Sometimes, taking things apart is more fun than putting things together. Groups of learners participate in a reverse engineering activity. They dissect a device of their choosing to see how it works—great hands-on learning from the...

From play pumps that provide clean water to shoes made from trash, innovators change the world one invention at a time. After researching various inventions, young entrepreneurs develop their own. Extension opportunities include prompts...

Teams design and build a windmill, under budget, that can lift an object. The groups evaluate and reflect on their own design, then on those produced by other teams. The goal is to determine which design is the most...

What does the future of energy look like? Junior engineers collaborate to discover a solution to the global energy crisis during a very hands-on lesson. The unit focuses on learning through collaboration to develop a deep understanding...

To increase awareness and launch a discussion of consumerism, class members view What Would It Look Like, a 25 minute film of images that capture the global effects of the consumption of goods. Viewers make a list of the images that...

Where would society be without the innovations of Thomas Edison or Steve Jobs? Scholars explore what it means to have an innovative mindset. Working in small groups, pupils design a product or service to help solve a social,...

Have your advanced learners concoct a new soft drink, create a product name, slogan and jingle, and present their creation to another class. While originally designed for a German classroom, this plan could easily be adapted to another...

Students create a movie or slide show depicting a typical day at school through the eyes of a student. Students will use knowledge and experience to tell about events. Students will use multimedia to tell about events.

Twelfth graders explore the fascinating world of orchid production including propagation, care, culture, and finishing. They complete market research and design a production schedule for an orchid crop of their choice. They write a short...

Students examine the history of farming. In this environmental farming lesson, students explore the web and complete a variety of activities in order to understand the necessity of local, sustainable, and small farms for the future....

Fifty eye-catching pages contain six lessons about Roald Dahl's novel, Matilda. Each lesson has a theme and covers a different subject—literacy, social-emotional learning, science, and geography. Scholars analyze characters, examine...

Eleventh graders explore the design, manufacture and consumption of personal audio devices and cellular products. They examine the related issues, choices, and consequences in the global economy for such purchases. They research...

Fourth graders design a flag. In this social studies lesson, 4th graders discuss the basic principles of flags. Students research flags and flag designs. Students work in teams to design a flag using the computer.

Students consider the affects of space travel on the human body. In this human physiology lesson, students compare how the 5 different body systems work on Earth and in Space. Students then design a product that an astronaut could use as...

After reading up on the history of sports racquets, engineering teams design and construct a racquet for batting a Velcro-striped ball at a target. Teams evaluate their design by aiming for the target three times each and answering...

Electronic engineering hopefuls get hands-on with hand geometry and the technology of biometrics. After taking the appropriate measurement on their hands, they configure their personal hand geometry codes and compare them to classmates....

Every child's dream: stuffing as much candy into a bag as possible. Doing this, though, requires a nice sturdy bag. Scholars design the sturdiest bag they can and test the limits of those bag using a sweet treat!

Our final proposal for the cost of the bridge requested is ... In the last segment in a series of 10, pairs work together to develop a proposal for a city bridge design. The class completes a cost comparison between concrete and steel to...

A five-lesson unit challenges teams to design a complex to allow people to colonize the Moon. The teams first work in order to understand the challenge before becoming experts. Expert teams learn about different aspects needed to survive...

Discover how copying nature can be beneficial to humans. Scholars read articles about examples of biomimicry and its potential applications. Along the way, they learn about Nature's Nine Laws and how they relate to biomimicry. This is...

A well-designed lesson on the life cycle of the butterfly is here for you. In it, young scientists spend 45 minutes a day, for one school week, engaged in their study. They take nature walks, participate in activities in centers, listen...

When it comes to teaching writing, it helps to start small. A supplementary guide to A Writer's Guide to Powerful Paragraphs provides suggested activities to help writers craft a variety of paragraphs. Each assignment covers a...

Students discover how large national chain stores create product lines that appeal to Generation-Y consumers. After learning in-depth about Target's new Dorm Room line, students create their own Generation-Y inspired product line.

Students design a community and write a persuasive essay selling their design. In this community relations lesson plan, students learn about design concepts and use problem solving skills to design structures and events that will bring...