Curated OER
Cookie Topography
Young scholars construct a cross section diagram showing elevation changes on a "cookie island." Using a chocolate chip cookie for an island, they locate the highest point in centimeters on the cookie and create a scale in feet. After...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Clipper Creations
Students create their own model of a nail clipper. They practice using engineering design and model building. They also identify different kinds of small levers.
Curated OER
Leaning Tower of Pasta
Students experiment with different structures to determine which ones are able to handle the greatest amount of load using spaghetti and marshmallows. They discuss how engineers design buildings, construct their buildings and complete a...
Curated OER
Rocket Transportation
Students use problem solving skills to lift a load using a balloon rocket. They construct a rocket out of a balloon and use it to carry a paper clip payload.
Curated OER
"Ex-SPAN-D" Your Math by Traveling Over the Chesapeake Bay
In this math lesson, students calculate the cost of bridge construction and time of completion. They solve and write short answers to 5 questions using mathematical operations.
Curated OER
Buoyant Boats
Students design and construct a boat out of aluminum foil and a few other simple materials. The boats then be tested by floating them in water, then adding mass until they sink. They explore the various shapes of boat construction.
Curated OER
Exploring Basic Physical Science Concepts
Students use the concepts of simple machines to construct a mobile. The inquiry is made in groups and presentations are made by constructing reports. The assessment is based upon the final product of the mobile and how students use...
Curated OER
The Learning Tower of Straws Challenge
Students construct a tower as high as possible that can successfully lean without collaspling. They examine the effect that lowering an object's center of gravity has on the torque produced on an object.
Curated OER
Lego Robotics: Measuring Speed
Students build and program a LEGO robotic car as well as measure and graph its speed. They acquire familiarity with principles of construction, motion, design and problem solving. They compare a robot's speed over two different surfaces...
Curated OER
Steamship Portland: Where's the Energy?
Learners examine how steamships operate. They describe the necessary energy conversions. They construct a model paddlewheel ship. They use rubber bands as examples of potential and kinetic energy as they unwind and set the models in motion.
Curated OER
Pulleys and Gears
Students analyze an engineering problem. They contrast paper and pencil mastery of concepts with hands-on mastery. They present their design and rationale behind it, whether it works or not.
Curated OER
Patterns, Functions, and Algebra: Wired for Space
Students assess how patterns, functions and algebra can assist NASA engineers design new ways of propelling spacecrafts. They explore how electricity and magnetism are replacing the fuel-consuming rocket propulsion. Electromagnetism is...
Curated OER
Making a Musical Instrument
Students determine how music is produced through sound waves and how instruments produce music differently than others. They construct flutes out of straws and explore how to adjust the sound.
Curated OER
They're Everywhere! They're Everywhere!
Students gain an appreciation of the polygons and polyhedrons around them that make their world one of order and strength. They build polygons and polyhedrons, and then construct airplanes out of polygons.
Curated OER
The Three Gorges: Should Nature or Technology Reign?
Students participate in a debate regarding the Three Gorges Dam in China. In this research skills lesson, students prepare for a debate regarding the construction of the Three Gorges Dam in China. Students participate in the dam taking...
Curated OER
Surface Friction and Wear Characteristics of Common Materials
Students identify the factors affecting friction. In this physics lesson, students construct their own rocket car and race them. They graph the average speeds and discuss how lubricants affect friction between rubbing surfaces.
Curated OER
The Six Faces of Garbage
Students use the mathematics of surface area to approach the problem of garbage pollution from the classroom. After watching a video, students construct replicas of cereal boxes and compute their surface area.
Curated OER
Slopes for the Mathematically Inclined
In this slope learning exercise, 9th graders solve and complete 6 different problems that include completing charts and applying applications to the real world. First, they use the pictures shown to measure the riser and tread of 3...
Curated OER
Creative Can Sculptures Help Feed the Hungry
Young scholars look at pictures of Canstruction sculptures, then read a news article about the construction of these canned food sculptures. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with pictures of winning...
Curated OER
Create a Butterfly Mobile
Students construct a butterfly mobile. For this visual arts lesson, students use rice paper, watercolors, a coat hanger, and wax paper to create a unique butterfly mobile. Students use photographs of butterflies to construct a realistic...
Curated OER
The Human Brain
Students identify parts of the human brain. In this biology lesson, students watch a video about the human brain. Students use different colors of clay to construct and label the three parts of the brain.
Curated OER
Solar Cycle
Students explore the solar cycle through a series of experiments. For this space science lesson, students construct and evaluate solar cycle graphs. They explain how this phenomenon affects the Earth.
Curated OER
Spies That Fly
Young scholars view a video clip about spy planes. They identify the challenges engineers face in building small aircraft. They complete a worksheet to end the lesson.
Curated OER
Rain Forest Adventures
Learners discover locations of the world's rain forests. Once they identify the animals, plants, products, and resources located in them, they construct they own rain forest terrariums. By comparing and contrasting the two types of...