DiscoverE
Design a Wind Turbine
Discover the power of wind energy. Learners design, build, and test wind blades in a hands-on experiment. They analyze the results to determine if they can make any improvements before gathering as a class to discuss their designs.
Teach Engineering
Copycat Engineers
It's often said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Young engineers learn about biomimicry, which uses nature to generate engineering ideas, in the fifth lesson of nine in a Life Science unit. Working in groups, they select...
Discovery Education
Make it all Better!
Discover how innovations can help your school and community. In the three-part STEM lesson plan, scholars learn the meaning of innovation and brainstorm innovations in their schools. They identify issues in their communities and think of...
Teach Engineering
Manned Mission to Mars
To go or to not to go — the question for a mission to Mars. This resource provides details for a possible manned mission to Mars. Details include a launch schedule, what life would be like on the surface, and how the astronauts would...
North Carolina State University
Construction
Engineering design projects serve as great opportunities for collaborative problem solving. In this case, learners work in small groups designing, building, and eventually testing a structure that meets a teacher-specified objective. It...
NASA
Feel the Heat
Pupils examine how solar energy can supply power and heat on the lunar surface. As groups design and build a solar-powered water heating system, they test their system to determine the change in temperature of the water and redesign it...
Curated OER
Survival in Antarctica
Explore the harsh climate of Antarctica and its wildlife. Participate in experiments to determine how humans survive in the continent's climate, and address the difficulties faced by scientists.
Curated OER
Strong as the Weakest Link
Young scholars recognize that compression and tension forces are important considerations in building structures. They construct their own building structure using marshmellows and spaghetti to see which structure can hold the most weight.
Perkins School for the Blind
Conductors of Heat - Hot Spoons
Why is the end of a spoon hot when it's not all the way in the hot water? A great question deserves a great answer, and learners with visual impairments will use their auditory and tactile senses to get that answer. A talking...
Teach Engineering
A Shot Under Pressure
You've got to pump it up! Using the equations for projectile motion and Bernoulli's Principle, class members calculate the water pressure in a water gun. The pupils collect data on the number of pumps and distance traveled in order to...
Teach Engineering
Earthquakes Living Lab: Finding Epicenters and Measuring Magnitudes
Pairs use an online simulation to determine the epicenter and magnitude of an earthquake. Using real data about the earthquake's maximum S wave amplitudes, they then determine the magnitude. The resource provides a great career...
Curated OER
What Does It Do? Parts of the Computer
This is a nice introduction for first graders to parts of the computer. It includes several resource links to PowerPoints to show the class. There is one activity for the class to do. This is a basic introduction, and could definitely be...
Curated OER
Keeping Our Pets Safe In An Emergency
Young scholars fill out worksheets that teach them how to prepare for emergency situations and how to enable animal safety in emergency situations. In this emergency lesson plan, students talk about different kinds of emergencies and how...
Nuffield Foundation
Investigating Enzymes Used in Laundry Detergent
It's a win-win situation: learn about enzymes and get clean clothes, too. Young scientists add enzymes to a dilution of laundry detergent. They apply them to stained fabrics to determine the effectiveness of the enzyme-filled detergents.
Carnegie Mellon University
Consumer Preferences in Lighting
What is a watt? This tongue-twisting, mind-bending question and others are answered through this instructional activity on the different lighting options available. With the support of a PowerPoint, teach your physical science class...
Teach Engineering
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
The capstone lesson in a 14-part series focuses on the basics of magnetic resonance imaging and the hardware of the machines. Pupils use this information and the material learned throughout the unit to develop a presentation on safety...
Facebook
Cybersecurity, Phishing, and Spam
Take a serious look at an equally serious topic! Security scholars explore and discuss the methods hackers use to gain access to personal information during a well-written digital citizenship activity. Part of an extensive series, the...
Curated OER
School Safety Survey Project
Students investigate safety issues at school. In this citizenship lesson, students discuss things they are fearful of at school. Students then conduct a school survey asking what others are fearful of.
Curated OER
Safety First
Fourth graders engage in a lesson which provides a better understanding of safety rules outlined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. They submit a written report from the Safety Briefing Handout which summarizes the key...
Curated OER
Implementing Technology
Students gain basic insight to technology of the computer, study ethical responsibility, and develop positive attitudes toward the technology. Students know what the basic key functions are on the keyboard and how to use them properly....
Curated OER
Hydrogen Peroxide Analysis
A scenario is presented for chemistry techs to address. Using titration techniques, they must analyze hydrogen peroxide solution samples. They evaluate accuracy and precision in the process. They also gain experience consulting the MSDS...
Google
Be Internet Awesome
Teach the qualities of a digitally smart citizen with a set of lesson plans created by Google. Along with creating strong passwords, learners explore how to protect their privacy, when to stand up for others against cyberbullying, and...
Curated OER
Science-Observation Skill Builders
Pupils explore observation while making connections between observation skills and careers (like how farmers observe the weather). They view a variety of nature photographs on the computer and practice their observation skills by...
Curated OER
Safety Pamphlet
Middle schoolers create a safety pamphlet using material gathered from the internet. They create and format text and clip art boxes and proofread the material. They share their pamphlet with the class.