Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Engineer a Dam
To begin the learning about dams, learners read (or are read to, depending on the age group) a passage about how dams work. Next, they work in groups to use the materials provided to build a small scale working dam. After the experience,...
Illinois Elementary School Association
Improv Exercises
Here's an eight-page packet that describes 70 different improv activities to use as warm ups for drama classes.
EngageNY
Building Background Knowledge: Learning About the Historical and Geographical Setting of Esperanza Rising (Chapter 1: “Aguascalientes, Mexico, 1924”)
Set up your class to read Esperanza Rising, by Pam Muñoz Ryan, through a class read-aloud and exploration of the setting. The detailed instructional activity outlines each step. First, class members read over the first few pages and...
Curated OER
Building a School Model: An Academic Challenge
First and second graders explore aspects of design. They discuss and design the ideal classroom building complete with window and door placement. Additionally, students observe and note features found in neighboring classrooms as...
National Arts Centre
Create a Set Design
Groups create a set for a play or story they select, build a model, and share their stage with the class. The team explains the rationale for their choices and the mood they feel their staging creates.
Bonneville
Design and Engineer Solutions
What's the best way to collect all that trash? A culminating activity has scholars use the knowledge and skills from the unit to design a solution to the plastic trash island problem. They use 3-D pens or a 3-D printer to build models of...
Teach Engineering
The Great Gravity Escape
Groups simulate an orbit using a piece of string and a water balloon. Individuals spin in a circular path and calculate the balloon's velocity when the clothes pin can no longer hold onto the balloon.
Illustrative Mathematics
Making a Clock
Have a fun time teaching children to read analog clocks with this whole-group math activity. Using large sets of the numerals 1-12 and 0, 5, 10...55, the teacher creates a large clock on either the carpet or the white board, explaining...
Curated OER
Hazards: Fourth Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Learn about damage associated with earthquakes and materials that best withstand a quake. A lab engages class members in the experimental design and construction of sturdy structures that can endure various earthquake...
Science Matters
Digestive System Simulation
What do a sandwich bag and a mouth have in common? Your classes are about to find out in a hands-on lesson plan that has groups build models of the digestive system. Using a little imagination, learners use everyday materials to create a...
Curated OER
What Floats Your Boat?
This open-ended boat building exercise is meant to be part of a three-lesson series on ships. Links to the other two lessons are included. This particular part is mostly a group lab activity in which they build a boat, find its load line...
Curated OER
Building Challenges
Students work together to complete different building challenges. They use prior knowledge to build tunnels and different types of bridges. They share their creations with the group.
Curated OER
Tower Building Challenge- Budgeting
For this tower building and budgeting worksheet, learners attempt to meet the goal of building the tallest free standing structure on the smallest budget. They build the structures with straw, paper clips, and masking tape which all have...
Mascil Project
Sports Physiology and Statistics
If I want to build up my heart, where should I start? Science scholars use statistics in a sports physiology setting during an insightful experiment. Groups measure resting and active heart rates and develop a scatter plot that shows the...
Smithsonian Institution
Who's in Camp?
Pupils complete readings, a group activity using cards, and a writing activity to better understand people's lives during the American Revolution. The resource emphasizes people such as the militiamen, women, officers, and children,...
DiscoverE
Slender Tower Challenge
Looking for an engineering project that will tower above the rest? Try a design experiment that has built-in fun! Groups examine a variety of skyscraper designs, then compete to create their own slender towers. The teacher's guide is...
Phantom of Opera
The Phantom of the Opera: Ideas for Research and Discussion
You could spend a full day discussing The Phantom of the Opera and not scratch the surface, but a set of lessons about the literary elements and themes of the musical production is a great start. Young thespians build upon the...
Core Knowledge Foundation
Seasons and Weather: Supplemental Guide
From warm summer days to cold winter nights, this 10-lesson unit takes children on an exploration of seasons. Using the included reading passages and images, a series of read-aloud lessons and vocabulary activities...
Curated OER
Science to Build On
Learners 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
Teamwork and Challenge/ Challenge Activities
Students work in teams to complete various movements. In this movement lesson, students listen, make decisions and act as leaders through a variety of physical activities.
Curated OER
Building a Straw Power Tower
Students build a tower out of straws. In this engineering lesson, students build a tower of straws that must be at least 58 cm tall. The goal is to be the group whose tower can support the most pennies. This lesson gives students the...
Curated OER
Protecting the Environment Through Civic Activism
Students discuss how to protect the environment through civic activism. They watch a video about someone who stood up to the government to protect the environment. They also identify something in their community that could be improved.
NASA
Egg Drop Lander
You have to crack a few eggs to make a good engineer! Working in small groups, young scholars design, build, and test devices that protect an egg from breaking when dropped from a ladder.
Curated OER
Building Background
Students, in groups, define qualities of friends and leaders. The groups define how far a friend or leader should go to protect their friendship or country. They research Julius Caesar, Marc Anotony and Shakespeare and read Julius Caesar.