Teach Engineering
It's Tiggerific!
Spring into elastic potential energy with a activity that provides background information on determining the elastic potential energy of springs and other elastic materials. General energy equations emphasize the conservation of energy...
Teach Engineering
Show Me the Money
Class members learn how to estimate the total costs involved to design and build a bridge by including design, material, equipment, and labor costs. The activity includes a discussion about the trade-off between cost and aesthetics.
Teach Engineering
The Challenge Question
A research position becomes a modeling job. The introductory activity in a series of nine presents the challenge of analyzing a set of bivariate data. The class brainstorms what the data may represent. Pupils must decide what is needed...
Teach Engineering
Applications of Linear Functions
It's not so straightforward — lines can model a variety of applications. Pupils experience linear relationships within the context of science, including Hooke's and Ohm's Laws. Class members got a taste of motion and speed from the...
Teach Engineering
Restriction Enzymes and DNA Fingerprinting
Show your class why restrictions aren't always a bad thing. In the third segment of a four-part series, the instructor develops the idea of restriction enzymes. Pupils learn how scientists use restriction enzymes in DNA analysis and DNA...
Teach Engineering
Extinction Prevention via Engineering
It's time to save endangered species through engineering. The third instructional activity in a nine-part Life Science unit has young environmentalists study species extinction. An engaging discussion leads to some ideas on how to use...
Curated OER
Angles - Unlocking Geometry
Students investigate the concept of angles and how they are used in geometry. They construct polygons using various types of angles and then classify them according to their physical properties. Students use a computer program in order...
Curated OER
What's Shaking? Three-Lesson Unit
Your young architects use the Internet to research tall structures or sky scrapers to help in the design of their scale drawings. This is lesson one of three in which learners design, build, and test model skyscrapers for seismic safety....
Curated OER
Hurricanes on Track
Fifth graders develop a questionnaire to investigate weather in different part of the US. They investigate how weather in one part of the country affects weather in another part. They predict the development of hurricanes.
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Will the Leaning Tower Fall?
Students research the Tower of Pisa and write a report about its history. They examine the physics of why it leans and whether it might fall. Students plan a trip to Italy to view the Tower. They develop an itinerary and budget for the...
Curated OER
Virtual Field Trip
Are we there yet? Young trip planners learn about their state and plan a trip. They will select sites to see in three cities in their state, and record associated costs in a spreadsheet. While this was originally designed as a...
Curated OER
Student Census
Students collect data from their peers and store the information in a database. As students manage the information they realize the usefulness of a database as a tool to manage large amounts of information in an efficient and accurate...
Curated OER
Decimal Multiplication
Pupils use base ten blocks to lead them in the concept of understanding multiplying numbers with decimals. In this multiplication of decimals lesson plan, students also use digital activities to help them with the multiplication.
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Geometric Figures and Applications
High schoolers study geometric figures. They use graph paper or Geometer's Sketchpad to construct and decorate geometric shapes, and also create a 3-D polygon using construction paper and a given template.
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Time Management
Young scholars record their daily activities and graph the results using the educational software program called Inspiration. This lesson is intended for the upper-elementary classroom and includes resource links and activity extensions.
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Weather, Weather, Everywhere!
Sixth graders collect weather data to compare temperatures around the world. Using the Internet, learners collect data, put it into spreadsheets, and analyze and graph the results. An interesting way to cover the topic of weather.
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Basic Multiplication Facts - MathKeys Software
Students explore multiplication concepts. In this multiplication lesson, students define "array" and draw several arrays to represent multiplication number sentences. Students construct arrays on the computer using MathKeys software.
Curated OER
Symmetry and Geometric Shapes on Campus
Build on your learners' previous knowledge of geometric shapes and symmetrical figures. Then set them out to take photos of geometric shapes on campus. They assess whether the photos contain symmetry or not.
Curated OER
Altitude Tracking
Learners estimate the altitude of a rocket during several flights. They create their own altitude tracking devise. They examine and discuss their results at the end of the activity.
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Try a Money Bee for a "Change"
Students take the spelling bee format and adapt it to provide practice in making change and work on their money skills. They simulate the process of making purchases with money and making change as necessary to complete the purchase.
Curated OER
Box and Whiskers
Middle schoolers discover how to relate collected data with a box and whiskers graph in a number of formats. They collect, organize, create, and interpret a box and whiskers graph. Pupils interpret the difference between sets of data,...
Curated OER
Passport to the Eastern Hemisphere
Seventh graders explore the Eastern Hemisphere. They investigate the customs, currency, climate, location and other facts needed in order to travel to a specific country. Students receive a stamp on their "passport" when their research...
Curated OER
Measure Twice, Cut Once
Elementary schoolers learn about metric units and how they are used by engineers. They learn how engineers use the units to measure mass, distance, and volume. Then, they estimate measurements of units, and compare them to actual...
Curated OER
The Crash Scene
Fifth graders explore geography by participating in a mapping activity. In this engineering lesson plan, 5th graders identify the differences between latitude and longitude and practice locating precise points on a globe or map. Students...