Teach Engineering
Solar Water: Heat it Up!
Young engineers are instructed to design and build their own solar water heaters. Then, they calculate the efficiency and cost and compare them to commercially available models. This is a full unit for pupils to apply their knowledge.
Curated OER
A River Ran Through It
Pupils research how water is used to generate electricity. They investigate water's potential-to-kinetic energy transfer in hands-on activities about falling water and waterwheels. They take measurements, calculate averages and graph...
Bonneville
Manipulating Design Variables on Solar Heaters
Always strive to make things better. The second of three activities in the Experimenting with Solar Heaters unit has learners design new solar heaters that are more effective compared to the simple models they used in the previous...
Curated OER
Thermodynamics
In this thermodynamics worksheet, students answer 12 questions about energy, conduction, convection and radiation, heat, the conservation of energy and atoms at different temperatures.
Discovery Education
Drive it Green
Explore and brainstorm innovations for cars with a STEM lesson that asks scholars to weigh different options when considering when buying a car. They research the fuel efficiency and carbon emissions for various options, and then design...
Curated OER
Alternative Energy
High schoolers identify the five major alternative energy sources. In this physical science lesson, students assess the advantages and disadvantages for each type of energy. They complete a concept map using information they researched.
Curated OER
Efficiency
Fourth graders work cooperatively to investigate the efficiency of various household appliances. They share their findings in three to five minute oral presentations.
It's About Time
Building an Electric Motor
Rev your motor with a hands-on activity about electricity. Learners build their own electric motor before reading a handout and answering some questions.
Beyond Benign
What's In a Window?
Take a peek inside a window to heat efficiency. Scholars watch a demonstration to investigate how heat dissipates from several different cups of hot water. Scholars then relate the exchange to how heat escapes from the windows of a...
Curated OER
Pendulum Power
Eighth graders study the Law of Conservation of Energy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics. they create a pendulum out of either a rope with a bowling ball or barbell tied to one end.
Curated OER
Heat Unit
Students define thermal equilibrium. They distinguish between internal energy and heat. Students describe how the quantity of heat that enters or leaves a substance is measured.
Teach Engineering
Insulation Materials Investigation
Don't melt away! Pairs investigate different insulation materials to determine which one is better than the others. Using a low-temp heat plate, the teams insulate an ice cube from the heat source with a variety of substances. They...
Curated OER
Waves, Sound, and Light
Ninth graders explain waves in terms of energy transfer and describe their basic types and characteristics. They solve mathematical problems involving wavelength and frequency. Students conduct experiments in reflection and refraction.
Teach Engineering
How Hot is Hot?
Elementary schoolers identify the three methods of heat transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation. The lesson is mostly lecture-based. When the teacher has finished the presentation, groups of pupils get into teams and they must...
Curated OER
The Point is to Make ATP
Storing and transferring energy is explained here with reference to the fight or flight response, along with the need for activity in times of lowered nutrition. This is a great summary of ATP applications, and after the multiple stages...
Curated OER
Completing the Circuit
Students use a battery, wires, small light bulb and a light bulb holder to learn the difference between an open circuit and a closed circuit, and understand that electric current only occurs in a closed circuit. They describe the...
EarthEcho International
Investigating How Electricity is Generated
What is the real cost of electricity? The real cost is not just the price you pay, but the environmental and economic costs as well. Scholars build, use, and judge the effectiveness of a turbine. They also investigate the environmental...
DiscoverE
Keep-a-Cube
Waxed paper, newspaper, or aluminum foil? Keeping an ice cube from melting may require one or more of these materials. Learners design a box that will provide insulation so an ice cube stays intact for at least 90 minutes.
Curated OER
Solar Oven
Sixth graders design two different solar ovens to learn about heat transfer. They investigate the movement of heat between objects by conduction, convection, and radiation. They become aware of things they can't control, like the...
Curated OER
Backpacks and Hills
This machines PowerPoint reviews effort and force in relation to work and informs students about different types of machines and the different ways forces are applied and how they work to increase efficiency.
Curated OER
Snack Attack: Food Packaging Activity
Students design and create packaging material for food. For this snack attack lesson, students design a package to protect a food item from heat and water. Students consider costs of materials, design, and test the package to see if it...
Curated OER
Two-Cell Battery
Students build their own two-cell battery and determine which electrolyte solution is best suited for making a battery. They discuss background information for their experiment, construct and test their battery, and using the chart on...
Curated OER
Applied Science - Technology (1B) Pre Lab
First graders explore simple machines. In this technology lesson, 1st graders review pulleys, levers, wedges, and ramps. They experiment with lifting items with and without these simple machines.
Curated OER
Water Cycle
Third graders define and discuss evaporation, precipitation, condensation, and collection, color web pages to illustrate Water Cycle book, listen to stories about Water Cycle, play trivia game to demonstrate knowledge of what they...