Curated OER
Medieval Catapults
Students design and build a working catapult or trebuchet to explore the concepts of force, motion, and distance.
Curated OER
Catapults
Students discover the catapult. In this catapult lesson, students research the history of the catapult and how it works. They work in groups to build their own catapult using tootpicks, popsicle sticks, rubber bands, and spoons.
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Fire Safety in the Home
Students discover the importance of fire safety. In this fire prevention lesson, students identify problems in a house that could lead to a fire and draw their own homes that include the appropriate fire prevention tools. The students...
Cornell University
Catapults
Ready, aim, fire! Launch to a new level of understanding as scholars build and test their own catapults. Learners explore lever design and how adjusting the fulcrum changes the outcome.
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Winding Up
Students make simple drawings to show how winding machines work. They gain knowledge of what winding mechanisms are and how they work and are assembled. This lesson is divided into whole group, individual and small group activities.
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Air Movers
Learners learn about Rube Goldberg machines (complicated devices designed to accomplish simple tasks and then design and build a machine that uses more than six separate steps to move an empty aluminum can. They can either work...
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Community Building
Seventh graders discover the similarities and differences between cities, towns, and rural communities. Using a Neighborhood map Machine, they create a Venn diagram and map of their own community. Students build a 3-D representation of...
Curated OER
Code Crackers Math Game
Students, through this math game, are provided with opportunities to work with math operations and simple algebraic equations. They create a spreadsheet-based "rule machine."
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NASA Robots
Students explore the world of robotics. In this robotics lesson, students discover what a robot is and work with partners to find out how hard it is to accurately guide robots through simple tasks.
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Program Your Partner
Students explore the world of robotics. In this robotics lesson, students study the history of robots and work with partners to find out how hard it is to accurately guide robots through simple tasks.
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Build Your Own Hovercraft
Students construct a hovercraft following specific procedures. In this technology lesson, students explain the physics principles behind hovercraft. They compare and contrast this machine with the aircraft.
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What Is That Thing?
Could your class identify an old-fashioned can opener? What about a rotary phone, or a VCR? Learners take a look at several gadgets and devices to infer the name and purpose of each item.
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Electricity and Magnets
Fifth graders find examples of magnets in or around their homes and make a list. They discover that some motors use magnets and make a simple motor using magnets, a battery and copper wire. They add to their magnet list.
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Stepper Motor
High schoolers compare a stepper motor from a traditional motor. In this physics lesson, students summarize how it works. They build their own stepper motor and explore its uses.
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Spin Art
The best part about spin art is that is demonstrates the concept of centrifugal force. Explore the magical spin of gravity as you make colorful art. This lesson idea is short, very simple, and requires a spin art machine.
Curated OER
Rube Goldberg
Learners study Rube Goldberg machines. In this architecture lesson, students build a Rube Goldberg machine.
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Move It!
Students explore the notion that simple devices can help us move objects when an understanding of forces is applied. They apply the design process, make predictions, draw sketches, make a model and evaluate their solution.
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Copycats
Students practice making prints of their own unique designs. In this printmaking lesson, students create a design with paint on Styrofoam plates. They press their painted picture on paper to create a duplicate print. They then practice...
Curated OER
A Tour of the Solar System
Young scholars construct a spacecraft out of Lego blocks and other materials. They work on their models in small groups while building. They become familar with the planets while working cooperatively.
Curated OER
Forms of Energy
Students, working in expert groups, study a form of energy. They plan a slide show presentation using pictures, clip art, and student taken digital pictures that show the energy type they have become experts in. They use a planning sheet...
Curated OER
Tessellations: An Application of Simple Regular Polygons
Tenth graders identify homogeneous tessellations. In this model-based instructional activity, 10th graders make and identify homogeneous tessellations, both regular and semi-regular.
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Write Simple Rhymes
First graders observe that rhyming words have different beginnings, but the same endings by viewing examples on the overhead projector. They say the beginnings of the words that go with the correct endings. They then come up one at a...
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Magnetic Discovery Bottle
Students examine how to conduct simple investigations and use simple equipment to gather data. In this magnet lesson students decide what types of objects are attracted to magnets.
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The Industrial Revolution and Women
Students learn about inventions of the Industrial Revolution and their impact on life. In this Industrial Revolution lesson, students look at how the Industrial Revolution changed the work experience from farms to factories. They tell...