Lesson Plan
Tech Museum of Innovation

Energy at Play

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
Get the ball rolling and challenge your class to figure out how to make a ball move. The instruction segment is between two STEM activities devoted to doing just that. The first is simple and involves making a ball move from some...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

TE Lesson: Renewable Energy

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine renewable energy sources such as solar, water, and wind. They experiment to determine how renewable energy is transformed into electricity. They investigate the role of engineers who work in the field of renewable energy.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Energy Detectives at Work

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars are "Energy Detectives" working for an engineering firm that does energy evaluations at schools. In teams, they locate energy sources around the school, and record their findings on an Energy Detective Worksheet.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Grass as Biomass

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore energy properties by listening to a sustainability lecture in class. In this biomass lesson, students identify what biomass is, how it can be transformed into a usable energy and how it complements the energy cycle....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Waterwheel Work

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate the history of the waterwheel and common uses for water turbines today. They construct an experimental waterwheel using a two-liter plastic bottle, measure the rate of revolution of a waterwheel, and complete a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Energy Forms

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners explore energy by participating in a science lab in class. In this energy form instructional activity, students define the different types of energy such as light, mechanical and sound while examining energy measuring tools in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Falling Water

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners drop water from different heights to demonstrate the conversion of water's potential energy to kinetic energy. They see how varying the height from which water is dropped affects the splash size. In seeing how falling water can...
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
Teach Engineering

Water Power

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young hydrologists observe a waterwheel which helps them investigate the transformations of energy that occur when the blades of a hydro-turbine are turning. They work together in pairs and pretend to be engineers who are building a new...
Activity
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Curated OER

Food Chain Activities

For Teachers 2nd - 6th Standards
Transform young biologists into grasshoppers, lizards, and hawks as you teach them about food chains in an interactive life science simulation. Working collaboratively to act out three different scenarios involving...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Water Cycle

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students are introduced to the components and importance of the water cycle. They are shown how groundwater moves using a model. Students list 9 places on earth where water is found. They define the terms cycle and water cycle.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Power

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students observe a model of a waterwheel to investigate the transformations of energy involved in turning the blades of a hydro-turbine into work. They work as engineers to create a model for a new waterwheel while considering resources,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Thar She Blows!: Wind Power

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine how wind energy is transformed into electrical energy. In pairs, they build miniature wind turbines and measure how much electrical current they produce. They asses the importance of design and position in energy...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using "Student Power" to Generate Electricity to Run a Portable Compact Disc Player

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students explain the relationship between magnetism and electricity. In this physics instructional activity, students describe the transformation of energy. They create an electromagnet and investigate the factors affecting its strength.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Completing the Circuit

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students use a battery, wires, small light bulb and a light bulb holder to learn the difference between an open circuit and a closed circuit, and understand that electric current only occurs in a closed circuit. They describe the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The 1980s Series - Fashion

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students explore the cultural and creative phenomenons of the 1980s. They transform old clothes, model them and reflect on the process. They create a set as a backdrop and present a Fashion Show.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nutrition 1: Food and the Digestive System

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars are introduced to how the digestive system works in their body. In groups, they discover they need energy and water to live a healthy life. They discover how the body repairs itself and how it grows. They also examine...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using "Student Power" to Generate Electricity to Run a Portable Compact Disc Player

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students conclude that magnets and magnetic fields can produce electricity. Students also understand how a small motor works and how gears work. Students describe how energy can transform along a pathway.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electricity Safety Video

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars discuss Picture 1 - Electrical Applicances. They discuss their prior knowledge of electricity and then listen to a video. They then answer the questions on the worksheet called, "Lesson 1 Electricity Safety Video" and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rube Goldberg Project

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students apply inquiry and problem solving approaches in science. They design a device (invention) that solves a special problem.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Food and the Digestive System

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate the digestive system. In this human biology lesson, students read an article about the digestive system and go onto a suggested website to review what they have learned. Students are asked questions as an assessment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Household Tools

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students explore parts of a system. In this simple machines lesson, students discover that simple machines are composed of two or more systems. Students examine household tools and assess the parts of the system.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The 1980's Series - Music

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students examine artwork by Keith Haring, and listen to music popular in the 1980s that influenced him. They develop storyboards, and film music videos for their favorite song.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Worming Your Way Through the Soil

For Teachers K - 5th
Students study soil, living and non-living particles in the soil, and learn about composting. In this soil study lesson, students study soil samples and discuss the living and non-living components of the soil. Students classify the...