Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

A Good Foundation

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
It takes a strong foundation to build a house and a stronger one for a bridge. This resource presents the effects of geology and soil on bridge foundations. Working in groups, the class investigates the interaction of shallow and deep...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Rock Jeopardy!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students reinforce their understanding of rocks, the rock cycle, and geotechnical engineering by playing a trivia game. They work in groups to prepare Jeopardy-type trivia questions (answers) and compete against each other to demonstrate...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Soil Core Sampling

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students learn about one method used in environmental site assessments. They practice soil sampling by creating soil cores, studying soil profiles and characterizing soil profiles in borehole logs. They use their analysis to make...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Does Media Matter? Infiltration Rates and Storage Capacities

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students gain a basic understanding of the properties of media- soil, sand, compost, gravel- and how these materials affect the movement of water (infiltration/percolation) into and below the surface of the ground.
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Rocks, Rocks, Rocks

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students test rocks to identify their physical properties (such as luster, hardness, color, etc.) and classify them as igneous, metamorphic or sedimentary. They complete a worksheet table to record all of the rock properties, and then...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: How Dense Are You Lab

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students determine the mass and volume of soil samples and calculate the density of the soils. They use this information to determine the suitability of the soil to support a building foundation.
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Soapy Stress

For Teachers 9th - 10th
To experience the three types of material stress related to rocks - tensional, compressional and shear - students break bars of soap using only their hands. They apply force created by the muscles in their own hands to put pressure on...
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Building Structures: It's a Slippery Slope

For Students 6th - 8th
All structures require a foundation to keep them from falling down. This is especially important when a structure is built on a hill or on a slope. In this science project, you will build a tower of Lego Duplos on slopes with different...