NASA
Build a Satellite
Shake, rattle, and explore space with satellites. Engineers learn how satellites work before designing, building, and testing their own models. Groups engage in quality assurance reviews with colleagues to improve their designs, and the...
WindWise Education
How Can I Design Better Blades?
Small groups use information they have learned about blade construction to design, build, and test their own concepts. The teams compete in order to determine which design has the best average power output.
Curated OER
Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering: Build a Paper Airplane
Students brainstorm what it is like to fly on an airplane and discuss the parts of a plane. Students construct a paper plane of their own, decorate it, have a competition, and discuss the importance of each part of a plane and the role...
Berkeley Engineering and Mentors
Marshmallow Catapaults
After a brief lecture on levers, torque, projectiles, and the five-step engineering design cycle, young physical science learners or engineers build catapults out of craft sticks. This is an open-ended exploration of what works and what...
American Chemical Society
What is Wind?
Engage creative minds with an exciting activity about the power of wind. Investigators participate in class discussions while viewing images and animations of air and wind. Scholars test the relationship between wind speed and an...
Curated OER
Asphalt Lab
Students are introduced to basic engineering principles, road construction and material science. They explore how material properties and strength can be affected. Students become Civil Engineers by both creating Asphalt cookies and by...
Bonneville
Researching Chemicals and Materials for Solar Cell Construction
Revolutionize the solar cell industry with a new design. The 10th of 14 lessons in the Cost Effective Solar Cells unit has pupils start a project in which they design a unique solar cell. They receive an introduction to the project,...
Curated OER
Aerospace Engineering
Twelfth graders examine the physics of rocket flight. They build and launch model rockets to measure their performances.
DiscoverE
Build a Watershed
What's the best way to learn how watersheds work? Build one! Combining engineering, the water cycle, and ecology concerns, the activity is the perfect fit for an interdisciplinary unit. Teams construct a model watershed with simple...
Curated OER
Engineered Music
Students study engineering design. In this engineering music lesson students plan and construct a design while working in groups.
Curated OER
"Eggsploring" Engineering!
Put a new twist on the egg drop by turning your students into aerospace engineers!
Steven's Institute of Technology
How Does Your Garden Grow?
What to do, bunnies are getting into the garden and eating all the carrots! After reading the story Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! the class works together to design a device that will keep those bunnies out of the garden. They get together in...
Teach Engineering
Protecting Our City with Levees
Teams use the design process to design, build, and test a model levee to protect the town from a wall of water. A handout provides a price list for the materials learners can use to build their levee within a budget.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Waterproof that Roof!
Stop the raindrops from getting into the house! Eager engineers learn about roofing history and waterproofing by nanotechnology. They get into groups and work on designing a waterproof roof for a small model house. The accompanying...
Curated OER
Wind Effects on Model Building: Pre-Lab for Truss Design and Testing
Emerging engineers perform pre-lab calculations in this first of a three-part lesson plan on model building. They determine the forces of tension and compression in a truss. After completion of the worksheet, pupils will draw a draft of...
Curated OER
Paper Suspension Bridges: You Want Me To Go Up There?
A few class periods will be required to complete this physics investigation with your high schoolers. There is an unavailable video written into the lesson plan, but there is plenty of material here to bridge the gap. Two terrific...
DiscoverE
Building Begins with a Beam
A sturdy beam made of foam seems like an oxymoron. Scholars design a 48-inch beam that can hold a one-pound weight. The beam should be sturdy enough so it doesn't bend too much. If it does, the egg placed underneath the beam will break.
Freecloud Design
Monster Physics™
Physics fanatics will shriek over this monster-themed construction application! They design an invention with the intention of competing one of 50 missions and test it out with real physics applications.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Telescoping Periscope
Ahoy, matey! Here is an engineering expedition that mini mariners are sure to be swept away by! After reading a brief description and history of periscopes, they work in crews to construct one. Use this activity to enhance a lesson on...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How Can Work Be Done with Water Power? Activity A
Environmentally friendly engineering teams construct a water wheel and experiment with its speed and the resulting amount of weight it can lift. Consider following this activity with two more of the same title by the same publisher when...
Curated OER
Suspension Bridge Construction
Students study types, strength and construction of a variety of bridges. They build a model bridge and test the amount of weight it support.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Sticky Engineering Challenge
Learners explore the properties of different adhesives. In this physics lesson plan, students construct a building structure and determine what glue to use in the process. They present their design in class.
Curated OER
Engineers for a Sustainable World
Learners experiment with making a water filtration system. In this engineering lesson, students get into groups and are challenged to use only eight items to create a water filter. When finished, learners compare and contrast their results.
Curated OER
Design and Construct a Road Sign Support
Students design, build, and test a model of a free-standing structure used to support overhead road signs.