Curated OER
Fettucini Physics
Students design a structure capabl;e of holding a textbook. They demonstrate that the weight of a textbook is offset by the normal force exerted on the book by the structure.
Curated OER
Capturing the Sun's Warmth
Students explore the variety of ways to use solar energy. They investigate the thermal energy storage capacities of different test materials to determine which to use in passive solar building design. They explain how passive solar...
Curated OER
Energetic Musical Instruments
Students apply the principles and concepts associated with energy and the transfer of energy in an engineering context through the designing and making of a musical instrument. After the accomplishment of the design, students must...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Survive That Tsunami!
Students examine the causes of tsunamis and observe a table top wave making machine. They make model houses while working in groups so that the can see how different construction types work. They discuss how engineers can design and...
Curated OER
Turning the Air Upside Down
Students analyze how engineers study temperature inversions and convection currents to understand why pollution levels may be higher in some areas than others. They participate in an experiment that allows them to build simple models to...
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Sounds Like Music
Students define and examine the connections between sound and music and how engineers design instruments. They listen to examples of musical instruments, view a demonstration of a tuning fork and bottles filled with varying amounts of...
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"What is an American?"
Eleventh graders ponder about what it means to be an "American." They discuss the impact of an author's word choice and sentence structure on text. They identify some major themes and development of the Letters... Compose paragraphs and...
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Blast Off with Model Rockets
Young scholars investigate science and math by building a rocket. In this geometry lesson, students build a rocket using paper towel tubes while investigating questions about launching a rocket. They discuss balance and unique structure...
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Cracking the Genetic Code
Students investigate different purposes for manipulating DNA. After reviewing the structure and functions of DNA, students explore topics related to the use or manipulation of DNA and the potential benefits and problems, later making a...
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Carter as President and Ex-President
Middle schoolers examine how Presidents are judged during their time in office as well as afterwards. They conduct and Internet search for Jimmy Carter's inaugural address and write a news story about his address. Once they have written...
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Skyscrapers
Students engineer their way through a hands-on science activity. In this architecture lesson, students examine dead loads and wind loads as they participate in the Skyscraper Challenge.
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Creating Personalized Stationery
Students write, format, enter, save, revise, edit a full block style letter with open punctuation for printing. They produce a personalized letterhead using a computer and access information from the Internet using a variety of search...
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Built To Last
Students face the challenges of building big, functional structures, like bridges, domes and skyscrapers. They turn their talents to satisfying clients who have hired them to design their new home.
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Paper Towers
Students have the opportunity to use model-building as a way to help comprehend the forces and phenomena at work in the world around them. They describe gravity as a universal force that pulls everything toward the center of the earth....
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What are Atoms?
In this atom learning exercise, students read about Dalton's contributions to the structure of the atom. They answer five questions about Dalton's ideas, the law of multiple proportions and the law of definite proportions.
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Biology Trivia Questions
Students answer 71 questions about a variety of topics in biology. In this biology trivia lesson plan, students use the internet to find the answer to questions about the systems of the body, their structures and functions, the different...
Curated OER
Fiber Optics
This is a printout of the slides for a presentation on fiber optics. In bullet-style notes, it covers how optic fibers work, their structure, different types, and their use. You may use these as a lecture guide, or if you want to take...
Curated OER
The Bridge Challenge
Students identify important structural elements in bridges. They use a worksheet and websites to investigate different types of bridges and variable factors that relate to building a bridge.
Curated OER
Earthquakes
Young scholars examine why earthquakes happen, and where most earthquakes occur in the world. They discuss how engineers and architects try to construct stronger buildings, then design and build an earthquake-proof structure.
Teach Engineering
Bone Density Challenge Introduction
Can you use X-rays to measure bone mineral density? This is the essential question that learners must answer in the first installment of a seven-part series. They brainstorm ideas about necessary background information and what they...
Teach Engineering
Edible Rovers (High School)
Design and build a rover ... then eat it? This activity has groups of two design and build Mars rovers. The teams determine what instruments they want to include with their rover and plan a budget. They calculate the cost of the body of...
Teach Engineering
May the Force Be With You: Thrust
Force the plane through the air. The instructional activity introduces the force on an airplane that makes it go forward. Pupils learn how Newton's laws of motion apply to flight in the eighth segment of a 22-part unit on flight.
Teach Engineering
Curb the Epidemic!
Class members use an applet on the Internet to simulate the spread of a disease. The simulation allows individuals to determine two nodes to vaccinate to limit the number of nodes infected. By running several simulations, scholars...
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...