+
Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Coloring Discrete Structures

For Teachers 6th - 9th
What's the least number of colors needed to color a U.S. map? The lesson begins by having pupils view a video clip on continuous and discrete phenomenon, then launches into an activity reminiscent of Zeno's paradox. A separate video and...
+
Lesson Plan
NASA

On Target

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
NASA's LCROSS mission is dropping a probe into a lunar crater. Groups design a system to travel down a zip line and drop a marble onto a target in the classroom. The groups then modify their designs based upon testing. 
+
Lesson Plan
1
1
NASA

Touchdown

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Individuals design and build a set of shock absorbers to protect their astronauts when they land. Using a limited amount of supplies, pupils build a system that will keep two large marshmallows from flying out of a cup when it lands...
+
Unit Plan
NASA

Lunar Plant Growth Chamber

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Would astronauts be able to grow their food on the Moon? Teams research plant growth in order to design and build a growth chamber that will function on the lunar surface. They narrow down plant choices based upon their strengths and...
+
Unit Plan
NASA

Space Transportation: Reshooting the Moon

For Teachers 8th
What does it take to get stuff to the Moon? Design teams create subsystems for a space transportation system to go to the Moon. The teams study Earth transportation components along with historical space transportation systems to guide...
+
Unit Plan
NASA

Creating a Space Exploration Infrastructure

For Teachers 7th Standards
What will it take to explore space? Teams of pupils determine the needs of a lunar outpost and research the required systems. The pupils then learn about the past space exploration vehicles. The third and final lesson challenges project...
+
Handout
Technical Sketching

Introduction — Surfaces and Edges

For Students 9th - 12th
How different can 3-D and 2-D really be? An engineering resource provides an explanation about the importance of two-dimensional technical drawings. Several samples show how to create multi-view drawings from pictorials and vice-versa....
+
PPT
Union County Vocational Technical Schools

Engineering Drawing

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Knowing the basics of drafting allows individuals to create drawings that show all the views and measurements necessary to allow others to visualize the original object. Pupils gain experience by drawing three orthographic views of an...
+
Lesson Plan
EduGAINs

Form and Function

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Will that structure survive the force? The differentiated lesson allows pairs to choose the structure they would like to construct and the building materials they wish to use. Individuals record their findings in the observation chart...
+
Activity
Computer Science Unplugged

The Muddy City—Minimal Spanning Trees

For Teachers 4th - 12th
What is the most efficient way to ensure everyone is connected? Individual pupils determine the least expensive route to pave roads in a fictional city. In doing so, they learn to find the minimal spanning tree for the situation. They...
+
Activity
Computer Science Unplugged

Twenty Guesses—Information Theory

For Teachers 4th - 8th
How do we determine how much information to include and what can be left out? By playing a game of 20 questions, the class generates the best strategies for finding a number. They then move on to guessing the next letter in a short...
+
Activity
Computer Science Unplugged

Battleships—Searching Algorithms

For Teachers 4th - 12th
How does a computer perform a search in order to find data? The lesson begins with a demonstration on finding one number out of 15. Pairs then play three games of Battleship by using different search techniques. The lesson plan finishes...
+
Unit Plan
Computer Science Unplugged

Computing: Databases Unplugged

For Teachers 4th - 11th
How do databases store and retrieve information? The activities in the resource provide fundamental concepts of databases by introducing an approach that teaches the basics without using computers. The pupils act as the actual data that...
+
Activity
Chymist

Make a Low Energy Radio Transmitter

For Teachers 9th - 12th
How do you demonstrate radio transmissions? Pupils build a low-energy radio transmitter by constructing two coils from magnet wire and connecting them to audio/phone plugs. The resource provides the details on how to build the...
+
Lesson Plan
1
1
NASA

Rocket Wind Tunnel

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Using a teacher-built wind tunnel constructed from a paper concrete tube form, a fan, and a balance, individuals determine the amount of drag their rocket design will experience in flight. Pupils make modifications to increase the...
+
Unit Plan
NASA

NASA: Moving Cargo

For Teachers 9th Standards
How does NASA transport people and cargo to planets? The five-lesson unit breaks down the transportation system that scientists use to transport cargo to space. Pairs team up in order to devise a transportation system that will carry the...
+
Lesson Plan
1
1
NASA

Project X-51

For Teachers K - 12th Standards
In a nose-cone to nose-cone competition, which rocket will prevail? Teams form rocket companies to design and build a rocket while competing against other teams in an economic challenge. The team that comes up with the best benefit/cost...
+
Activity
Computer Science Unplugged

Lightest and Heaviest—Sorting Algorithms

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
How do computers sort data lists? Using eight unknown weights and a balance scale, groups determine the order of the weights from lightest to heaviest. A second instructional activity provides the groups with other methods to order the...
+
Activity
Teach Engineering

Household Energy Audit

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Do you have an energy hog in your home? Individuals pick at least one room at home to determine the amount of energy the appliances consume. Using that information, pupils fill out a worksheet to determine the cost of running each...
+
Unit Plan
NASA

NASA Engineering Design Challenges - Spacecraft Structures

For Teachers 6th - 9th
What kind of design challenges are there in building structures to support rocket engines? The unit takes design teams through the process of building the lightest possible thrust support structure that can withstand the necessary forces...
+
Handout
1
1
NASA

Water Rocket Launcher

For Teachers 4th - 12th
How can you launch an object that isn't propelled by air? The resource provides directions to build a launcher to launch rockets made of two-liter bottles. The launcher, built mainly from materials found at the local hardware store, uses...
+
Lesson Plan
1
1
NASA

Launch Altitude Tracker

For Teachers K - 12th Standards
Using PVC pipe and aquarium tubing, build an altitude tracker. Pupils then use the altitude tracker, along with a tangent table, to calculate the altitude of a launched rocket using the included data collection sheet.
+
Lesson Plan
1
1
NASA

Foam Rocket

For Teachers K - 12th Standards
When going for distance, does it make a difference at what angle you launch the rocket? Teams of three launch foam rockets, varying the launch angle and determining how far they flew. After conducting the series of flights three times,...
+
Lesson Plan
1
1
NASA

Pop! Rockets

For Teachers K - 8th
Off they go — launching rockets is fun. The lesson plan contains templates to build paper rockets that can be launched from a PVC pipe launcher. Individuals or groups build the rockets and determine the shapes for their fins. Included...