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Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Exploring Energy: Kinetic and Potential

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
The potential of the energy in the class is moving. The third segment in a six-part unit on energy provides a deeper understanding of kinetic and potential energy. Learners understand the relationship between mass, speed, and energy and...
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Activity
Teach Engineering

Maximum Mentos Fountain

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
A messy fountain is potentially an energy experiment in disguise. Groups investigate the variables in creating a fountain from soda and Mentos. The last activity in a six-part series on energy has the class observe the fountain in terms...
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Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Algae: Tiny Plants with Big Energy Potential

For Teachers 5th - 7th
My, what big energy potential you have! Scholars learn about the energy potential of using algae as a biofuel. A PowerPoint presentation first describes the structure of algae and then how researchers use algae as biofuel to produce energy.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Puttin' It All Together

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students explain the concepts of kinetic and potential energy and how it can change forms.  For this energy, motion, and frictional forces lesson students participate in a hands on activity that includes calculating energy.
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Activity
Teach Engineering

Win that Bid! Selling Your Power Solution

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Power up! Class members research a type of power production using a great resource featuring a real-world problem. Groups select a type of power generation and pretend that they represent an engineering firm for their chosen power type....
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Teach Engineering

Wimpy Radar Antenna

For Teachers 6th - 8th
The Diary of a Wimpy Antenna? In the last installment of a six-part series, your class constructs a model of a radio antenna and tests its torque. Pupils use the results to design a better model that resists bending and twisting forces.
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Exploring the Forces of Tension

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Let the resource stretch the minds of your young scientists with a lesson about tensile strength and stiffness of materials. Groups consider how easily materials stretch and relate this property to engineering design.
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Fairly Fundamental Facts About Forces and Structures

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Don't twist and turn looking for a resource. The first installment of a six-part series teaches young engineers about the five fundamental forces of compression, tension, shear, bending, and torsion. These forces help explain different...
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Investigating Torque

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Torque--a teachable moment? Here's a lesson on torque (or moment) and variables that include size, reinforcement, structural bracing, and material that affect torque.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Clean is the Water?

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students read about and discuss water and how it is used as a resource and how engineers use technology to preserve it. In this water lesson plan, students look at a picture of water treatment and tell what is wrong with the picture.
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Levers that Lift

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Introduce your class to to the remaining three simple machines-- the lever, pulley, and the wheel-and-axle with a plan that includes the three different types of levers in the discussion of levers. The instructional activity continues...
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Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Magnetic Fields Matter

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Help your young scientists learn which materials are affected by magnetic fields with an activity that presents the information about different types of materials — diamagnetic, paramagnetic, and ferromagnetic — and their interaction...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making & Breaking : The Rock Cycle

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the rock cycle and how rocks can change over time.  In this geotechnical engineering lesson students draw a diagram of the rock cycle.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mice Rule!

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students explain what biodiversity is and how adaptive features are maintained in a population.  In this biodiversity lesson students complete a simple activity involving mouse populations.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigating Light

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners study concepts associated with light. In this light lesson, students observe an demonstration by the teacher. They examine reflection and refraction of light and name things that reflect light and those that refract it. They...
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Not So Simple

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Compound machines, nothing more than a combination of simple machines working together, are the focus of an activity that asks class members to use the provided information to take a look at the way innovators combine simple machines to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Off the Grid

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students examine the advantages and disadvantages of renewable and non renewable energy sources.  In this engineering lesson plan students explain what it means for a house to be "off the grid".
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Amazing, Powerful Sun

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars examine where energy comes from and how it can be used.  In this solar energy instructional activity students explore different aspects of the sun. 
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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

Plumbing the Deep-Using Sound Waves to See

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore and learn about the concept of echolocation. In this echolocation lesson, students explore how animals and engineers use echolocation (seeing under water) and sound waves to look and hear things under the deep water.
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Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Solenoids

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Metal slinkies, coils of wire, magnetic fields, and MRIs. To determine the safety hazards of MRI machines, class members use the provided formula to calculate the magnetic field along the axis of the solenoid.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Space Travel

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students study the International Space Station and space exploration.  In this space travel lesson plan students describe the different types of engineers that contribute to space travel.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

We've Come a Long Way, Baby!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study technology and the different reproductive technologies available today.  In this human reproductive technology lesson students describe how engineers create technologies to improve the health of mothers and babies. 
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Weather Basics

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Weather — there's more to it than meets the eye of the storm. With this resource young meteorologists learn about the basics of weather, including information about the factors that influence the weather, common weather vocabulary, and...