Virginia Department of Education
Hoppin' on the Elapsed Time Line
Time flies when you're teaching math! Okay, maybe not for everyone, but this lesson will have your young mathematicians calculating elapsed time before you know it.
PBS
Twirling in the Breeze
Blow classes away with a hands-on lesson investigating wind speed. Learners use common materials to design and construct anemometers. They then test their anemometers and collect data on the wind speed created by a fan.
Science Matters
Earthquake Building/Shaking Contest
Japan is one of only a handful of countries that constructs buildings that are almost earthquake proof. The 13th lesson in the 20-part series challenges scholars to build structures to test against earthquakes. With limited materials and...
Curated OER
Search for the Missing Pi
Third graders work in groups of two to three with measuring tapes, finding the circumference and diameter of teacher-selected circular items. They relate circumference and diameter measurements to find pi.
Curated OER
Measuring Where We Sit In The Universe
Students investigate scientific measurement. They use a variety of scales to do the job and communicate the results correctly. The teacher uses socratic questioning throughout the lesson checking for comprehension. Students measure some...
Curated OER
Let's Measure the Speed of Sound
Third graders measure the speed of sound using scientific investigative techniques.
NASA
Paper Rockets
Get first hand experience in rocket building and motion through an easy-to-follow picture and word-based directions sheet. Here, learners build a paper rocket by wrapping and taping paper strips around a pencil, and then launching their...
Curated OER
Basic Tree and Forest Measurements
Young scholars examine how trees are measured and the different methods used. In this density lesson students divide into groups and practice the different methods.
Curated OER
My Test Book: Capacity and Measurement
In this online interactive math skills worksheet, students solve 10 multiple choice math problems regarding capacity and measurement. Students may submit their answers to be scored.
Curated OER
Measuring: Why Can't We All Just Get Along?
Students examine why having standardized units of measurement is important. They investigate the use of non-standard measure, twigs, while measuring the piece of tape. Next, they experiment with straws, paper clips, and rulers before...
Curated OER
Cool to Rule: A Game of Prediction and Measurement
Students demonstrate measurement and estimation skills. In small groups, they are given a measurement, predict what object in the classroom is equal to that specific measurement, and record their data in a table that includes the...
Curated OER
Ramp Builder
Students plan and build a ramp designed for maximum distance a car can travel. In this physics and data collection math lesson, students work in groups to design a ramp using various household materials. Students test small cars on their...
Curated OER
Our School - Our Trees
Sixth graders observe school ground trees planted nearly 3 decades ago. For this ecology activity, 6th graders examine a group of trees planted near their campus and measure the diameter, circumference and growth of the tree compared to...
NOAA
Watch the Screen!
Can a sponge cure cancer? Life science pupils visit the drugstore under the sea in the fifth lesson of six. Working groups research the topic then get hands-on experience by testing the inhibiting effects of several plant extracts on E....
Curated OER
Crash Test Smarties
Students share hypotheses about the variables needed to produce a collision between two moving objects. They simulate the impact of a moving object on an object that creates a spray of debris, and simulate a NASA Deep Impact study.
DiscoverE
Extreme Trampolines
You'll bounce off the walls with glee after finding a fun resource. Young engineers design trampolines for golf balls. They build and test out their design and make improvements based on the results.
DiscoverE
Build a Bridge
Cost overruns are unacceptable—in the real world and in an engaging activity. Groups of pupils get together to build a bridge out of straws, paper cups, and tape. They keep track of costs ($1,000 for each material) and must stay within a...
Curated OER
Does the Sidewalk Drink Puddles?
Students participate in an experiment about evaporation. In this water cycle lesson, students use water, thermometers, and measuring tools to make a puddle and measure the size four times throughout the day. Students discuss their data...
Curated OER
How Long? How Tall?
Seventh graders investigate the parts of the human body and examine the symmetry of body parts like arms and legs. They measure the body parts and take individual height and weight to compare the quantities. Student examine whether the...
Curated OER
Solar Kit Lesson #11 - Power Maximum: An Electrical Determination
Collaborative groups connect resistors and solar panels in series and measure electrical resistance, voltage, and current. The objective is to order 16 solar panels from strongest to weakest. They graph current-voltage and power curves...
Curated OER
The Barbie Bungee Drop
What do math, bungee jumping, and Barbie® have in common? Young adventure seekers use rubber bands as bungee cords to predict a thrilling, but safe, jump for their doll. First, test jumps are conducted with a few rubber bands. Then more...
Teach Engineering
Maker Challenge: Adding Helpful Carrier Devices to Crutches
Make breaking a leg a less troublesome experience. Groups brainstorm designs for crutches that have devices that help carry items. They build prototypes of their devices to test out their designs.
Cornell University
Investigating and Modeling Hardness
Model hardness testing with a self-designed hardness test. Young scholars rate the hardness of different types of aspirin using the Vicker's Hardness scale. They then relate hardness to the solubility of each aspirin tablet.
North Carolina State University
Construction
Engineering design projects serve as great opportunities for collaborative problem solving. In this case, students work in small groups designing, building, and eventually testing a structure that meets a teacher-specified objective. It...