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Lesson Plan
Mascil Project

Design and Build Your Own Vacuum Cleaner, Hair Dryer or Toy Car

For Teachers 6th - 8th
No vacuum cleaner? No problem, just build your own. Scholars apply knowledge of currents to build a model of either a vacuum clear, a hair dryer, or a toy car. While the class completes the activity, instructors consider gender...
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Lesson Plan
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Purdue University

Lifeguard Chair

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Save the class from a lack of engineering experience. An engaging STEM activity has learners work in groups to design a lifeguard chair out of masking tape and index cards. They build and test prototypes, all while learning about the...
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Activity
DiscoverE

Curious George Sailboat

For Teachers K - 2nd
A whole-group discussion kicks off a hands-on activity that challenges young engineers to build a sailboat using reusable materials. Participants gather recycled items to assemble their one-of-a-kind sailboat and test its ability to...
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Activity
Museum of Science

Straw Bridges

For Teachers K - 6th
There is never a bridge too far. Using common items, class members build bridges to span an opening. Pupils test different geometric shapes to determine which is the strongest. Learners use pennies to find the strength of their bridges...
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Activity
DiscoverE

Trophy Triathlon Design Challenge

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Build a trophy and be a winner. Pupils build trophies that can support a sports ball of their choosing. Based on the ball choice, they figure out how the height requirement changes.
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Lesson Plan
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Purdue University

Take a Stand!

For Teachers 5th
Not all will still be standing by the end! Challenge classes to use engineering principles to design display cases with specific constraints. A hands-on STEM lesson reviews the concepts of tension, compression, and torque before...
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Activity
Museum of Science

Newspaper Fort

For Teachers K - 6th
Newspapers aren't really the first material that comes to mind when building a fort. Pupils use newspaper rolls to design and build a sturdy structure. They consider how different shapes, like trusses, affect the strength of their...
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Lesson Plan
1
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Bonneville

Photovoltaic Solutions "Shark-Tank Style"

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
Come up with a great idea and change the world for the better. Working in groups of three, learners apply their knowledge of photovoltaic systems to design a battery-powered electric vehicle capable of replacing gas-powered cars. They...
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Lesson Plan
DiscoverE

Shaky Ground

For Teachers 6th - 8th
You're on solid ground if you decide to use the resource. A simple activity has young engineers investigate the problem of liquefaction. A battery placed on dry sand will stay standing—but not if scholars add water to the cup.
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Activity
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PBS

Four Corners

For Students 5th - 8th
It's imperative to be as precise as possible. Future engineers learn about precision by building a cardboard machine. The base, corners, handles, and paddles must all be assembled with precision or the machine won't work.
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Lesson Plan
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2
Teach Engineering

Viscoelasticity

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Stretch one's mind about viscoelastic materials. Future engineers learn about viscoelastic materials and how they differ from solids and fluids. They discover how the molecular structures of the materials relate to their properties,...
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Lesson Plan
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NASA

Heavy Lifting

For Teachers K - 8th
Accept NASA's challenge to design heavy lifting vehicles. Groups of three design balloon-powered rockets to carry as much payload to the ceiling as possible. The teams are encouraged to launch several times while making...
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Lesson Plan
Bonneville

TinkerCAD: Introduction to 3D Printing

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Steer young minds to build better boats. Future engineers first spend a few days exploring the TinkerCAD software and completing some embedded lessons. They then design sea crafts with buoyancy in mind and print them using a 3-D printer.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Internal Combustion Engine

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students design parts for a scale-model, internal combustion engine using software.  In this engine lesson students work in groups to assemble an internal combustion engine. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biomedical Engineering and Diabetes

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students compare and contrast the three types of diabetes. In this technology activity, students identify the causes of this disease. They investigate ways to deliver insulin to the body and present their findings in class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Engineering Bones

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners identify the features of a prosthetic limb and explain how engineers are involved in the prosthetic design.  In this bone engineering lesson students describe the design criteria that goes into choosing the materials that...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bone Fractures and Engineering

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine bone fractures and the role that engineers play in repairing them.  In this biomedical engineering lesson students describe the factors that engineers consider when designing devices. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Passive Solar Design

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students study what passive solar design is for buildings and structures.  In this solar design lesson students identify passive solar design techniques.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Animals and Engineering

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students study animal classification and their interactions.  In this animals and engineering lesson students study animal communities and how engineers use this knowledge to create new technologies. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering: Build a Paper Airplane

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students brainstorm what it is like to fly on an airplane and discuss the parts of a plane. Students construct a paper plane of their own, decorate it, have a competition, and discuss the importance of each part of a plane and the role...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Broken Bones

For Teachers 6th - 8th
After reading about biomedical engineering and properties of materials, collaborative groups design a cast for setting a broken bone. They test for stability and mass, and then communicate their invention by creating a poster. This...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Security System Design

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explain how laser security systems work.  In this security system design lesson plan students create a presentation of their system that they designed. 
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Lesson Plan
Berkeley Engineering and Mentors

Marshmallow Challenge

For Teachers K - 12th
Here is a lesson plan in collaboration cleverly disguised as an engineering design activity. There is no background material for you to teach here,  just instructions about materials and rules for participating groups. Use this...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Farming in Ancient Mesopotamia: An Ancient Civil Engineering Problem

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders identify the major obstacles in farming in Mesopotamia. They work together to design and build a model that solves these problems. They write a short essay that describes the problems and their possible solutions.

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