Curated OER
Activity: Leaning Tower of Pasta
A well-laid-out lesson plan, this can be used in an engineering, STEM, or physical science course. Laboratory groups design a structure using pasta and marshmallows, measure its height and weight, and then discover the load that it can...
Curated OER
Home Design
Students investigate house structures by examining photographs. In this architecture lesson, students read the book Houses and Homes, analyzing the different structures and materials. Students utilize mud to create model huts in an...
Curated OER
KS2 Forces and Motion
Students participate in a variety of activities of scientific principles. In this science lesson, students experiment with spaghetti and marshmallows to build a strong structure, balance nails on a nail, and use force to catapult a...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Building Structures: It's a Slippery Slope
All structures require a foundation to keep them from falling down. This is especially important when a structure is built on a hill or on a slope. In this science project, you will build a tower of Lego Duplos on slopes with different...
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: Goody Goody Gumdrop! Building Structures Are Fun!
In this lesson, the children will be building a physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object, such as triangles, helps it function. At the end, the children will test their gumdrop structures and the class will collectively...
Other
The Collection: Chicago Architects Oral History Project
Choose from an extensive list of Chicago area architects and learn information about their lives and their work. Includes links to interviews and biographies.
PBS
Pbs Kids:activities and Videos: Structures
PBS site provides videos and activities are hands-on challenges that focus on the engineering design process. They use simple materials, allow for multiple solutions, and are ideal for ages 9-12.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Newspaper Tower
Students will be challenged to design and construct a tower out of newspaper. They will have limited supplies including newspaper, tape, and scissors since engineers are often restricted by economic reasons as to how much material they...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Tower Investigation and the Egg
Towers have been a part of developed society for centuries. Towers serve a variety of purposes, from lookouts to cellular towers. In this activity student groups will build three types of towers, engineering them to hold an egg one foot...
University at Buffalo
University at Buffalo: Mceer: Earthquake Engineering to Extreme Events
Information from the Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research guided toward enhancing the ability of communities to survive and rebuild after an earthquake. Includes current news and conferences, and information about...
PBS
Pbs Teachers: The Tunnel Challenge
Explore different types of tunnels and the forces that act upon them, then choose the design of tunnel that best fits the needs of the location.