Curated OER
Copper Sheet Boxes: Artistic Engineering
Secondary artists create a metal box made from copper tooling foil and solid oil paint sticks (Shiva Paintstiks). The exacting design develops organizational principles and the painted finish allows for individual expression of...
Curated OER
Measuring Precipitation
A little engineering design is mixed into this lesson on precipitation measurement. Groups plan and construct a rain gauge, and use it to collect precipitation. As part of the PowerPoint presentation, learners view a satellite map of...
Curated OER
Cleaning Up With Decomposers
Students read and discuss decomposers and how they affect the environment. In this decomposers lesson plan, students also discuss how engineers use decomposers to help the environment.
Curated OER
WINDMILLS: PUTTING WIND ENERGY TO WORK
Learners review the engineering design process and discuss a variety of windmills, focusing on the different materials used in the construction and the type of work each windmill does and they use simple materials to build their own...
Curated OER
Biomedical Engineering: Wacky Shoes
Students create 'wacky' shoes as a part of a biomedical engineering activity. In this bioengineering lesson, students investigate old shoes cut in half and discuss the purpose of each shoe layer. Students use a shoe template to design...
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
A Tale of Two Houses
Does it cost more per year to heat Bill's home in North Dakota or to cool Bubba's home in Georgia? Using heat transfer concepts, mathematical equations, and critical thinking skills, young engineers work in groups to determine who is...
Curated OER
Build Working Models With household Items
Students follow the illustration, and cut out foam board according to the pattern. They assemble the small parts by gluing. Once the glue is dry, students tape the end of the bottom and top clipper boards, they slide toothpicks through...
Curated OER
Future Engineers: Tools for Success
Seventh graders create and engineer model transportation vehicles using crafting materials. They use technical drawing to develop their ideas and choose the appropriate tools and processes during the manufacturing of their designs. They...
Curated OER
Science to Build On
Students examine how professionals use science to solve practical problems. In this scientific process students divide into groups and complete a class activity on building strategies.
Curated OER
Scooting Along!
Students investigate how Newton's Third Law affects vehicle design. In this Newton's Third Law instructional activity, students use a web site to research Newton, his third law, and how to design a vehicle that uses a balloon for power....
Curated OER
EGG-cellent POLYMER PACKAGING DESIGN
Young scholars investigate the concept of a polymer using an experimental design of protecting an egg in a bookbag. They test the properties of polymers and form an educated solution to the proposed problem. Then they describe the steps...
Curated OER
Build a Robot Arm
Students work in teams to design and build a working robotic arm using everyday items. In this building robots lesson students develop an understanding of design processes and the impact that technology has in manufacturing.
Curated OER
Animals and Engineering
Students study animal classification and their interactions. In this animals and engineering lesson students study animal communities and how engineers use this knowledge to create new technologies.
Curated OER
Inventions
Young scholars study invention steps and design their own invention. In this invention lesson, students discuss inventions and the process of inventing. Studnets write in an inventor's journal and study various types of inventions. Young...
Curated OER
Design and Construct A Road Sign Support
High schoolers use simple materials to design, build, and test a model of a free-standing structure used to support overhead road signs. Students view a video on the engineering design process and conduct research by observing actual...
Curated OER
Cement and Concrete Engineering
Young scholars explain the components of the engineering design process. In groups, they identify the materials that make concrete and practice curing cement using the various methods available. They develop a graph showing the amount...
NASA
Roving on the Moon
Take a rover out for a test drive. The challenge is to build a rubber-band-powered rover out of cardboard. Individuals or groups work at making modifications to a prototype rover to increase its efficiency.
Teach Engineering
Cost Comparisons
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...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Wind Tunnel Testing
One of the factors that automotive engineers must consider is wind drag. The less wind drag, the more efficient the car will be. They perform many tests in wind tunnels, then refine their designs and test again. Using simple materials,...
Teach Engineering
All About Linear Programming
Class members connect engineering with an understanding of linear programming using a technical resource. Scholars learn about linear programming (linear optimization) and how it applies to engineering design in the first of two modules....
Discovery Education
Hurricane Force
It's important to make sure houses can withstand winds. A hands-on activity has learners create a structure out of household materials. They use a fan to simulate hurricane-force winds to see if their structures can withstand the...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
A Century of Plastics
After reading about polymer materials, engineer trainees examine how plastics have been integrated into everyday products. In groups, they compile a list of products made entirely without plastics and then, as a closing activity, try to...
DiscoverE
Rocket-Powered Ski Lift
If a ski lift had rockets, imagine how fast it would be! Scholars let their imaginations take flight as they build models for such a ski lift. Rather than using a rocket, though, they'll use a much safer balloon as the power source.
Rochester Institue of Technology
Meal Picking
Scholars explore systems design and its relation to meal picking by using computer simulations to test systems designs. They learn about the Pick-to-Light System and calculate average picking times.