Teach Engineering
Breaking the Mold
A little too much strain could cause a lot of stress. Groups conduct a strength test on clay. Using books as weights, pupils measure the compression of clay columns and calculate the associated strain and stress. Teams record their data...
Teach Engineering
Strength of Materials
Pupils examine a stress-strain diagram that compares the advantages and disadvantages of the two common bridge building materials, concrete and steel. The also consider the factors that influence the materials builders choose for their...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Waterproof that Roof!
Stop the raindrops from getting into the house! Eager engineers learn about roofing history and waterproofing by nanotechnology. They get into groups and work on designing a waterproof roof for a small model house. The accompanying...
Curated OER
Materials We Use
How can you tell if something is made out of wood, metal, or plastic? Kids use noise and visual cues to determine what various household items are made from. They then examine their toys at home and record the materials used to make...
Curated OER
Building a House
Study the different materials needed to build a house. Kindergartners and first graders read five sentence frames, and match the phrases that describe wood planks, glass, and clay. An experiment prompts kids to test different types of...
Curated OER
Artists, Architects, and Architecture
The study of art and architecture are the focus of this series of lessons. The images of Robert Harris are used in the lessons as examples for youngsters to looks at. A study of architecture in different time periods ensues, then...
Curated OER
Everything is Made of Something
Young scientists can use this worksheet to learn about natural resources, as well as what we use them for. A word search prompts pupils to find sixteen words about natural resources.
Texas Education Agency (TEA)
Build a Paper Structure
Who knew that paper is an amazing building material? Scholars learn about the properties of planar materials, such as paper, as well as their structural capabilities in the sixth lesson a series of 11 on architecture. Working in groups,...
Curated OER
Your House Comes from a Mine
What do your learners know about mining? Invite them to read about all of the materials that come from mining that go into building a house. Additionally, they answer four questions at the bottom of the worksheet.
Curated OER
Wheat: Ancient and Ageless
Sixth graders investigate the role of wheat in society. In this Social Studies lesson, 6th graders explore wheat production from ancient civilizations to modern times. Students describe wheat's importance in shaping culture.
Curated OER
Building Materials
Fifth graders are presented with three rocks and a variety of tools and are asked to investigate the properties of the rocks to see which rock is best for building tables and benches for a museum picnic area.
Curated OER
Building Materials
In this building materials worksheet, students walk around their school and write down at least 5 materials that their school is made of. Students take a second trip around the school and keep a tally sheet on how often they see those...
Curated OER
Building Up, Breaking Down
Students explore their school building and examine the rocks it is made of. They discover how rocks become building materials and participate in a variety of activities surrounding this subject.
Curated OER
Basement Foundations
Students explore the construction industry and examine new materials and technological advances that are now available to builders. They discuss advantages and disadvantages of using these new materials and create a presentation based on...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Design Steps 5 and 6: Create and Test a Prototype
Students learn about the importance of creating and testing prototypes during the engineering design process. They start by building prototypes, which is a special type of model used to test new design ideas. Students gain experience...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Design Step 7: Improve and Redesign/manufacture a Product
As young scholars learn more about the manufacturing process, they use what they learned from testing their designs in the previous activity to continue to improve and redesign. Students also have the opportunity to manufacture their...
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Learning Lab: Building Up, Breaking Down
Smithsonian in the Classroom presents Building Up, Breaking Down. Teachers can download this comprehensive teaching package in which students investigate how buildings weather. See what happens to a building once it has been erected....
PBS
Pbs: Building Big: Domes
A collection of resources about domes that includes basic facts about domes, challenges faced by dome builders, famous domes from around the world, and a lab that helps you understand different kinds of materials used to construct domes....
Andre Dollinger
Reshafim: Building in Ancient Egypt
What was involved in building the towns, pyramids, and temples in ancient Egypt? Read about the planning that needed to be done, including building plans, material acquisition, and labor force.
Birmingham Museums Trust (UK)
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery: What Is Aston Hall Built From?
Learn about the materials Aston Hall, a Jacobean mansion house, is built from by clicking on the parts in the picture.
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Newspaper Tower
Investigate the basic forces acting on a tower and the importance of foundations.
archKIDecture
Arch Ki Decture: Building With Steel and Glass
Using the John Hancock Center as an example, ArchKIDecture explains how a steel skeleton gives a building strength and permanence.