Curated OER
Technology at Work
Students complete a research project. In this technology instructional activity, students discuss the term technology and when technology began. Students work in groups to brainstorm a list of the top ten technological...
TryEngineering
Computing in the Cloud
What and where is "the cloud"? The lesson teaches scholars about the history of cloud computing and about its current uses. It also teaches how to install a multiple guest OS in a host OS and how to use cloud computing services.
Curated OER
From Here to Technology
Middle schoolers, while in the computer lab, create a slide on an assigned topic that becomes part of a class presentation. They trace the evolution of the computer and identify the pioneers of technology and investigate the impact that...
National Woman's History Museum
Hedy Lamarr, An Inventive Mind
Hedy Lamarr led a double life. Best known as an actress, Lamarr was also a brilliant inventor, responsible for the technology found in Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth. After studying primary and secondary source materials, groups conduct an...
Curated OER
Heroes in History - ABC Book
Youngsters research information about people in history that we recognize as heroes. They write short biographies about their assigned heroes, and create an ABC book. This is an ambitious project becausev26 people must be chosen and...
Curated OER
Technology Blackout Day
Students describe the impact of modern technology inventions on daily life. They create a graph of the class's favorite item of technology and draw a picture of their favorite piece of modern technology.
Curated OER
Genealogy through Technology
Learners research their family history. In this genealogy instructional activity, students research their own family. Learners use storyboarding to organize their information. After gathering information students create a Powerpoint...
Code.org
Personal Innovations
Here's a resource designed to serve as an introduction to a computer science course. Groups brainstorm an innovation that may improve technology or use technology to solve a problem. The plan guides the teacher through the introduction...
Teach Engineering
A Simple Solution for the Circus
Class members are challenged to design a device that will move a circus elephant into a train car. Groups brainstorm ideas that use simple machines to load the elephant. They then choose one of their ideas, sketch a plan, and present it...
Teach Engineering
Bridging the Gaps
The London Bridge should not have fallen down. And here's why. After a brief history of bridges and the three main types, class members are introduce to the concepts of tension and compression, the two main forces acting upon bridges.
American Institute of Architects
Architecture: It's Elementary!—Fifth Grade
Young citizens construct an understanding of urban planning in this cross-curricular unit. Covering every aspect of city development from the political, economic, and social influences to sustainable building practices, this...
Curated OER
Family History
Students create photographic family histories. In this technology skills lesson, students create family trees with digital photographs that they take of the family members.
Curated OER
Making Cloth: The Impact of Technology
Students analyze and discuss several primary source documents that address the changes in technology that affected New England agricultural communities in the early 19th century. They also identify and discuss historical contexts for...
Henry Ford Museum
Physics, Technology and Engineering in Automobile Racing
Start your engines! This five-lesson unit introduces physics and Newton's laws through automobile racing. Each lesson includes background information, a student worksheet, and an answer key. There are also culminating...
Skyscraper Museum
Designing a Skyscraper
Besides serving as awe-inspiring monuments of human achievement, skyscrapers are built to perform a wide range of functions in urban communities. The second lesson in this series begins by exploring the history of the Empire State...
Curated OER
Go For the Gold!
Middle schoolers are introduced to the history of Greece and the Olympic Games and then research the history and sports in order to write a research paper. They make connections between the 2004 Olympics and the past Olympic Games and...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Get it Write
In an effort to practice engineering design, STEM classes break out into teams and endeavor to make a working ink pen. To prepare, they read about writing implements through history, patents, and viscosity of liquids. Armed with this...
Curated OER
Technology of Colonial America
By learning about the technology of Colonial America, students can gain a greater appreciation of history.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Cracking the Code
Some interesting reading on the history of barcodes opens this technology lesson plan. Readers find out how engineers contribute, and then they gather into groups to discuss possible improvements to our current UPC barcode system. Know...
Curated OER
Melba Pattillo and Ruby Bridges: Two Heroes of School Integration
Learners put themselves in the shoes of learners who integrated Little Rock High School in 1957-58. Note: The primary resources in this activity provide powerful and poignant descriptions of what those students faced.
NASA
The Wright Quest
A very impressive lesson plan on the Wright brothers and their place in aviation history. Learners discover many fascinating facts about the Wright brothers and their trials and errors regarding flight. Best of all, they get to build a...
Curated OER
Aboriginal Web Design
Students explore world history by participating in a web design activity. In this aboriginal history lesson, students discuss the different jobs associated with designing a web site and identify the types of media that are often shown on...
Curated OER
Preserving History for Illuminating Today's Values and Traditions
Students discover the value of oral history by creating their own audio recordings. In this traditions and customs lesson plan, students listen to a local historian discuss the idea of preserving history through oral traditions....
Curated OER
The Ups and Downs of Technology
Students create a visual timeline of skyscrapers built in the past 20 years. For this physical science lesson, students research important facts about the building. They discuss the challenges architects face when building skyscrapers.