Curated OER
Modern Day Pyramids
Learners investigate the ways in which ancient technologies - six types of simple machines and combinations - are used to construct modern buildings. As they work together to solve a design problem (designing and building a modern...
NASA
Building for Hurricanes: Engineering Design Challenge
"By the hair on your chinny-chin-chin, I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in," says the big, bad wolf! Engineering hopefuls are challenged to design and construct a hurricane-proof building from simple office and craft...
Curated OER
Up for the Challenge?
A general engineering quiz can be given at the beginning of your engineering or technology unit to stimulate interest. A wide variety of topics are touched by engineers, including the medical industry, energy production, building design,...
Curated OER
Concept Structures in Architecture
Students develop a creative building design. In this technology lesson, students create a model of their building using a computer software. They present their final product in class.
Curated OER
Designing an Earthquake-resistant Structure
Young scholars attempt to design and build the most stable "earthquke resistant" structure. They create model buildings and test them on a shake table to see which design holds up the best.
Curated OER
I.m. Pei, East Bldg, National Gallery of Art
From a wonderful compilation of 10,000 images by Mary Ann Sullivan of Bluffton College. There are images of the exterior of the National Gallery of Art from all angles. This building is designed by I.M. Pei, the 1983 selection for the...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Fallen Arches: The Surprising Strength of Eggshells
Arches have been used for structural engineering since ancient times. This experiment tests the strength of a naturally occurring arch shape: the shell of an egg. How much weight do you think an eggshell can support?
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Open Course Ware: Architecture Studio: Building in Landscapes
Embrace nature when considering architectural design to bring the two together. Prof. Jan Wampler provides several resources including video clips.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Building the Tallest Tower
Skyscrapers are impressive structures. What does it take to design a building so tall? Engineers use strong materials and innovative design to push the limits of gravity. In this experiment you will use LEGO components, rubber balls, and...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Solving a 'Windy' Problem
The wind is a powerful force, enough to erode whole hillsides over time. Building structures in windy environments challenge civil engineers with special safety concerns. A wall in a windy area can either shield you from the cold or fall...
Other
Architeacher: Architecture and Aesthetics
Learn about the aesthetic elements of architecture and how architects manipulate a building's sensory, formal, technical, and expressive elements to achieve "good design."
Other
China Daily: China Culture: Ancient Chinese Architecture: Concrete Music
An overview of ancient Chinese architecture, culture, and art.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: What Trickles Down?
Permeability is the degree to which water or other liquids are able to flow through a material. Different substances such as soil, gravel, sand, and asphalt have varying levels of permeability. In this activity, students will explore...
University of Virginia
University of Virgina: Structural Behavior and Design Approaches
From the Introduction to Structural Design web site. A page of well-written lecture notes on the various structural qualities of building materials. A comparison is made of the strength, stiffness, stability and ductility of materials,...
TryEngineering
Try Engineering: Critical Load
This lesson looks at critical load, the amount of weight a structure can hold beyond which it would collapse. Student teams will design and test a structure using playing cards that has to meet specific criteria. Afterwards, they...
Smithsonian Institution
Lemelson Center: Spark!lab: Design a Monument [Pdf]
Learn what a monument, or an architectural memorial, is, then try your skill at designing one of your own.