Curated OER
Get the Picture?
Students explore the movement to design low-cost solutions for the world's population and create a graph to represent the information. In this design and graphing lesson, students review the concepts of graphing and visit the...
Curated OER
Who is Rube Goldberg?
Fifth graders practice technology skills while searching online for information about inventor, Rube Goldberg. They discuss Rube Goldberg's use of simple machines, and write journal entries about their findings.
Curated OER
Vertical Thinking
Students explore the inventions and innovations of skyscraper engineering as a part of architecture analysis. In this architecture analysis lesson, students research the inventions, innovations, architects, and engineers of skyscrapers....
Teach Engineering
Design a Flying Machine
Wrap up the unit in one final design. Pairs use their knowledge of aviation to design new flying machines and record how their designs take into consideration the forces that act upon airplanes. The pupils determine whether their designs...
Curated OER
Inventors of New England
Students examine the ways that technology effects our daily lives. Students also identify the processes involved in designing new technology.
PBS
Blow the Roof Off!
Blow the minds of young scientists with this collection of inquiry-based investigations. Based on a series of eight videos, these "hands-on, minds-on" science lessons engage young learners in exploring a wide range of topics...
American Institute of Physics
The Black Scientific Renaissance of the 1970s-90s: African American Scientists at Bell Laboratories
A two-part instructional activity asks young scientists to research the contributions of African American scientists at Bell Laboratories. After presenting their findings, class members watch two demonstrations that introduce them to...
Captain Planet Foundation
George Washington Carver and the Sweet Potato
Learn about George Washington Carver's important contributions to agriculture by studying the sweet potato. First graders read about the inventor's observations and prepare sweet potato slips for the class garden. Additionally, they...
Curated OER
Technology: Past, Present, and Future
Students examine inventions of the past and present and explore how inventions inspire and lead to the development of other inventions.
Curated OER
Technology of the Ancient World Lesson Plans
Technology of the ancient world lesson plans can open students' eyes to the influence of early innovations.
Curated OER
The Pan-American Exposition of 1901
Students examine the impact of the 1901 World's Fair. In this instructional activity on invention and politics, students watch a video then conduct Internet research in order to learn about the Pan American Exposition. Students will...
Curated OER
Ancient Mediterranean Lands: Greece
Sixth graders explore the processes developed by the Ancient Greeks, particularly olives and olive oil. In this Greek culture and inventions lesson, 6th graders read an article and design a flap book. Students collect the olive oil...
Anthropological Association
Race: Teacher Guide: Race
How has the concept of race changed over time? Explore the genetic, cultural, and social aspects of race through a series of impactful activities. Scholars discover how race is influenced by inherited traits, examine census records to...
Curated OER
Thank You, Mr. Edison
Students read a letter to Thomas Edison and search for advertisements of the period. They review primary sources and photographs of items made available in the 1920's. They interact on the American Memory Collection website.
Curated OER
What Do You See? What Do You Think?
Pupils review the implications of the printing of the Gutenberg Bible. Using a page from the Bible, they compare and contrast it with one that was handwritten. They use the internet to discover Gutenberg's model and marketing strategy...
Curated OER
Industrial Strength Design
Students design, invent, and build a model of something new, useful, or decorative to solve a problem using any combination of materials provided. They also create logos, packaging, etc. related to product sales.
Curated OER
Interactions of Science and Technologies
Students explore how science and technology interact. They discuss important inventions, discoveries and technologies. They research a specific technological advance, or invention, and prepare a presentation that includes the...
Curated OER
The World's Columbian Exposition
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this technological advancements activity, students research and share information regarding technologies and inventions featured at the World's...
Curated OER
Industrial Revolution - History before the Industrial Revolution
Sixth graders consider how inventions fueled change. In this Industrial Revolution lesson, 6th graders view a PowerPoint presentation that feature technological innovations that made it possible to create goods in factories. Students...
Curated OER
Musical Instruments
Students invent a musical instrument to be played by them. They invent a nonstandard notation for music and compose a short piece to preform for the class using their instrument.
Curated OER
Leonardo Lives
Students investigate the concepts of force and motion. They describe how motion is created by force. Also students define a simple machine and the factors of application to creating force or motion. They analyze the plans of Leonardo De...
Curated OER
Telling Tales About Textiles
Learners analyze the different types of textiles, processes for creating cloth, and inventions utilized to manufacture industrial goods. In this Telling Tales About Textiles lesson, students weave on a card loom to create their own...
Curated OER
Initiation – Industrial Revolution
Sixth graders examine historical artifacts. In this Industrial Revolution lesson plan, 6th graders discover how modern conveniences are connected to innovations of the Industrial Revolution era. Students interview adults about...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Science Pen Pals
Young scholars explore the scientific career of Benjamin Franklin. In this science instructional activity, students discuss Franklin's correspondence with other scientists and write letters describing Benjamin Franklin's experiments.