Curated OER
Designing a Safe City Like a Civil Engineer
Students study civil engineering, safety apparatuses in their city, and design their own city. In this civil engineering lesson plan, students discuss their towns safety apparatuses and define civil engineers. Students then design their...
American Institute of Architects
Architecture: It's Elementary!—Fifth Grade
Young citizens construct an understanding of urban planning in this cross-curricular unit. Covering every aspect of city development from the political, economic, and social influences to sustainable building practices, this 10-lesson...
Teach Engineering
Weather Alert
Every time a bell rings ... there is lightning in the area. The activity provides directions to build a model of a lightning detection system. Similar to a system designed by Benjamin Franklin, the system uses static electricity to...
Museum of Science
Sound Design
Hear about a great resource on sound? An interesting hands-on activity has learners construct a device that will soundproof a phone or speaker. They test out different materials to see which ones best absorb sound waves.
Curated OER
Paper Architecture - Designing Human Spaces
Students design, then construct an architectural structural model of a two-person dwelling. Then, Students, in groups, plan a city layout.
Curated OER
City People, City Stories
Students create fictional inhabitants to scale for a place called 'Box City'. They develop stories and personalities to go with the created people, share the stories with the class and write a newspaper for their city.
Curated OER
Best Design of a Floor Plan
Students participate in this continuation of the Design Your Space lesson. Using their completed classroom floor plans, students discuss the pros and cons of each floor plan and select the plan which has the best use of space and...
Curated OER
The Birth of a City
Third graders understand the role of rules and laws in our daily lives. They research the basic structure of the United States government. They participate in a simulated City Council meeting.
Curated OER
Memorializing September 11, 2001
Students use the Internet to research monuments. They design models of appropriate memorials which would honor the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. They complete oral presentations that...
Curated OER
City Architecture at Night
Learners research the social, economic, and architectural characteristics that distinguish different cultures and civilizations in two different cities of the world. They prepare a comparative pictorial and written report on the two...
Curated OER
Streetfilms' Moving Beyond the Automobile
This is an exceptional series that you can use in an environmental or engineering unit. There are four lessons: "Sustainable Transportation," "Designing for Safety," "Changing the Landscape," and "Engaging in Policy." Each lesson plan...
Curated OER
Jim Murphy, The Great Fire - Grade 6
The Great Fire by Jim Murphy provides the text for a study of the Chicago fire of 1871. The plan is designed as a close reading activity so that all learners have the same background information require for writing. Richly detailed, the...
Teach Engineering
Biomimicry and Sustainable Design - Nature is an Engineering Marvel
Discover how copying nature can be beneficial to humans. Scholars read articles about examples of biomimicry and its potential applications. Along the way, they learn about Nature's Nine Laws and how they relate to biomimicry. This is...
Radford University
Parallel Lines Cut By a Transversal
Perhaps planning a city isn't so difficult after all. Scholars first perform geometric constructions and investigate how parallel lines are useful in real-world situations. They then work on a city design project, drawing street maps,...
Social Studies Coalition of Delaware
Urban Mouse Rural Mouse
Explore rural and urban environments over the course of four days. Each day offers a new look into how both environment compare and contrast. Activities include the observation and analyzation of images, a read aloud and grand discussion...
Curated OER
Spotting Trains & Planes
Students engage in an international pastime that entails reading and interpreting train, subway, or airline schedules from a selected city. They create and problem solve design of a math game using timetables. Students use their math...
Curated OER
Exploring the Design Process
Students analyze the design process and architecture of Ludwig van der Rohe. In this architecture and art analysis lesson, students explore the design process through photographic documentation and architectural plans. Students use...
Curated OER
Understanding Space Travel
Students study the unique environment of the moon and Mars. In this space science lesson, students design a city located in the outer space. They create a computer aided design, models or drawings of their cities and share them with the...
DiscoverE
Everyday Engineering: Windy City Tower
A little wind shouldn't hurt a building. Given three sheets of paper and six feet of tape, scholars create a structure that can withstand wind and hold up a weight. They conduct tests using a fan and decide on any improvements to make...
Teach Engineering
Dirty Decomposers
Do not let the class just sit and rot. Pupils learn how decomposition and nutrient recycling is important to an ecosystem. Groups design an experiment to determine how environmental conditions affect decomposition. They develop a poster...
Curated OER
Parks Design Project
Students explore two dimensional geometric figures. They explore the relationships and measurements of geometric figures. Students apply proportion and scaling. They design a city park for students and teenagers.
Curated OER
Designs for Urban Life
Students analyze the design of cities and systems as an architecture analysis. In this architecture analysis activity, students complete image based discussion and two related activities for the activity.
Curated OER
A Tale of Two Cities and Charles Dickens Background
Did you know that Charles Dickens spent time with his family in debtors’ prison? That Dickens had 10 children? That thousands mourned his death? Viewers will find many interesting details in a presentation designed to accompany an...
Curated OER
Urban Growth in America
Students examine urban growth in America. For this urbanization lesson, students watch segments of the Discovery video "Urban Growth in America." Students conduct further research pertaining to the industrial revolution, New York City's...