Other
Ontario Council for Technology Education: Designing and Testing a Crane [Pdf]
By the end of this project, students will be familiar with the 6 different simple machines and will be able to identify how these machines are used in products and tools they use on a daily basis. They will investigate how mechanical...
Other
Ontario Council for Technology Education: Designing a Tool Storage Board [Pdf]
Students begin this project by taking an inventory of hand tools at home. They then categorize their tools and make a detailed list in a spreadsheet. After research on tool storage, they will choose materials and a tool board style, then...
Other
Ontario Council for Technology Education: Model Greenhouse Construction [Pdf]
Students will design and construct a scale model of a greenhouse using the design process. Each student designs and builds a device that will act as a greenhouse in which to propagate plants from seed, that allows for easy access, and...
Other
Ontario Council for Technology Education: Designing a Bus Shelter [Pdf]
By the end of this project, the student will be able to understand and work through the stages of the design process, assess and develop design criteria when creating concept and scaled sketches, and use computer design software...
Other
Branksome Hall Asia: Design and Inquiry: Sustainable Design
Sustainable design is a philosophy of developing products in line with social, economic, and ecological sustainability principles. In design, it is important to understand the distinction between Green Design and Sustainable Design....
Children's Museum
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis: Build a Parachute
Students create a parachute to explore how air pushes up against an object and slows it down as it falls.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Making Everyday Objects Out of Mushrooms: Environmentally Friendly Design
In this activity, you will use mushroom roots to grow a biodegradable material that can be molded into a product of your liking, like a flowerpot.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Young Inventors
In this stills collage adapted from the National Science Teachers Association/Craftsman Young Inventors Awards, see several inventions by students in grades 4-7 and read about some of the challenges they faced during the design process.
TryEngineering
Try Engineering: Pollution Patrol
Students will work in teams to design and construct outdoor air pollution detectors from everyday items. They will then test the designs for presence of pollutants in the air and communicate their results to the class.
TryEngineering
Try Engineering: Solar Structures
During this lesson plan, students will construct a passive solar house from everyday items then explore how the sun's energy is used to heat and cool it.
TryEngineering
Try Engineering: Engineered Sports
Students work in teams to investigate how aerospace engineering relates to sports, especially golf ball design and the physics of bounce. They use this information to determine whether these aerospace principles can be applied to...
PBS
Pbs Kids: Cat in the Hat: The Marbleous Marvel Coaster
Test your engineering skills by creating your own rollercoaster using open-ended play.
PBS
Nova Teacher: Saved by the Sun: Classroom Activity
During the lesson, students will also design, build and test a solar cooker that pasteurizes water.
Other
Fuel Our Future Now: Grade K 2 Module: Vroom! Vroom! What Makes Cars Go? [Pdf]
In this K-2 teaching module, students explore motion, gravity, friction, and energy using objects and model cars. They investigate using hands-on activities with vehicles, as well as online interactives and videos. The culminating event...
Other
Fuel Our Future Now: Grade 9 12 Module: Vehicle Design Virtual Lab [Pdf]
Students act as a community of STEM research professionals, working together to solve energy efficiency problems in today's vehicles. Students then design and test vehicles that are suitable for different consumer needs based on...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Issues, Issues Everywhere
In this activity, students will learn to identify different opinions related to an issue as well as the things (information, values and beliefs) that influence those opinions. They will use an opinion spectrum to analyze the range of...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Too Much Pressure!
In this activity, students learn how engineers design faucets. Students will learn about water pressure by building a simple system to model faucets and test the relationship between pressure, area and force. This is a great outdoor...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Journey to the Afterlife
In groups of four, have students design an Egyptian funerary barge to transport the mummy through the underworld to the afterlife. The design of the boat is extremely critical in order for the mummy to have a chance to reach and enter...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Engineer a Sneaker
The goal is for students to understand the basics of engineering that go into the design of a sneaker. The bottom or sole of a sneaker provides support, cushioning, and traction. In addition the sole is flexible and can have some fashion...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Make an Alarm!
After reading the story "Dear Mr. Henshaw" by Beverly Cleary, students will build an alarm system for something in the classroom, as the main character Leigh does to protect his lunchbox from thieves. Students will learn about alarms and...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Simple Machines and Modern Day Engineering Analogies
Students apply the mechanical advantages and problem-solving capabilities of six types of simple machines (wedge, wheel and axle, lever, inclined plane, screw, pulley) as they discuss modern structures in the spirit of the engineers and...
Other
Open University: Manufacturing
How are designs turned into products?How are designs turned into products? This unit will introduce manufacturing as a system and will describe some of the many different ways of making products.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Paper Drop Design Competition
Using paper, paper clips and tape, student teams design flying devices to (1) stay in the air as long as possible and (2) land as close as possible to a given target. Student teams will use the engineering design process to guide them...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Design a Bicycle Helmet
The goal of the activities is for students to understand the basics of engineering associated with safety products. Using a bicycle helmet helps to protect the brain and neck during a crash. In order to do this effectively, helmets must...