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Activity
Curated OER

The BEAM Project: Building Efficient Architectural Models

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Technology or engineering teams are given a task to design, construct, and test the efficiency of a structure that will foster an even temperature throughout an entire sunny day. Intended as a long-term project, pupils research, plan,...
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Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Strength of Materials

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Pupils examine a stress-strain diagram that compares the advantages and disadvantages of the two common bridge building materials, concrete and steel. The also consider the factors that influence the materials builders choose for their...
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Interactive
Magic of Physics

Materials Lab

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Why is wood good for building houses, but not the best choice for high-rise apartments? Future materials scientists put building materials to the test using a hands-on interactive. Pupils pull and push on substances such as reinforced...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Building a House

For Students K - 2nd
Study the different materials needed to build a house. Kindergartners and first graders read five sentence frames, and match the phrases that describe wood planks, glass, and clay. An experiment prompts kids to test different types of...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Materials We Use

For Students K - 2nd
How can you tell if something is made out of wood, metal, or plastic? Kids use noise and visual cues to determine what various household items are made from. They then examine their toys at home and record the materials used to make...
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Activity
DiscoverE

Waterproofing the Roof

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Can your pupils build a roof that stands the test of time? Use an insightful engineering design project to highlight both materials science and architecture. Scholars either team up or work as individuals to design, create, and test a...
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Activity
DiscoverE

Bridges, Buildings and Beyond Activity Packet: Grades 3-5

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
The road to a better understanding of engineering lies with bridges and tunnels. A set of four engaging activities teaches learners about engineering concepts related to construction projects. They perform an experiment to find the...
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Lesson Plan
Texas Education Agency (TEA)

Build a Paper Structure

For Students 9th - 12th
Who knew that paper is an amazing building material? Scholars learn about the properties of planar materials, such as paper, as well as their structural capabilities in the sixth lesson a series of 11 on architecture. Working in groups,...
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Activity
DiscoverE

Design a Dome

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Do domed structures have advantages over their less-than-spherical counterparts? Junior architects explore the pros and cons of domes through a design challenge. Teams work together to plan, sketch, build, and test domes created from an...
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Lesson Plan
National Wildlife Federation

Build a Bat House!

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Bats usually get a bad rap. Scholars learn about the importance of bats and the threat their declining population has on the environment. They then build bat houses to attract and welcome bats into the area.
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Activity
DiscoverE

Build a Watershed

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
What's the best way to learn how watersheds work? Build one! Combining engineering, the water cycle, and ecology concerns, the activity is the perfect fit for an interdisciplinary unit. Teams construct a model watershed with simple...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

MATERIALS, Using What’s Local: Native Materials, Local Sources

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students consider the development of different societies. In this environmental building lesson, students consider local resources and how societies choose to use them. Students use their findings to design a 'green' building for use in...
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Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Fun Look at Material Science

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Introduce materials science with a class demonstration. After showing a PowerPoint presentation on materials and their properties, instructors provide a ceramic tile, a Popsicle stick, a paper clip, and a plastic bag as examples of...
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Unit Plan
Radford University

How to Build a Happy Home

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Build a complete house in just a few days. Learners create floor, roof, deck, and landscape plans for a two-story house. Scholars then use their knowledge of area formulas, trigonometric ratios, and the Pythagorean Theorem to determine...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Properties Of Building Materials

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the concept of building materials and how they are used to create different things. They focus upon the availability, cost, flexibility, and strength of different building materials. This is done by taking part in a...
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Activity
DiscoverE

Build a Bobsled Racer

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Host a design challenge of Olympic proportion! Junior engineers build their own bobsleds using simple materials. The activity focuses on kinetic and potential energy and how the center of mass affects motion on a downhill track....
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Lesson Plan
Federal Reserve Bank

Sky Boys: How They Built the Empire State Building

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
How tall is the Empire State Building? Lead your class through a collaborative estimation activity to determine the number of quarters it would take to reach the top and teach the following concepts: human capital, human resources,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building Materials

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders are presented with three rocks and a variety of tools and are asked to investigate the properties of the rocks to see which rock is best for building tables and benches for a museum picnic area.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building Soil Nature's Way: Exploring decomposition and soil health

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore decomposition and soil health by creating their own garden.  In this agriculture lesson, students build a "lasagna garden" with organic matter found in the area and plant perennials native to their region.  Students are...
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Activity
DiscoverE

Build a High Dive

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Can't build a cantilever? You'll be able to after a hands-on, constructive activity. Young engineers build cantilevers out of straws and tape. The finished products must be able to hang off a table as far as possible.
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Lesson Plan
Skyscraper Museum

Building a Skyscraper

For Teachers 2nd - 4th Standards
Creating buildings that reach hundreds of feet into the sky is no easy task. The third instructional activity in this series begins with four activities that engage young architects in exploring the major challenges that are faced when...
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Lesson Plan
NASA

Building for Hurricanes: Engineering Design Challenge

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
"By the hair on your chinny-chin-chin, I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in," says the big, bad wolf! Engineering hopefuls are challenged to design and construct a hurricane-proof building from simple office and craft...
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Lesson Plan
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Skyscraper Museum

Building a Skyscraper

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
The construction of skyscrapers is no simple undertaking, involving the careful coordination and planning of many different people. The third lesson in this series explores this detailed process by first teaching children about the main...
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Activity
PBS

Reading Adventure Pack: Building

For Parents 1st - 2nd Standards
Scholars become architects in an engaging unit on building structures. The Reading Adventure Pack features Roberto: The Insect Architect by Nina Laden and Construction Zone with photographs by Richard Sobol and text by Cheryl Willis...

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