Young Engineers on the Gulf: Or, The Dread Mystery of the Million Dollar Breakwater
#5 of 5 in Young engineers Series
What’s inside...
In 'Young Engineers on the Gulf: Or, The Dread Mystery of the Million Dollar Breakwater,' a group of young, ambitious engineers, led by Tom Reade and Harry Hazelton, are tasked with constructing a breakwater on the Gulf of Mexico. The project is worth a million dollars, a massive sum for the time, and is critical for protecting the coastline and nearby towns from destructive storms. As they work on the engineering challenge, they encounter various obstacles, including natural disasters, technical difficulties, and sabotage from rivals who want to see them fail. Throughout the story, the young engineers demonstrate their ingenuity, perseverance, and teamwork as they strive to solve the 'dread mystery' behind the issues plaguing their project and ensure the successful completion of the breakwater. The novel is a blend of adventure, mystery, and a celebration of early 20th-century engineering prowess. This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.
Discussion points
What do you think motivated the young engineers to work on the Gulf project?
How did the characters work together to solve problems? Can you think of a time when you worked with others to solve a problem?
What were some challenges the characters faced and how did they overcome them?
What did you learn about engineering and teamwork from this story?
If you were a part of the story, what ideas would you suggest to help the characters?
Tip: Role play these questions
Begin by sharing your thoughts on the importance of teamwork and ask your child to reflect on their experiences with collaboration. Discuss the problem-solving techniques used by the characters and relate them to real-world scenarios that your child might encounter. Encourage creative thinking by asking your child how they would have handled the situations in the book differently. Emphasize the value of perseverance and learning from mistakes, as demonstrated by the characters.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Teamwork and Collaboration
Explanation: The young engineers work together to solve the complex problem of building a breakwater. They combine their skills and knowledge to overcome obstacles.
Real-World Application: Children can learn the importance of cooperating with others to achieve common goals, whether in school projects or team sports.
Example Lesson: Problem Solving
Explanation: Throughout the book, the characters face engineering challenges that require critical thinking and creative solutions.
Real-World Application: This teaches children that problems can be tackled effectively with thoughtful analysis and innovation, skills they can use in academics and daily challenges.
Example Lesson: Resilience
Explanation: The engineers encounter setbacks in their project, but they persist and continue working towards their goal.
Real-World Application: Children learn the value of perseverance and not giving up when faced with difficulties, be it in learning new concepts or dealing with personal setbacks.
Example Lesson: Responsibility
Explanation: The protagonists take responsibility for the successful completion of the breakwater, showing accountability for the project's outcome.
Real-World Application: This highlights the importance of being accountable for one's actions and responsibilities, a vital trait for personal development and trust-building.