Teach Engineering
Scale Model Project
Try your hand at scale models. Scholars create a scale model of an object using a scale factor of their choice. As part of the project, they give presentations on their processes and calculations. This is the last installment of the...
California Academy of Science
How Big is Big?
In a math or life science class, "mini-me" models are created with cardstock to reflect a 1:10 scale of students' bodies. Learners measure each others' heights with meter sticks, and then reduce the size by 10. After this exercise, they...
Curated OER
Build a Model Watershed
Collaborative earth science groups create a working model of a watershed. Once it has been developed, you come along and introduce a change in land use, impacting the quality of water throughout their watershed. Model making is an...
Curated OER
A Model of the Sea-floor
Students create a paper model to illustrate sea-floor spreading.
American Physiological Society
Feeling the Heat
How do the changing seasons affect the homes where we live? This question is at the forefront of engineering and design projects. Challenge your physical science class to step into the role of an architect to build a model home...
Curated OER
Voyage: A Journey Through Our Solar System
Thoroughly written, this plan walks you through every detail of having your high school astronomers design scale models of the solar system. Complete instructions on building to scale, lesson plan procedures, and associated worksheets...
EngageNY
Modeling with Polynomials—An Introduction (part 1)
Maximizing resources is essential to productivity. Class members complete an activity to show how math can help in the process. Using a piece of construction paper, learners construct a box with the maximum volume. Ultimately, they...
Curated OER
Snowy Similes
The class defines similes after creating a KWL chart about them. Groups rotate through a series of stations in which they creatively complete similes. They create a picture booklet that contains similes. However, the booklet topic and...
Curated OER
How Solar Cells Work
Students create electricity. In this solar energy lesson, students role play how photovoltaic cells change sunlight into electricity. Students discuss the experiment and create their own diagram of the model.
Intel
Biomes in Action
A STEM project-based learning lesson, number four in a series of 10, focuses on human impacts to biomes around the world. Groups work together as environmentalists to research a specific biome, investigating human impacts on it. From...
Trash For Teaching
The Light-House Project
Groups work together to design a lighthouse, from designing and drawing the wiring diagram, to creating prototypes of the switch and circuit, to envisioning and building a scale model along with a blueprint. By including different...
Curated OER
Insect Models
Learners construct an insect model. In this "insects" science and art lesson, students complete a KWL chart about 'insects," then view several interactive websites to become familiar with insect traits. Learners construct an insect model...
Curated OER
Respiratory System Model
The procedure for constructing a working model of the respiratory system is revealed in this resource. A wonderful approach would be to have biology learners work in pairs to create a model and write the suggested paragraph explaining...
Curated OER
Build a Model Submarine
Learners form lab groups and work together to construct a submarine out of a soda bottle. Next, they observe its action in a tub of water as the inner pressure is changed. It is an engaging experiment. However, links to outside resources...
Curated OER
Praire Biome Models
Fifth graders, in groups, list the physical characteristics of a biome and think of ways in which animals might have to adapt to live there and make a biome mobile ball that show the different types of habitats that shape the praire biome.
Curated OER
The Volcano Factory
Collaborative groups work together to report on the volcanic activity leading to island formation and construct models to demonstrate the process. Consider having each group present their project to the rest of the class. There are many...
Curated OER
Producing Beats
Turn your classroom into a music studio as groups work together to determine why music sounds different when performed live versus a recording. After listening to some different music, each group picks a poem, creates a recording, and...
Curated OER
Atomic Models
Learners explain scientists' ideas about the structure of the atom over the last century. They develop a pictorial history of the changing ideas about the atom and write a caption describing the scientific thinking behind the model.
Curated OER
Role Model Medal
Students investigate positive female role models. In this Women's History Month instructional activity, students read the book Mama Went to Jail for the Vote and think about how the character was a role model for other women. Students...
Curated OER
Developing Models
Young scholars study the concept of a scientific model and demonstrate climate change models. In this scientific lesson students design a model using direct and indirect evidence and use it to make hypotheses.
Curated OER
Prototypes and Model Designs
Fifth graders examine prototypes and model designs. In this engineering lesson, 5th graders build a prototype out of a deck of cards and test their design. Upon completion, students write a letter to an architect which includes the...
Curated OER
Build an Approximate Scale Model of an Object
Young scholars create a model of an object of their choice using sketches that they have drawn. They study what a scale model is and how to construct one. They examine the uses for scale models and why they are produced.
Curated OER
House Project
Make young mathematicians' dreams a reality with this fun drawing project. Given the task of designing their dream home, students create drawings and physical models that demonstrate their understanding of proportion and scale.
Science NetLinks
Green Roof Design
Green roofs aren't just eco-friendly — they are literally green with trees. Groups learn about the concept of green roofs in order to be able to design one. The groups design a 5,000-square-foot green roof for a fictional apartment row...