Perkins School for the Blind
The Function of Villi in the Small Intestine
Ever wonder what the villi in the small intestine do? I bet your class would love to find out. Mesh netting is used to represent small blood vessels on the outside of the intestine, and a chenille bath mat is used to represent the villi...
Field Museum
The Case of Darwin's Finches
One of the most striking pieces of evidence for Darwin's Evolution of Species was his observations of finches and how their beaks differed from island to island, depending on their primary food sources. So what would happen to the theory...
Curated OER
Partitioning a Hexagon
The task at hand is to partition a hexagon into two, four, and eight congruent figures. Make sure to give your wizards a sheet of triangle grid paper on which to decompose the hexagons. Have them explain which rotations, reflections, or...
Curated OER
Estimating the Mean State Area
Seventh grade statisticians randomly select five states and then determine the mean area. The class then works together to create a dot plot of their results.
Curated OER
Two Triangles' Area
Need an activity for teaching the Pythagorean Theorem? Geometry juniors apply the Pythagorean theorem to two triangles to determine a final calculation.
National Endowment for the Humanities
A “New English” in Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”: A Common Core Exemplar
To examine the “New English” Chinua Achebe uses in Things Fall Apart, readers complete a series of worksheets that ask them to examine similes, proverbs, and African folktales contained in the novel. Individuals explain the meaning...
Fluence Learning
Writing an Argument: Innovation in America
Are American young people prepared to become tomorrow's leaders in technological innovation, or does an obsession with being cool sidetrack essential skills? That is the question freshmen and sophomores must address in a performance task...
Curated OER
Artist's Work/Artist's Voice: Louis I. Kahn
Students explore the process of construction and architecture. For this construction research lesson, students complete image based discussion activities and three related activities for architecture and design.
Curated OER
Chairs, Chairs, Everywhere...
Students generalize about a variety of designs of inventions. Students respond to a variety of visual designs. Students become aware of the multitude of design variations in everyday objects.
Curated OER
The Voting Booth
Students construct a "voting booth" to gather data using RCX programmable brick and touch sensors. They identify a survey question, construct the booth, and analyze the results by uploading data.
Curated OER
Modular Houses
Students, working in pairs, are presented with the problem. They are asked to design modular houses using four cubic modules, all the same size, which touch each other on complete faces. They must draw each of their houses on isometric...
Curated OER
The AM Radio: An Exploration of Communication Using Radio Waves
Students examine the components that are used to make a primitive AM radio. In circuit and radio construction students often are asked to assemble parts are or what function they perform. They examine each main component on an individual...
Curated OER
STRIPS 'N CURVES
Students make color selections and make sure they are aware of correct strata construction for this innovative combination of straight lines and gentle curves creates zingy but easy-to-make quilts.
Curated OER
Optical Illusion Machine
Students explore optical illusions. Using Legos, they construct and motorize a machine that has an axle that's geared up and geared down, complete a worksheet, and answer discussion questions.
Curated OER
A Letter to Armadillo
Third graders compose a postcard that includes a short letter, name, address, and postcard design.
Curated OER
Building on the Power of Your Ideas
Students examine a sculpture walkway by artist Jackie Ferrara and discuss the relationship of materials to function. They analyze the sculpture and answer discussion questions, and design and construct a model of a walkway for the school.
Curated OER
A Day in the Park
Fourth graders brainstorm a list of criteria for a quality recreation center. They draft a written proposal the center they plan to design. They write to persuade a land developer to hire their company.
Curated OER
What Structural Challenges Do Bridge Builders Face Today?
Students investigate the process of constructing a bridge. They study the meaning of structural force and draw pictures of examples. Students identify the types of building materials have been used in history to construct bridges and how...
Curated OER
Walls, Floors, Windows, and Doors
Students develop an understanding of how outer walls, doors and windows are added to construction. They examine the jobs of specific construction workers and how they bring the job to completion. They design a brick laying pattern.
Curated OER
Creating Communities
Pupils design a community with minimal environmental impact. They rate each other's community's presentation using the "Planning and Zoning Commission Rating Scale".
Curated OER
Teaching the Toki Kaku Dako
Students complete various readings and decorating, constructing, and flying a kite. They analyze how the parts of a system to together. Students comprehend the concept of area.
Curated OER
Examining Infiltration Rates of Various Soil Types
Students formulate their own hypothesis, determine which variables are important to test their hypothesis, design an experiment in which they collect data. They utilize instruments and tools to measure, calculate, and organize data.
Curated OER
Medicine Show
Students gather anecdotal evidence about various herbal remedies' abilities to cure ailments, develop hypotheses from these observations, and design scientifically valid experiments that could prove their suppositions.
Curated OER
How Fragile Is an Egg?
Students design a "container" for his/her egg to determine whether the egg remain intact when dropped from a predetermined height.