Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Radio Reception and Transmission
After reading about radio transmission, application, and the difference between AM and FM, small teams of engineers use a kit to construct an FM radio and then send and receive broadcasts. This is an ideal activity for middle school STEM...
Curated OER
Get Charged!
Students explore the concept of electricity in this activity based unit. In this physical science lesson plan, students focus on electricity and electrical engineering. The teaching unit includes 5 activities to develop students...
Curated OER
Inventions and Magic
Explore physical science by reading Barthlomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss. Discuss the moral of the story and the discretion an inventor must use when creating something they want instead of something they need. This lesson is embedded...
Tech Museum of Innovation
Balloon Astronaut
Design protection from high-speed particles. The STEM lesson plan highlights why astronauts need protection from space debris. Pupils use the design process to design, build, and test a spacesuit that will protect a balloon from a...
Curated OER
Solar Kit Lesson #3 Parts of a Solar Panel - Part I
A solar cell is similar to a rechargeable battery in many ways. Science lab groups connect each in a series circuit to run a mini motor and then compare and contrast them by answering questions and completing a Venn diagram. This is an...
Curated OER
4th Grade Life Science Unit: Animals
Fourth graders classify animals. In this animal kingdom lesson, 4th graders research animal habitats and behaviors. Students connect to a zoologist via SKYPE and learn about animal classification. Students blog about preserving animal...
Berkeley Engineering and Mentors
Marshmallow Challenge
Here is a lesson plan in collaboration cleverly disguised as an engineering design activity. There is no background material for you to teach here, just instructions about materials and rules for participating groups. Use this as an...
NASA
Pop Can Hero Engine
Hang a soda can from a string and watch it spin by the force created by water streaming out of slanted holes. This plan provides background information, detailed materials and procedures, discussion questions, a lab worksheet, and...
Curated OER
As a Matter of Fact
Elementary-aged scientists discover that all matter has mass. They are shown the difference between mass and weight, and learn how to calculate mass using the appropriate tools and methods. The scientific method is used while estimating...
Curated OER
Strawkets and Weight
Students investigate the effect that weight has on rocket flight. They construct a variety of straw-launched rockets that have different weights, observe what happens when the weight of a rocket is altered by reducing its physical size...
Center for Learning in Action
Properties of Balls
Enhance your states of matter lessons with a hands-on science investigation that compares six different balls' color, texture, size, weight, ability to bounce, and buoyancy.
Curated OER
The Is No Such Thing as a Perfect Pumpkin
Students explore using descriptive words to describe physical appearance. In this appearance lesson, students look at pumpkins and discuss how there is not a perfect pumpkin. Students also hypothesize about what the perfect pumpkin's...
Curated OER
Technology (Post Lab): Utility Companies
Students study physics. In this utility company research activity, students discover how their local utility company charges for electricity. They listen to a presentation and then conduct internet research to find more information on...
Curated OER
Making Science and Literature Connections
Students access the Internet and research physical characteristics and route of migration of the gray whale. They complete a database and reproduce the information using Apple Works. They read the novel El Guero by Elizabeth Borton de...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Be a Scanning Probe Microscope
Extensive reading is done in order to learn about scanning probe microscopy and nanoscale. Afterward, individuals use a pencil to probe an unidentified object that is inside of a box so that they cannot see it. Using only what they could...
Curated OER
Are We Couch Potatoes or Busy Bees? Data Analysis of Physical Activity in School
Students study practical data analysis within the constraints of the scientific method. In this data instructional activity students collect and enter data into a computer spreadsheet then create graphs.
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Jupiter’s Relative Size
How do you properly illustrate the extreme size difference between two planets—Earth and Jupiter? With the help of jellybeans, of course! Create a scale model of Jupiter's mass compared to Earth using a fishbowl, 1,400 beans, and a dixie...
Curated OER
Dining Out With Fishes and Birds of the Hudson
The class will make observations to determine how environment has shaped the way particular birds and fish eat. They will view a series of photographs, read two short articles, and then consider how food availability has determined how...
Prince William Network
Migration Headache
During this game, kids become migratory shorebirds and fly among wintering, nesting, and stopover habitats. If they do not arrive at a suitable habitat on time, they do not survive. Catastrophic events are periodically introduced that...
Curated OER
Light but Strong: A Lesson in Engineering
Aspiring space engineers design a rocket launch platform together to explore materials. The platform needs to be lightweight so that it can be transported easily, but super strong so that it can support the weight of the rocket and its...
Curated OER
Marvelous World Of Magnets
Students research the concept of magnetism in order to increase understanding of the subject. By accessing information they could explain the concept with a written report used as an end product for assessment.
Curated OER
Geography Made Fun with Technology
Students incorporate knowledge box into their classroom activities. In this technology integration lesson, students fill out a graphic organizer using Glossopedia to analyze a new subject.
Curated OER
The Invention of the Telegraph
Students study the history of telegraph invention. In this technology lesson, students build their own Morse Telegraph System. They discuss how this invention benefits the society.
Curated OER
Move It!
Students observe a demonstration presented by the teacher covering different types of energy. They participate in an experiment where they study numerous physics vocabulary words and visit websites that demonstrate examples of these...