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Water Resources Engineering
Students illustrate the chemical differences between surface and tap-water. They investigate the common chemical and physical parameters relevant for water quality and gain hands on experience with water quality testing.
They enhance...
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TE Lesson: What to Wear? What to Drink? Weather Patterns and Climatic Regions
Students examine how climate affects lifestyle, clothing choices, food, and water sources. They explore climatic regions such as tropical, desert, coastal, and alpine situations. They look at the longitude and latitude, land features and...
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Fast Cars and Roll-Over
Students creat a ramp using cardboard and tape. They follow directions to perform an experiment to determine the degree of tilt needed to cause an empty milk carton to tip over. Students discuss their results in terms of center of gravity.
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Keep In Touch: Communications and Satellites
Fourth graders explore communications by reading assigned space science text. In this satellite lesson, 4th graders identify the concept of orbiting and examine gravitational pull by viewing diagrams. Students are assessed based on...
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Patterns, Functions, and Algebra: Wired for Space
Students assess how patterns, functions and algebra can assist NASA engineers design new ways of propelling spacecrafts. They explore how electricity and magnetism are replacing the fuel-consuming rocket propulsion. Electromagnetism is...
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Where Am I - Navigation and Satellites
Students explore geography by completing a navigation activity in class. In this satellite positioning activity, students define terms such as orbit, satellite, GPS and triangulation. Students view diagrams of the Earth's orbit and...
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Taking the Heat
Students measure the heat absorbed by different materials and learn why engineers need to know how different materials story thermal energy when designing buildings. In this heat capacity lesson plan, students use a thermometer to...
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Rubber Band Racers
Students create rubber band band powered cars. In this engineering lesson, students are given common materials in order to create their own car. They measure distance and speed of different designs.
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Engineering - Solid Rock to Building Block
Students role-play as engineers designing wedge tools. They devise methods for shaping quarry rocks into pyramid blocks. Following a teacher demonstration, they use materials such as soap, clay, and foam for blocks and wood, plastic,...
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Gingerbread Architecture: An Exploration and Engineering
Eighth graders design and build a gingerbread house. In this technology activity, 8th graders research the important components of a house. They evaluate the strength of their design and suggest modifications when necessary.
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3RC (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Compost)
Students examine the effects of packaging decisions and the engineering advancements in packaging materials and waste management. They observe biodegradation in a model landfill.
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Functions and Statistics: International Space Station: Up to Us
Students explore how the International Space Station was built and how it provides first-hand experiences with the space program. They view the NASA engineers discussing the major components of the International Space Station, their...
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Floating and Falling Flows
Students discover fluid dynamics related to buoyancy through experimentation and optional photography. Using one set of fluids, they make light fluids rise through denser fluids. Using another set, they make dense fluids sink through a...
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Topos, Compasses, and Triangles, Oh My!
Students triangulate using a compass, topographical (topo) map and a view of outside landmarks. They take a field trip to another location away from school and mark discernible landmarks (like mountains or radio towers) and changes in...
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Suspension Bridge Building
Students build a model of a suspension bridge and test the amount of weight it will support. In this engineering lesson, students study types of bridges and attempt to construct a suspension bridge shown in a diagram. They use string and...
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Binary and Communication Systems
Students participate in an activity that introduces them to the concept of binary coding as a language. They decode messages using special boards that has its own code for different letters. They create new codes by rearranging wires...
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Sports Helmets and Impact Testing of Polymers
Students examine the importance of good quality safety gear. In this investigative lesson plan, students will tests various polymers, collect data, and analyze the data to determine which polymer is best for safety helmets. They will...
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The Sun: Earth's External Heat Engine Part 1 of the Astronomy Model
Students become familiar with the variables that control Earth's solar energy supply. They explore the source and nature of solar energy, the genesis of radiation, and the structrue of the Sun, gas spectra are observed and sample...
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TE Activity: Yeast Cells Respire, Too (But Not Like Me and You)
Student observe and quantify the respiration that occurs in yeast-molasses cultures. They complete an effective experiment in order to examine how to think critically about the results.
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Biotechnology and The Chocolate Milk Cow
Students discuss new discoveries that have resulted from the use of recombinant DNA technology and otehr biotechnology. In groups, they create a transgenic cow capable of producing chocolate-flavored milk.
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Industrial Revolution in America: Exploring the Effects of the Heat Engine on the Growth of Cities
Eighth graders examine the reasons for the growth of cities in North American. Using the internet, they research the causes and effects of the Industrial Revolution and determine if the growth of cities is a sign of progress. They...
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Cosmic Rays and Solar Cells
In this cosmic rays and solar cells worksheet, students read about how cosmic rays damage the electrical output of solar cells over time on satellites. Students use a graph of the solar power output compared to the year for the SOHO...
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The Power of PV: Measuring the Power and Energy of Photovoltaic System
Students explore photovoltaic systems. In this alternative energy lesson, students calculate solar panel efficiency and convert devices to solar energy using photovoltaic cells.
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Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination
Learners describe the complementary relationships between pollinators and the plants they pollinate, identify adaptations that flowers have developed to "encourage" pollination, and create and draw their own "designer" flowers.