Curated OER
Reclamation and Recycling
Middle schoolers examine the many uses of mined lands after reclamation has been completed and discover the importance of recycling finding the difference between manufacturing with recycled materials and newly extracted materials.
Curated OER
The History of Ethanol in America
Sixth graders explore and examine the production of biofuels from the 1850's to the present. Included in their research is Henry Ford, ethanol, World War I and prohibition. They explain the importance of grains and grasses for the...
Curated OER
Invent a Backscratcher from Everyday Materials
Pupils explore the design process. They discuss why new products are made, examine backscratchers brought in from home and discuss why it is a useful device, and working with a partner draw and construct a backscratcher.
Curated OER
Advertisements
Student teams role-play advertising agencies competing for a contract. Winning team completes all tasks, spending the least money. Tasks include naming agency, creating a slogan, inventing a product and advertisement.
Curated OER
Is There Seaweed/Algae in Your Food?
Students discover that seaweed/algae is a small part of the resources the oceans provide. By investigating common household products, students discover that human senses are not enough to detect the presence of seaweed/algae in food.
Curated OER
There Are Algae in Your House!
Students demonstrate that, although we sometimes can neither smell nor taste them, many ingredients in our foods and household products come from the sea. They also investigate food eat to determine algae derivatives they contain.
Curated OER
Pollution Prevention
Students investigate how to reduce solid and hazardous waste, and estimate the amount of household hazardous waste in their community. Students discuss methods of changing people's habits, and how to convince them to use alternative...
Curated OER
I Breathe What?
Middle schoolers participate in an experiment in which they gather and examine particiles in the air. They place pollution detectors at different locations and identify problem areas. They discuss how engineers can use this type of...
Curated OER
Catch as Catch Can
Pupils investigate insects. For this insect analysis lesson, students catch insects using nets they make. They identify the insects they catch and create a chart to show the numbers and varieties. This lesson includes a vocabulary list...
Curated OER
Industrial Revolution
Eighth graders examine the conditions of workers during the Industrial Revolution. Using the internet, they select three personal statements from workers and others to develop their own conclusions. They answer discussion questions about...
Curated OER
Come Shine with Us: Floor Polish Testing and Industrial Science To Teach Critical Thinking
Students discover that science relates to everyday life and see testing procedures used in an industrial laboratory. Students compare various brands of household and industrial floor polishes for specific criteria.
Curated OER
Today's World
While not an exhaustive review of globalization and trade, this overview of the inter-related nature of the economy would be a good tool to use in the classroom. This resource could be used to begin a discussion on the various topics...
Curated OER
Monkeying Around
Third graders study machines. They watch a video about and identify and chart machines they find at home and at school. They design and build simple and compound machines, create an advertisement for them and attempt to sell them at the...
Curated OER
Critical Path Analysis
Students examine the key requirements of critical path analysis, and analyze the purpose, benefits and limitations of using such a tool. In this business instructional activity, students apply the principles of critical path analysis to...
Curated OER
Biomass: The Energy of the Future
Sixth graders examine information about a variety of renewable fuels. They read key vocabulary terms, read and discuss a story handout, and conduct research on renewable fuels. Students then complete a comparison chart, and write an...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Ship the Chip
Here is a tasty challenge, especially for middle school engineers: design a container that meets mass and volume criteria, and will safely transport a tortilla or potato chip through the mail without damaging it! Mostly, this is a crisp...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Cracking the Code
Some interesting reading on the history of barcodes opens this technology lesson plan. Readers find out how engineers contribute, and then they gather into groups to discuss possible improvements to our current UPC barcode system. Know...
Curated OER
Was There an Industrial Revolution? New Workplace, New Technology, New Consumers
High schoolers examine the changes in the U.S. in the period of industrialization before the Civil War. They analyze census data, list/describe inventions and innovations, explore various websites, conduct a Factory Simulation activity,...
Curated OER
Do I Have What it Takes to be an Entrepreneur - and is My Community Ready?
Discover the attributes of entrepreneurs and define what entrepreneurship is while examining data based on local businesses. Learners determine whether their community is supportive of entrepreneurs as they research economic development...
Curated OER
The Pre-Civil War Era (1815–1850)
In this online interactive U.S. history worksheet, students respond to 9 short answer and essay questions about 19th century America. Students may check some of their answers on the interactive worksheet.
Discovery Education
3D Printing Robots
What is water worth to you? The answer probably depends on many different variables. Learners explore the value of water in space and what it takes to transport the resource to locations in a galaxy far far away. They then consider...
Voice of America
Henry Ford, 1863-1947: He Revolutionized the Auto Industry
How did Henry Ford change the world? One word: automobile. After reading a two-page passage about Henry Ford's contributions to society with the invention of the automobile, readers respond to a series of 10 reading comprehension...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Silver and Bandages: Assessment of Inhibition of Bacteria by Silver Colloid-Impregnated Bandages
Silver: more than jewelry, it's also a natural antimicrobial agent. An inquiry-based lesson asks collaborative groups to design and implement an experiment to test this property. Using samples of silver nanoparticles and a strain of...
Curated OER
Was There an Industrial Revolution? Americans at Work Before the Civil War
High schoolers investigate the First U.S. Industrial Revolution. They identify positive and negative effects of early industrialization, read first-hand accounts, role-play and interview individuals, and participate in a debate.