabricate as a team of 3 /…
March 18, 2026
Centripetal Forces: 3D Modelling Banked Turns
[PRIOR CLASS] Introduce circular motion, including the equation for centripetal force, mv^2/r Combine prior knowledge of forces on an inclined plane and motion in a circle. Provide assignment details, separate…
March 12, 2026
Narrative Mosaic
This lesson aims to bring students together through active listening and empathy. By learning about each other’s backgrounds, hobbies, and values, students collaborate on creating a mural in which they…
March 6, 2026
Calculating Forces on an Inclined Plane
[PRIOR CLASS] Introduce dynamics, including Newton’s second law, weight, normal force, net force, and friction Introduce concept of forces on an inclined plane, including shift in perspective. Introduce class to…
March 2, 2026
A Sustainable Living – Autobiography of a recycled object
This Primary 3 English lesson is aligned with the Ministry of Education (Singapore) STELLAR (Strategies for English Language Learning and Reading) approach and integrates Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) through the theme sustainable living.…
February 24, 2026
Eco-Fair Project
Lesson Summary: Eco Fair Design Project The Eco Fair Design Project is a five-week sustainability-focused design challenge in which students work collaboratively to research, design, and build a physical prototype…
February 17, 2026
Fabricating Musical Instrument
Students will design and construct a working musical instrument, either digital or analog. by combining fabrication technologies (3D printing, laser cutting, woodworking) with sustainable or upcycled materials. They will do…
February 16, 2026
Emotion box – An Inclusive SEL System
Overview Designed by Grades 7–9 students Created for Grades 1–4 students Supports Emotional Regulation through guided breathing Aligned with Social Emotional Learning (SEL) How It Works Box includes emotion buttons:…
February 15, 2026
Accessible Museums: Tactile and Object Based Exhibit Exploration
This lesson is written for High School aged learners interested in museum studies, accessibility, and/or education. It is written for use in a multi-day museum classroom context, but can be…
February 10, 2026
Digital Storytelling – Sequencing of Events Using Scratch Platform
In this lesson, the students use Scratch to create and sequence digital story scenes in pair. Through this hands-on activities, students practice using time connectives (First, Next, Then, Finally) and…
February 7, 2026
Four Tiered Code & Stitch Making Activity
This is an activity that can be conducted in makerspace for interested students. Students with different level of coding experiences will be able to find suitable levels of task to…
January 21, 2026
Bright Ideas: Lighting Up Art Through the Design Process
Students design and build a functional paper-based electrical circuit using copper tape, LEDs, and coin cell batteries. The circuit is integrated into an original artwork (symbol, illustration, or abstract design).…
January 19, 2026
Traffic Light Centers
As education assistants in the elementary school setting, we frequently observe students’ need to confirm that their work aligns with the parameters and expectations established by the teacher. However, these…
January 10, 2026
Creatures from the Island of Corso 3.0
This creative STEM and maker-based lesson is inspired by the book Criaturas da Ilha de Corso, written by Angela Lago, José Roberto Torero, and Pedro Hamdan das Pedras. In the…
January 4, 2026
Transport for Lucia the Snail
This hands-on STEM workshop is inspired by the children’s book Lúcia Já Vou Indo, written and illustrated by Maria Heloísa Penteado. In the story, Lucia is a snail who is…
January 4, 2026STANDARDS-ALIGNED
Community contributed lessons aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) offer formal educators innovative pathways to teaching content knowledge. The Fab I Can Statements are a resource to develop technology-literate learning progressions to align with content standards.
FAB TESTED
Periodically lessons are adapted and tested by the Fab Foundation team based on a call for submissions from fabbers, educators, and makers. Our inaugural set of lessons for the SCOPES-DF project were Fab Tested in 2016 and are tagged Fab Tested on the website.
OPEN-SOURCE VALUES
Lessons are distributed under a Creative Commons CC BY-NC license, that permits free use and re-purposing by others.