TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: From Sunlight to Electric Current
The lesson will first explore the concept of current in electrical circuits. Current will be defined as the flow of electrons. Photovoltaic (PV) cell properties will then be introduced. This will lead to the principle of "Conservation of...
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Open Course Ware: Courses: Electrical Engineering: Circuits and Electronics
College-level electrical engineering course highlighting circuits and electronics. This course introduces the fundamentals of the lumped circuit abstraction. Course features include video lectures, suggested readings, labs, lecture...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The Fundamental Building Blocks of Matter
This lesson plan explores the fundamentals of atoms and their structure. The building blocks of matter (protons, electrons, neutrons) are covered in detail. Students think about how atoms and molecules can influence new technologies...
NASA
Nasa: Innovative Engines
NASA's Glenn Research Center reports on its innovative engines program, namely ion propulsion, a technology that once only powered imaginary spacecraft in science fiction novels. It is now a reality.
National Academy of Engineering
Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century: Household Appliances
Learners investigate household appliances in the 20th century. Some topics explored are cooking, washing, and electronics. The resource consists of historical information, a timeline, and a personal essay by a key innovator.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Gumdrop Atoms
In this activity, students make a model of a lithium atom using gumdrops and toothpicks. Using this model, they investigate the makeup of an atom, including its relative size. Students also practice adding and subtracting electrons from...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Mixtures and Solutions
This unit covers introductory concepts of mixtures and solutions. Students think about how mixtures and solutions, and atoms and molecules can influence new technologies developed by engineers. The first lesson explores the fundamentals...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Our Bodies Have Computers and Sensors
Students learn about the human body's system components, specifically its sensory systems, nervous system and brain, while comparing them to robot system components, such as sensors and computers. The unit's life sciences-to-engineering...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Project Ideas: Learn to Design an Ion Engine
The goal of this electricity and electronics science fair project is to understand how ions are used to propel spacecraft in space, and to use a NASA online simulator to design your own ion engine. The Science Buddies project ideas are...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: That's Hot! Robot Brain Programming
With the challenge to program computers to mimic the human reaction after touching a hot object, students program LEGO robots to "react" and move back quickly once their touch sensors bump into something. By relating human senses to...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: How Does a Robot Work?
This lesson introduces electricity, batteries and motors using a LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT robot. The associated activity guides students to build a simple LEGO NXT set-up and see the practical implementation of the concepts discussed. Before...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: May the Magnetic Force Be With You
This instructional activity begins with a demonstration of the deflection of an electron beam. Students then review their knowledge of the cross product and the right hand rule with sample problems. After which, students study the...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Cellular Respiration and Bioremediation
Students learn about the basics of cellular respiration. They also learn about the application of cellular respiration to engineering and bioremediation. And, they are introduced to the process of bioremediation and examples of how...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Particle Sensing: The Coulter Counter
Students are presented with a short lesson on the Coulter principle, an electronic method to detect microscopic particles and determine their concentration in fluid. Depending on the focus of study, students can investigate the...
TryEngineering
Ieee: Try Engineering: Build Your Own Robot Arm
Learners design and build a working robotic arm from a set of everyday items with a goal of having the arm be able to pick up a Styrofoam cup. Working in teams of three or four students, the learners explore effective teamwork skills...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Designing a Thermostat
Students investigate circuits and their components by building a basic thermostat. They learn why key parts are necessary for the circuit to function, and alter the circuit to optimize the thermostat temperature range. They also gain an...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Electrical Engineering: Amplifiers
Amplifiers make signals bigger. Amplification is often the most basic operation of an electronic circuit. There are many kinds of amplifier designs. We will describe the operational amplifier, the building block of most analog electronics.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Static Cling
This hands-on activity explores the concept of static electricity. Students attract an O-shaped piece of cereal to a charged comb and watch the cereal jump away when it touches the comb. Students also observe Styrofoam pellets pulling...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Charge It!
Students use a balloon to perform several simple experiments to explore static electricity and charge polarization.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Build a Charge Detector
In this hands-on activity, students explore the electrical force that takes place between two objects. Each student builds an electroscope and uses the device to draw conclusions about objects' charge intensity. Students also determine...
Children's Books Online
Children's Books Online: The Fire Engine That Grew Too Old
"The Fire Engine that Grew Too Old", written in 1931 by Wallace Wadsworth, has been digitized and made available by the Rosetta Project. This 6 page book is appropriate for intermediate readers.
TryEngineering
Try Engineering: Flashlights and Batteries
Students work in teams to explore how a flashlight works. This activity examines the topics of batteries, electron flow, circuit systems, switches, and bulbs.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The Path of Electrons
Students engage in an interactive "hot potato" demonstration to gain an appreciation for the flow of electrons through a circuit. Students role play the different parts of a simple circuit and send small items representing electrons...
National Academy of Engineering
Greatest Engineering Achievements of the Twentieth Century: Electronics
Students learn about the revolution of electronics in the 20th century. The resource includes historical information, a timeline, and a personal electronics essay.