Teach Engineering
Maximum Power Point
Investigate the maximum power output of a photovoltaic panel with a lesson that introduces the class to the maximum power point. Individuals learn how to determine the maximum power point of a solar panel by using Ohm's law and the power...
WindWise Education
Can We Reduce Risk to Bats?
It is just batty! A resource outlines a case study scenario of reducing the risk to bats. Teams learn about the bat populations in the area of the wind farm, then research and propose a solution.
Messenger Education
Can You Hear Me Now?—Communicating with Spacecraft
Radio signals transmitted to Pluto take five hours to reach their destination! In these two activities, young scientists explore data communication in space. In activity one, pupils learn how data is gathered and sent back to Earth....
Messenger Education
Design Challenge: How to Keep Gelatin from Melting
The inside of the spacecraft Messenger, which explores Mercury, will experience temperatures from 32 to 91 degrees Fahrenheit. In the final installment of a series of four space-related activities, groups spend time discussing and...
Messenger Education
Design Challenge: How to Keep Items Cool in Boiling Water
Keeping items cool in boiling water... what? This engaging activity challenges high school learners to build a container that keeps butter in a solid state when placing the container in boiling water. Groups use previous knowledge and...
Teach Engineering
Close Encounters of the Polymer Kind
A PowerPoint presents features of polymers and two of its categories (thermoplastics and thermosets). Instructors conduct demonstrations to illustrate the Weissenberg Effect and the Barus & Kaye Effects of polymers in the first of...
NOAA
A Day in the Life of an Ocean Explorer
What's life like aboard an ocean exploration vessel? Junior oceanographers examine the important role of communication in ocean research in lesson plan two of a five-part series from NOAA. The materials introduce the class to life on...
Cornell University
Atomic Bonding
Explore the connection of surface area to bonding within atoms. Learners complete lab investigations to model changing surface area with different sizes and concentrations of atoms. A flour fireball demonstration follows the labs to...
Serendip
Cells as Molecular Factories
Cells are both made of molecules and make molecules all at the same time! An exploratory lesson provides a means for scholars to research the components of cells made of molecules and also investigate the molecule-producing power of...
DiscoverE
Design a Wind Turbine
Discover the power of wind energy. Learners design, build, and test wind blades in a hands-on experiment. They analyze the results to determine if they can make any improvements before gathering as a class to discuss their designs.
Open Colleges
Your Brain Map: Strategies for Accelerated Learning
The brain is a complex organ with many different structures and functions. An interactive diagram allows learners to explore the different structures while pop-ups describe their functions. Secondary interactives show the structures of...
Curated OER
El Salvador: How Can My Breakfast Harm the Birds?
Sixth graders explore how their food choices can have an impact on the rain forests. They examine coffee farming and how their techniques can harm birds in the rain forest. Students design two farms with sustainability of bird habits in...
Curated OER
Plastic Bag Pond
Young scholars investigate the pond water from a local water source. They collect the pond water from the bottom or near vegetation in order to obtain the best sample possible. Then they use microscopes in class in order to examine the...
Curated OER
Bounce Back - The Long and Short of It
Upper elementary scientists test basketballs with differing amounts of air to find if inflation affects bounce height. The lesson introduction poses the question of whether or not the composition of a ball determines bounce height, but...
Curated OER
Big Air Rules
Learners discuss projectile motion using a basketball player taking off for a slam dunk, a fly ball launched off a hitter's bat, and a snowboarder flying off a pipe as examples. The lesson is expanded by introducing the mathematical...
Curated OER
All Ears for Adaptation
Students discuss different characteristics that enable animals to adapt to their environments. They work in pairs with one partner standing about one foot behind the other partner and cup their hands around their ears with palms forward....
Curated OER
Refining the Why? Turning Student Questions into Research
Middle schoolers have years of experience when it comes to how their bodies work. Surely they have some questions as well. Here is an opportunity for them to practice the scientific method in an attempt to answer some of those questions....
Curated OER
Heat Transfer
Learners examine heat transfer using energy efficient houses. In this heat transfer lesson students calculate the heat that is transferred between a system and its surroundings.
Curated OER
Light It Up
Learners study day-lighting and other types of light bulbs that are used for energy efficiency. In this engineering lesson students study the light bulb parts and the light wavelength.
Curated OER
Alcoholic Fermentation in Yeast
Biology learners investigate the effect of sucrose concentration on yeast alcoholic fermentation. During the lesson,they compare and contrast the processes of cellular respiration and alcoholic fermentation. They design an experiment to...
Curated OER
X-Ray
A striking PowerPoint that presents the Yohkoh Telescope, some information about its construction, and the amazing x-ray images of the sun that have been captured. Specific information about the electromagnetic phenomena is given. This...
Serendip
How Mistakes in Cell Division Can Result in down Syndrome and Miscarriages
Some genetic conditions occur without being inherited. The distinction becomes the focus of the lesson. It details the process of cell division that results in trisomy on various chromosomes. A worksheet highlights the results including...
Curated OER
Goals, Interactions and Outcomes
Students recognize both sides of a dilemma through use of a Human Interaction Outline. In this Goals, Interactions and Outcome lesson, students create a diagram to show opposing views of fishermen and oil companies. Students evaluate...