TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Magnetic Launcher
Students explore electromagnetism and engineering concepts using optimization techniques to design an efficient magnetic launcher. Groups start by algebraically solving the equations of motion for the velocity at the time when a...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Building an Electromagnet
Students design and construct an electromagnet that must pick up 10 staples. They begin with only minimal guidance, and after the basic concept is understood, are informed of the properties that affect the strength of that magnet. They...
Discovery Education
Discovery Education: Science of Everyday Life: The Everyday Science of Sports [Pdf]
A lesson plan where students learn about the physics behind golf balls. Students evaluate different designs of golf balls to understand how their design impacts their function. After their evaluation, students will try to improve the...
Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education, Stevens Institute of Technology
Ciese: The Stowaway Adventure: Engineering Lesson: Designing Your Own Travel Bag
After listening to the presented scenario, students are asked to design, create, and test a prototype of a bag that can carry their belongings and meet certain criteria.
The Tech Interactive
The Tech Museum of Innovation: Escape the Lava [Pdf]
In this engineering challenge, students will design devices to help "Justin Case" escape lava by using items in their backpacks to get Justin from one tree to another. Students will use the knowledge they gain from this engineering...
The Tech Interactive
The Tech Museum of Innovation: Save the Hiker [Pdf]
Can you build a device that will deliver life-saving treatment to someone in a hazardous situation? During this instructional activity, students will learn how energy is converted and transferred between objects. Working in groups and...
The Tech Interactive
The Tech Interactive: Lesson Plan: Catch It if You Can! [Pdf]
Learners will learn about the ongoing issues associated with drought in California and how water conservation can be part of a solution. Students will design a rooftop water catchment system for drought-conscious Ms. Drizzle to install...
The Tech Interactive
The Tech Interactive: Lesson Plan: Save the Fruit! [Pdf]
During this math-focused unit, students will create a device that is used to harvest fruit from a tree. They will then look at failure points in order to iterate their design. Finally, students will describe their device as a system and...
The Tech Interactive
The Tech Museum of Innovation: Animal Rescue [Pdf]
Scientists often need to gather information in order to form a deeper understanding of the problem. Can your team gather scientific evidence to help inform the design of a device that will help move endangered animals from one protected...
TryEngineering
Try Engineering: Engineer a Cane
This lesson focuses on how engineers improve assistive devices such as a cane to meet the needs of the elderly. Students work in teams to re-engineer a cane for a "client." They are assigned a client profile, develop a design to suit the...
TryEngineering
Try Engineering: Biomimicry in Engineering
This lesson focuses on the concept of Biomimicry and students learn how engineers have incorporated structures and methods from the living world in products and solutions for all industries. Students then work in teams to develop a...
Other
The Design Museum: Lesson Plan: Redesign Your Kitchenware
Young scholars will learn about the unique kettle invented by designer Philippe Starck. He designed the Hot Bertaa kettle to be different from everything else available. There was no lid to pour the water in, no handle, and no way of...
Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education, Stevens Institute of Technology
Ciese: The Three Little Pigs
Students are asked to use the engineering design process to construct a house for the third pig in The Three Little Pigs story that can withstand the huffing and puffing of the wolf.
Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education, Stevens Institute of Technology
Ciese: How Does Your Garden Grow?
Based on the book Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming. Students must use the engineering design process to plan and build a barrier that will keep hungry bunnies out of a garden.
Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education, Stevens Institute of Technology
Ciese: Scratch My Back
Starting with the book Big Smelly Bear by Britta Teckentrup, learners use the engineering design process to design a solution to the bear's problem of not being able to scratch an itchy back.
Other
Engineering Your Future Ohio: Busting Myths
A good introduction to the engineering design process, this project has students conduct tests to "bust myths," modelling the processes and tests shown on the show Mythbusters.
Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education, Stevens Institute of Technology
Ciese: Square of Life: Mini Squares of Life
Students use the engineering design process to plan and construct a device for marking out the area for a small square outdoors, so that they can study what is contained inside it.