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Compare Fabric Materials
Students identify different fabrics and their properties. They test and observe the fabrics and record their results. They suggest differnet uses for them. They discover how engineers want to design products that are durable.
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Naturally Speaking
Students identify the Earth's natural resources and classify them as renewable or non-renewable. They simulate the distribution of resources and discuss the fairness and effectiveness of the distribution. They identify ways that they use...
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Seismology in the Classroom
Students work together to use a sample seismograph. They role play the position of an engineering firm that is to analyze the machine. They discover how engineers develop new machines to take measurements.
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Just Breathe
Students examine the inhalation and exhalation process. They create a model pair of lungs from given materials. They discover the technology that has been developed based on engineers examining the respiratory system.
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Unlocking the Endocrine System
Fifth graders use an analogy to the mail delivery system to study the workings of the human endocrine system. They discover the interrelationships between the human body systems while comparing them to engineering communicating with...
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What is Energy?
Students define energy and identify the different types that exist. They identify places they see, hear or feel energy. They understand the role of engineering in finding and testing sources of energy for the production of electricity.
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Acid Attack
Students explore the effect of chemical erosion on statues and monuments. They use chalk to see what happens when limestone is placed in liquids with different pH values. They also discover several things that engineers are doing to...
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TE Activity: Pitch and Frequency
Students experiment with a vibrating ruler and a kazoo to study the different pitches and frequencies they produce. They create both high and low pitch sound waves. They examine how engineers use sound energy when designing electronic...
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Landfills: Building Them Better
Students investigate the three methods of waste disposal. They listen to a teacher-led lecture, answer discussion questions, and write a letter to the E.P.A. from the viewpoint of an environmental engineer.
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Catapults!
Students work together to discover the relationship between the angle of catapults and the flight of different objects. They discover the heavier the object the more force is needed. They examine how engineers use this information to...
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Computer Accuracy
Middle schoolers work together on computers to practice measuring for navigation. They discover that errors in their calculations can lead them in the wrong direction. They examine the need of computers by engineers.
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Eek, It leaks!
Students construct model landfill liners out of two-inch strips of garbage bags within resource constraints. The challenge is to construct a bag that will hold one cup of water without leaking. This represents similar challenges that...
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Find It!
Students analyze the basic concept of Global Positioning Systems using triangulation and measurement on a small scale in the classroom. They describe a satellite and how it helps in locating a person on Earth. They explain how...
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Let's Bag It
Young scholars observe and discuss a vacuum cleaner model of a baghouse to better understand how this pollutant recovery method functions in cleaning industrial air pollution. They give examples of when the use of a baghouse is...
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The Search for Secret Agents
Students embark on a scavenger hunt around the school looking for indoor air pollution and mapping source locations. They predict and observe sources of indoor air pollution, understand and give examples of technologies we use related to...
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Tension and Compression
Students explore the forces of tension and compression by manipulating a variety of objects, and apply what they learned in the construction of a model bridge.
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Air -- Is It Really There?
Students work together to perform simple experiments discovering the properties of air. They share their results with their classmates. They examine how engineers use the properties of air to clean the air of pollutants.
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Building Tetrahedral Kites
Young scholars work together to build tetrahedral kites. They must follow directions and the provided materials. They discover the engineering concepts needed to make the kite.
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GPS Scavenger Hunt
Students go on a GPS scavenger hunt. They use GPS receivers to find designated waypoints and report back on what they found. They compute distances between waypoints based on the latitude and longitude, and compare with the distance the...
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Did a Chemical Reaction "Really" Occur?
Students perform several different experiments to observe signs of chemical reactions and determine if reaction has occurred, use search engine to find Internet sites pertaining to chemical reactions, and write up brief summary of site.
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Fastest Way to a Full Belly
Students create a scale model of a cafeteria. In this scale lesson, groups improve their actual school cafeteria layout by taking measurements of the structure and redesigning furniture and food serving lines. They create a scale drawing...
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Building Straw Towers
Students apply their knowledge of technology to help them build. In this science and technology lesson, students build straw towers and investigate the strength and form of the structure. They analyze the best design the make the...
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Marshmellow Geometry
Students explore a variety of geometric shapes, name them, and list their characteristics. The shapes are transposed into structures and checked for accuracy.
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Modeling the Process of Mining Silicon Through a Single Displacement/Redox Reaction
Students study silicon and where it comes from. For this solar mining lesson students complete an Internet search of mining and a lab activity.