Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Making Sense of Sensors
Have small groups in your class construct working hygrometers as an example of the benefits of using sensors in engineering. This activity can be used during a weather unit when covering humidity or in a STEM activity as a preparation...
Curated OER
Experimenting with Pressure and Volume
Learners investigate temperature and pressure with simple laboratory equipment. They use a handheld with sensors and probes to study temperature and pressure. Students explore the nature of gases with respect to temperature and are able...
Curated OER
Ballistic Pendulum Lab
Students determine the muzzle velocity of projectile launcher. In this physics lesson, students compare the pendulum method and kinematic method in calculating the initial velocity. They analyze data and discuss results in class.
Curated OER
Sensor Challenge
Students develop a pseudo code flowchart for their robotic program. In this physics lesson, students construct a robot that can navigate through certain obstacles. They test their robot and present them to class.
Curated OER
TIES MSEE Sensor Lesson Plan
Pupils explain how a sensor works. In this technology activity, students determine the air quality around their school. They record observations and share results to class.
Curated OER
Engineering: Lego Cars and Light Sensors
Students build Lego cars with attached light sensors. They program the car to enter a tunnel and reverse out when it records a darker light reading.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Beating the Motion Sensor
Lighting is responsible for nearly one-third of the electricity use in buildings. One of the best ways to conserve energy is to make sure the lights are turned off when no one is in a room. This process can be automated using motion...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Test a Beam
Students measure different types of small-sized beams and calculate their respective moments of inertia. They compare their calculations to how much the beams bend when loads are placed on them, gaining insight into the ideal geometry...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Boom Construction
Student teams design their own booms (bridges) and engage in a friendly competition with other teams to test their designs. Each team strives to design a boom that is light, can hold a certain amount of weight, and is affordable to...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: How Cold Can You Go?
Students explore materials engineering by modifying the material properties of water. Specifically, they use salt to lower the freezing point of water and test it by making ice cream. Using either a simple thermometer or a mechatronic...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Measuring Light Pollution
Students are introduced to the concept of light pollution by investigating the nature, sources and levels of light in their classroom environment. They learn about the adverse effects of artificial light and the resulting consequences on...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The Balancing Act
Students are given the opportunity to visualize and interact with concepts they have already learned, specifically algebraic equations and solving for unknown variables. Students construct a balancing seesaw system (LEGO Balance Scale)...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Materials Properties Make a Difference
Students investigate the materials properties-such as acoustical absorptivity, light reflectivity, thermal conductivity, hardness, and water resistancea-of various materials. They use sound, light and temperature sensors to collect data...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Measuring Pressure
Students learn first-hand the relationship between force, area and pressure. They use a force sensor built from a LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT kit to measure the force required to break through a paper napkin. An interchangeable top at the end of...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Robotic Perimeter
Students learn and practice how to find the perimeter of a polygonal shape. Using a ruler, they measure model rooms made of construction paper walls. They learn about other tools, such as a robot, that can help them take measurements....
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Solving With Seesaws
Students use a simple seesaw to visualize solving a two- or three-step mathematics equation, while solving a basic structural engineering weight balance problem in the process. They solve two-step equations on a worksheet and attempt to...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The Science of Spring Force
Students use data acquisition equipment to learn about force and displacement in regard to simple and complex machines. In the engineering world, materials and systems are tested by applying forces and measuring the resulting...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Maze Challenge
As the first engineering design challenge of the unit, students are introduced to the logic for solving a maze. student groups apply that logic to program LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT robots to navigate through a maze, first with no sensors, and...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Line Follower Challenge
Student groups are challenged to program robots with light sensors to follow a black line. Learning both the logic and skills behind programming robots for this challenge helps students improve their understanding of how robots work, and...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: That's Hot! Robot Brain Programming
With the challenge to program computers to mimic the human reaction after touching a hot object, students program LEGO robots to "react" and move back quickly once their touch sensors bump into something. By relating human senses to...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Understanding Movement in Humans and Robots
This activity helps students understand how a LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT robot moves using motors and wheels. Then students relate the concepts of decision-making actuation and motion in humans to their parallels in mechanized robots, and...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Understanding Communication With a Robot
Student pairs first act out the instructions a robot is given with one person providing instructions and the other person following the instructions. This activity helps students understand how a robot is programmed and with what type of...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Movement Task Using Sensors Humans and Robots
This activity helps students understand the significance of programming and also how the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT robot's sensors assist its movement and make programming easier. Students compare human senses to robot sensors, describing...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Don't Bump Into Me!
Students' understanding of how robotic ultrasonic sensors work is reinforced in a design challenge involving LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT robots and ultrasonic sensors.