Curated OER
Couch Potato or Inertia Victim?
Sixth graders how primary research is carried out. They design a simple survey questionnaire to interview people about their week average television watching time. They analyze the results and write a report based on the information.
Curated OER
Swinging on a String
Young scholars explore how pendulums work and why they are useful in everyday applications. In a hands-on activity, they experiment with string length, pendulum weight and angle of release.
Curated OER
Perching Parrot
Students explore the concepts of center of mass and static equilibrium by seeing how non-symmetrical objects balance. They also analyze why all forces on an object must cancel out exactly for an object to be stationary.
Curated OER
Science: Put Your Heart into Engineering
Students examine the heart and vascular system and the need for artificial valves. After explaining how heart valves function, they design their own heart valves for experimentation. They predict the speed of fluid flowing through...
Curated OER
Building the Car (Mechanics and Motion)
Students design and begin building a car out of K'NEX parts after a class discussion on the components of the car, the constraints and goals of the design, the type of testing that will be performed, and a demonstration of a basic...
Curated OER
Ramp and Review
Students participate in an activity in which they observe a ball as it rolls down an incline into a cup. They take measurements and use equations that describe the concepts of mechanical energy, work and power, momentum, and friction. ...
Curated OER
Cracking the Code - Cloning Paper Plasmid
Students explore the "genetic code." They observe how genes may be manipulated for genetic research, gene cloning, and genetic engineering. In a lab setting, students examine the mechanics involved in cutting and ligating DNAs into a...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Pitch and Frequency
Students experiment with a vibrating ruler and a kazoo to study the different pitches and frequencies they produce. They create both high and low pitch sound waves. They examine how engineers use sound energy when designing electronic...
Curated OER
Stop Pulling My Bot Around!
Learners investigate the relationship between work and mechanical advantage. In this physics lesson, students calculate the work and efficiency of pulleys. They identify the different types of pulleys.
Curated OER
An Introduction to Computer Components
Young scholars experience the first lesson in computer servicing by observing computer components. They observe the internal workings of a computer during the lecture section of the lesson before dismantling a computer to identify its...
Curated OER
Energy Conversion
Sixth graders study energy conversions. They watch a demonstration of a working engine and make a chart explaining the energy conversions taking place. They build a simple electric motor and research other types of electric generators.
Curated OER
Water Filtration
Students work together to examine the role of water in their lives. They discover the process to clean water so it is clean for one to drink. They explore the role of environmental engineers and their problem of getting clean water to...
Curated OER
What is a Robot?
Students study robots and define what makes something a robot. In this robot lesson students identify several different robots and the tasks that they do.
Curated OER
Swinging Pendulum
Students engage in an activity which demonstrates how potential energy (PE) can be converted to kinetic energy (KE) and back again. Given a pendulum height, students calculate and predict how fast the pendulum will swing by understanding...
Teach Engineering
Magical Motion
Make solutions to projectile motion problems magically appear using equations. Pupils watch a clip from a Harry Potter movie and find the length of time it takes for a remembrall to fall into Harry's hands. They use a projectile motion...
Curated OER
Our Amazing, Powerful Sun
Middle schoolers examine where energy comes from and how it can be used. In this solar energy lesson students explore different aspects of the sun.
Teach Engineering
Wimpy Radar Antenna
The Diary of a Wimpy Antenna? In the last installment of a six-part series, your class constructs a model of a radio antenna and tests its torque. Pupils use the results to design a better model that resists bending and twisting forces.
Curated OER
Square Roots Using a Carpenter's Square
Students calculate the square root of a given number using carpenter's square measurements. In this math lesson plan, students relate this method on the Pythagorean theorem. They answer practice problems after the exploration activity,
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Relations and Functions
Learners differentiate between a relation and a function. In this algebra lesson, students identify a pair of coordinates as being a relation or a function. They analyze graphs for function as they solve word problems.
Curated OER
What Is Energy? Short Demos
Students engage in three short, hands-on, in-class demos which expand students' understand of energy. First, using peanuts and heat, students see how the human body burns food to make energy. Then, they create paper snake mobiles to...
Curated OER
What is the Best Insulator: Air, Styrofoam, Foil, or Cotton?
Students investigate the properties of insulators by attempting to keep a cup of water from freezing, and once it is frozen, to keep it from melting. They conduct the experiment, record and analyze the results, and answer discussion...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Yogurt Cup Speakers
Sixth graders build a speaker as they investigate the roles of electricity and magnetism. They discover the properties of magnets, create an electromagnet, and determine the direction of a magnetic field. They show cause and effect...
Curated OER
Cleaning Air with Balloons
Young scholars examine how a pollutant recovery method functions in cleaning industrial air pollution. They listen to a teacher-led discussion, conduct an experiment with balloons, static electricity, and pepper, and observe and record...
Curated OER
Collisions and Momentum: Bouncing Balls
Students explore the concepts of potential and kinetic energy by bouncing assorted balls on different surfaces and calculating the momentum for each ball. They give examples of collisions and momentum in sports and understand that...