Lesson Plan
TryEngineering

Getting Your Bearings

For Teachers 2nd - 12th
Students study friction and how the ball bearing was improved upon to increase efficiency.  In this friction lesson students work in groups to complete an activity and worksheet.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Crystal Growing

For Teachers K - 12th
Students explore the different phases of a crystal.  In this mineral lesson students grow their own sugar crystals using a sugar recipe. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Insect Conservation

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students make a diorama.  In this insect lesson, students review what they know and what they need to know about insects. Students define conservation, discuss why it is important to conserve insects, and make an insect diorama.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Beautiful Butterfly Tiles

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders create a butterfly drawing that includes the elements of art and principles of design. They create artwork that can be made into ceramic tiles to be installed around the classroom doorways in our new addition.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let's Outrage the Bull

For Teachers K - 8th
Learners study kinetic and potential energy. In this energy lesson, students in grades K-2 understand the differences between kinetic and potential energy. Learners in grades 3-5 demonstrate that kinetic and potential energy. Students in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Non-Newtonian Fluids

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Young scholars will use water, cornstarch, eggs, and more to explore the different states of matter. They will make observations of an unknown substance called "Oobleck" and test its liquid and solid properties. This would be a great...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Natural Resources

For Teachers K - 12th
Learners explore Iowa geography and topographic maps. In this geography and topographic maps lesson, student investigate maps, newspapers, Iowa flora and fauna. Students gain an understanding of how different landforms can be identified...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Water Cycle

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students access prior knowledge of the water cycle by completing a KWL. For this water cycle lesson, students follow the movement of water through the water cycle.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Importance of Rice

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore the importance of rice in our world. In this rice farming lesson, 3rd graders discover how much rice we use on a daily basis. Students also discover myths from other cultures about rice. Students color code a map of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Look Up!

For Teachers 1st - 4th
Students investigate the sky.  In this weather and clouds lesson, students observe the sky and write journal entries using their five senses to describe what they see.  Students observe, identify, and write about the different...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Go Cough Up a Lung!

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders examine and identify the effects smoking has on the lungs. They view and discuss pictures of a smoker's lung and a healthy lung, and read and discuss an informational handout. Students then participate in an aerobic...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to Concrete

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate the infrastructure of modern day society by researching concrete. In this construction lesson, students identify the many types of concrete and the different uses they have. Students utilize construction related...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Finding Wind Direction

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students identify the wind direction. In this weather activity, students use a weather vane to find the wind direction. Students complete a worksheet.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Container Gardening: American History Herb Garden

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this settler's garden worksheet, students write which herbs they chose to grow and how the settlers used that herb. Students fill in 3 herbs and 3 ways the settlers used them.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is electrical energy?

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students distinguish between items with and without energy. In this energy lesson, students understand that natural resources power electrical apparatus and that energy needs to be saved.
Lesson Plan
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Measuring Snowfall

For Teachers K - 4th
Students predict the amount of snowfall for the week and measure snowfall.  In this measuring snowfall instructional activity, student use a precipitation gauge to measure the week's snowfall; and analyze the data to determine...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Build an Anemometer

For Teachers K - 4th
Students investigate wind speed. In this wind instrument activity, students build an anemometer to measure wind speed and discuss the importance of wind speed knowledge in various professions. 
Lesson Plan
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Clay Sculpture: Relationships

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students explore art history by conducting an in-class activity. In this sculpting lesson, students examine previously created art sculptures in a textbook. Students utilize clay, sculpting tools and grey paper to create their own...
Activity
Curated OER

Fun Polymer Activity

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students add borax to a latex polymer and play with it to see the characteristics it now contains. In this polymer lesson plan, students see if it stretches, if it's durable, if the molecules break easily, and more.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Going My Way?

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Learners, in groups, study how a magnet works and how people use the Earth's magnetic field to orient themselves.
Lesson Plan
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Reflect and Refract

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars explore light. For this properties of light lesson, students define the terms refract, reflect, and diffract after listening to the teacher's description. Young scholars listen to the book Light Magic and observe a spoon...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Simple Machines

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students investigate simple machines. In this simple machines instructional activity, students study how simple machines work. Students determine the function of various simple machines.
Lesson Plan
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Hands on Biome--Building

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Learners create a model biome. For this ecology lesson, students use materials to create a model biome. There is an extension activity that allows learners to write about plants and animals and their specific biome.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Build the Arctic Tundra

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Young scholars build a model of biome in order to comprehend the abiotic and biotic factors that are prevalent in a biome. In this hands on building lesson, students use a box to build a biome. . Young scholars decorate the...