Teach Engineering
Solar Power
How much solar energy is available at my location? An engaging resource provides a presentation along with script to give the class background information on determining solar radiation. Pupils then work through a worksheet to estimate...
Teach Engineering
Pushing it Off a Cliff
Focus on the conservation of energy, specifically looking at gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy, with a lecture that involves having friends throw light objects at each other to determine which has more kinetic energy and...
Teach Engineering
It's Tiggerific!
Spring into elastic potential energy with a lesson that provides background information on determining the elastic potential energy of springs and other elastic materials. General energy equations emphasize the conservation of energy and...
Teach Engineering
Considering Trade-Offs and Maximizing Efficiency in a Fast Food Restaurant
Make fast food restaurants even faster. Groups consider trade-offs when maximizing efficiency in fast food restaurants. Restructuring schedules and floor plans, as well reassigning job duties, all fall under this directive.
Teach Engineering
Package Those Foods!
Designing the right package — it's more than a pretty picture. Challenge small groups to design a food package. They must consider the type of food they are packaging and the package's ability to control the physical and chemical changes...
Teach Engineering
Dress for Success
Dressing for success is not always about looking sharp. Sometimes it is about staying warm and dry. Present your class with an activity that challenges groups of pupils to design a layered material for blizzard conditions. The teams test...
Teach Engineering
The Mighty Heart
Have your class follow the step-by-step directions in this resource to dissect a sheep heart and gain a better understanding of this amazing organ. Working in small groups, pupils look for specific parts of the heart during their...
Texas Education Agency (TEA)
Geometry in Architecture #1
Discover how to analyze architecture from a geometric standpoint. The fourth installment of an 11-part unit on architecture first provides a presentation on axis, balance, basic form, formal, pattern, proportion, symmetry, and tripartite...
Teach Engineering
Exploring Energy: Kinetic and Potential
The potential of the energy in the class is moving. The third segment in a six-part unit on energy provides a deeper understanding of kinetic and potential energy. Learners understand the relationship between mass, speed, and energy and...
Agriculture in the Classroom
Build it Better
If you think you can do better, feel free to give it a try. Pupils learn about the work on Temple Grandin and consider ways to improve animal handling facilities. They work in groups to build models to showcase their ideas.
Microsoft
Coordinates
What are your coordinates? After learning about coordinate systems in the real world, scholars see how a three-dimensional coordinate system works in Minecraft. They write a program to produce a compass rose and conduct an activity where...
National Sailing Hall of Fame
Introduction to Sailboats
The left part of the boat is called what? An informative lesson and accompanying slideshow presentation introduce middle schoolers to the terminology and parts associated with a sailboat.
Code.org
Creating Functions
Quit repeating yourself ... you can make this simpler! Rather than repeating the same set of code over and over, class members learn to build and call functions in a series of challenges in App Lab. In the end, they combine functions to...
Mascil Project
Packaging
Wrap up an engineering lesson with a worthwhile project. An engineering design task challenges groups to develop a package for a pharmaceutical company given constraints on the volume. Learners then create a presentation to highlight...
Concord Consortium
The Line and the Ellipse
What do a line and an ellipse have in common? Maybe zero, one, or two points! Learners consider the equation of an ellipse and a line to determine if their graphs have any shared points. They then write a system of equations, including...
Concord Consortium
More or Less
How long can the cable get? A short performance task provides learners with information on the length of cables and the margin of error for each. They must determine the longest and shortest cable possible by splicing these cables.
Mathematics Vision Project
Module 6: Modeling Periodic Behavior
Around and around we go ... again, and again, and again, and again! That's the nature of a periodic function. Young scholars learn how to model a periodic pattern with trigonometric functions. The nine-lesson unit explores the connection...
Curated OER
Comparing/Ordering Numbers
Third graders compare numbers. In this math instructional activity students compare ones, tens, and hundreds. They also order numbers from least to greatest and from greatest to least.
Curated OER
Tessellmaniacs
Seventh graders create 3 original tessellation using polygons. They slide, turn, rotate and glide their designs on the computer. They print their tessellation on a T-shirt and teach the 6th graders about tessellations.
Curated OER
The Dewey Decimal System -- Cataloging Collections
Learners categorize their private book collections as a precursor to learning the principles of the Dewey Decimal System. They use the Internet to gain a better understanding of the Dewey Decimal System.
Curated OER
Adding Integers with Counters
Students add integers and use counters to create a visual. In this algebra lesson, students work in pairs as they use the computer to add integers. They complete an assessment on adding integers at the end of the activity.
Curated OER
Publisher Brochures
Students create brochures on subjects they are studying in Publisher. In this nonfiction writing lesson, students use Publisher to create a brochure telling all the main ideas of a topic they are studying. Students use text boxes, fonts...
Curated OER
Topos, Compasses, and Triangles, Oh My!
Young scholars triangulate using a compass, topographical (topo) map and a view of outside landmarks. They take a field trip to another location away from school and mark discernible landmarks (like mountains or radio towers) and changes...
Curated OER
Getting to the Point
Students determine location by using the technique of triangulation. They imagine that they are out in the wilderness and have come to the top of a ridge. How can one identify the ridge on the topo map? How can one figure out where you...