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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Three Classes of Levers

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders research the three classes of levers and create a Power Point presentation showcasing the fulcrum, effort arm, and resistance arm in each class. They then write a paper explaining real life applications of the levers.
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Lesson Plan
NASA

The Wright Quest

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
A very impressive lesson plan on the Wright brothers and their place in aviation history. Learners discover many fascinating facts about the Wright brothers and their trials and errors regarding flight. Best of all, they get to build a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Help, I can't reach it!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students learn the major organ systems in the human body and research simple machines on the Internet; They design an informational brochure about a medical profession and present that career topic to the class.
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Chair Lift Challenge

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
During the Winter Olympics, this would be an engaging task to include in your STEM lesson. Design teams plan, construct, and test a miniature ski lift that can carry a pingpong ball up and down a rope line without falling out. With this...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Build Your Own Robot Arm

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Learners explore design, construction, and teamwork as they design and develop robot arm at least 18 inches in length using common materials.
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Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Energy Transfer and Transformation

For Teachers 6th Standards
When you take a simple task and create an exceptionally difficult way to complete it, it is known as a Rube Goldberg machine. These machines are filled with many types of energy transfers and energy transformations. Here, pupils watch...
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Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Catapults

For Students 4th - 8th
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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Lesson Plan
Code.org

The Need for Programming Languages

For Teachers 9th - 12th
LEGO see if you can recreate my design. Individuals build an arrangement from LEGO blocks and write directions for someone else to follow in order to recreate the arrangement. Pairs then swap directions and try to replicate the original...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Build a Snowplow

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students design and build a snowplow using LEGO materials. They compete in an Engineer's Challenge to clear a path through Styrofoam peanuts.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Build a Space Shuttle

For Teachers K
Pupils explore the concept of space. For this space lesson, students pretend to be aerospace engineers. Pupils build space ships out of cardboard tubes. Students discuss what aerospace engineers do. Pupils model their space ships after...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Farming in Ancient Mesopotamia: An Ancient Civil Engineering Problem

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders identify the major obstacles in farming in Mesopotamia. They work together to design and build a model that solves these problems. They write a short essay that describes the problems and their possible solutions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cross Country Adventure

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students practice measurement and geography in this lesson. They build a Lego vehicle using an RCX. They predict how many seconds it will take their vehicle to reach a specific state on the United States of America map that each group of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Systems, UP, Up and Away!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students discuss rockets and how they work. Students research basic information about the Space Shuttle. Students work in collaborative groups creating "rockets" with empty film canisters. Students launch their "rockets" and record...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Slide Right On By Using an Inclined Plane

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders examine the simple machine known as a plane. They build their own pyramid and identify the role of screws. They participate in a hands-on activity in which they determine the angle in which to make it easier to pull.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pulleys and Levers

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore the concept of pulleys and levers. They read and discuss text from the book "It's Science! Machines We Use," and in small groups construct a simple lever and pulley using a Lego Dacta set.
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Clipper Creations

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
Students create their own model of a nail clipper. They practice using engineering design and model building. They also identify different kinds of small levers.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Naturral Born Robots: Robots Have Feelings Too

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore robotics. They design a simple device that simulates a human arm lifting a mass. Students test the strength of their arm. Students discuss artificial intelligence.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wheeling It In!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students use everyday materials (milk cartons, water bottles, pencils, straws, candy) to build a small-scale transportation device that incorporates the wheel and axle and the lever. They race their carts/trucks, measure distance, time...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Medieval Catapults

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Young scholars design and build a working catapult or trebuchet to explore the concepts of force, motion, and distance.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Catapults

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Young scholars discover the catapult. In this catapult lesson plan, 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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

NASA Robots

For Teachers 4th - 8th
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Program Your Partner

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students explore the world of robotics. In this robotics instructional activity, 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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Friction Flyers

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Young scholars explore the principles of magnetism and friction. They complete an interactive puzzle on the Gizmos and Gadgets computer software, construct a vehicle, build and modify ramps and vehicles to produce various outcomes, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

You Are Invited to Design and Build a Dream Room

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders watch a video and enlarge and shrink scale by applying proportional thinking. They practice measuring, using percentages, computing area, and problem solving.