Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Classroom Paper Recycling
After reading about the history and recycling of paper, creative crafters collaborate to think of a new process for making recycled paper. A complete teacher's guide and student worksheets are included. There is no written procedure for...
DiscoverE
Paper Recycling
Paper is made from paper, right? Future scientists take bits of paper and produce sheets of recycled paper. The only drawback? It has to dry overnight.
DiscoverE
Design a Folding Solar Panel
Solar energy is an amazing alternative ... but, not always particularly portable! Challenge young scientists to a folding solar panel build-off with an easy-to-execute activity. Scholars brainstorm around specific design needs, construct...
Curated OER
Make Your Own Recycled Paper
Paper Lesson Plan - Students discover how paper is made. Working together, they make their own paper. This activity introduces students to recycling; what it is and its importance. Students study the process of how paper is made, and...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Trash Talkin'
Students collect and categorize solid waste produced in the classroom. They weigh the waste that has been collected over one week's time, and separate it into recyclable and non-recyclable waste. They talk about the role of engineers in...
DiscoverE
Marble Run
It's time to slow your roll! Can your class create a track that allows a marble to roll as slowly as possible? Teams of science scholars collaborate to design, build, and test their tubes while learning about gravity and friction.
Curated OER
How Do Airplanes Get Off the Ground
Students construct various types of paper airplanes, exploring action and reaction forces by conducting a paper airplane rodeo. Students then discuss how Newton's Third Law of Motion affected their planes.
Teach Engineering
Life Cycles
Breathe some life into product design. Pupils learn about the stages of product creation, use, and disposal—sometimes called a cradle-to-grave assessment. They see how this cycle relates to the life cycle of organisms.
DiscoverE
Build a Pinball Game
Watch your classroom turn into an arcade. Pupils work in groups to build pinball machines from boxes and other found objects. Gamers must incorporate a variety of obstacles and launchers into the machine to see their designs in motion.
Curated OER
Create a Butterfly Mobile
Students construct a butterfly mobile. In this visual arts lesson, students use rice paper, watercolors, a coat hanger, and wax paper to create a unique butterfly mobile. Students use photographs of butterflies to construct a realistic...
Curated OER
Scooting Along!
Students investigate how Newton's Third Law affects vehicle design. In this Newton's Third Law lesson, students use a web site to research Newton, his third law, and how to design a vehicle that uses a balloon for power. They sketch and...
Curated OER
Make a Spaceship
Students create a spaceship, satellite, or space station. In this space lesson, students consider design elements for buildings and objects in space. Students use K'Nex, Legos, or other household materials for their creation. Students...
Curated OER
Molehill or Mountain
Middle schoolers explore the concept of waste management. In this environmental stewardship lesson, students consider the trash generated by people per day and discuss what steps they can personally take to reduce waste.
Curated OER
God's Creation
Second graders explore religion by analyzing the state of the country. In this American creation instructional activity, 2nd graders read that God created the world and therefore the United States and all of the beautiful things within...
Technovation
Curiosity Machine: Challenges: Engineer a Redwood Tree
Using recycled paper and tape, students will build a redwood tree that is taller than you and that can stand on its own. The site includes the challenge, tips, lesson plan, and a place for students to document their engineering design...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Environment
Through 10 lessons and more than 20 hands-on activities, students are introduced to the concept of an environment and the many interactions within it. As they learn about natural and human-made environments, as well as renewable and...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Trash to Treasure!
Student teams use the engineering design process to create a useful product of their choice out of recyclable items and "trash." The class is given a "landfill" of reusable items, such as aluminum cans, cardboard, paper, juice boxes,...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Design a Net Zero Energy Classroom
Students create a concept design of their very own net-zero energy classroom by pasting renewable energy and energy-efficiency items into and around a pretend classroom on a sheet of paper. They learn how these items (such as solar...
Discovery Education
Discovery Education: Recycling: Old Made New [Pdf]
Students will observe the physical properties of items through an activity where they sort objects for recycling. This lesson plan also includes a recycle papermaking process.