Curated OER
Lights Out!
Students examine static and current electricity, and discuss what their lives would be like without electricity. They listen to a teacher-led lecture about electrons and atoms, and explore static electricity using a comb or a balloon...
Curated OER
Cleaning Air with Balloons
Students examine how a pollutant recovery method functions in cleaning industrial air pollution. They listen to a teacher-led discussion, conduct an experiment with balloons, static electricity, and pepper, and observe and record the...
Curated OER
Forces and Graphing
Middle schoolers analyze graphs to determine relationships between variables and rates of change. They determine the basic concepts about static reaction forces. They determine the slope and equation of a line.
Curated OER
3RC (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Compost)
Students examine the effects of packaging decisions and the engineering advancements in packaging materials and waste management. They observe biodegradation in a model landfill.
DiscoverE
Oranges and Batteries
Orange you glad you can make circuits using fruit? Young electricians learn about electric circuits and electricity. As part of the lesson, they build a circuit with an orange and then with a banana.
Curated OER
Sliding and Stuttering
Young scholars measure frictional force existing between a moving cup and the surface it slides on. They conduct the experiment and answer discussion questions.
Curated OER
Tightrope Trials
Students research the concepts of center of mass and how to make different things balance. They make symmetrical cut-outs of different "creatures" and experiment with how they balance on a tightrope of string.
Curated OER
Charge It!
Young scholars complete an experiment using balloons to help them examine the concept of static electricity. They discover how engineers use this information to create better air filters for homes. They describe how to charge an...
Curated OER
Perching Parrot
Young scholars explore the concepts of center of mass and static equilibrium by seeing how non-symmetrical objects balance. They also analyze why all forces on an object must cancel out exactly for an object to be stationary.
Curated OER
TE Activity: Write On!
Students write a book, newspaper, or other chose published writing that explains the connection between engineering and the environment. They determine why engineers need to be good communicators.
Curated OER
Bobsled Challange
Students investigate the effects of materials on the friction between a "bobsled" and the track. They explore the effects of weight on the motion of the bobsled. Students design a bobsled for either fast or slow movement. They discuss...
Curated OER
Petro Products
In this petroleum products learning exercise, students are given the components of crude oil and they graph the various products found in a 50 gallon barrel. Students complete an activity to determine if they have collected cards that...
Curated OER
A Tour of Rome Fit for an Emperor
Students travel to Rome. In this geography skills lesson plan, students explore famous places in Rome with Google Earth tools. Students research the city of Rome and create touring brochures of the city from the perspectives of past...
Curated OER
Circle of Pong
Learners, in groups, use given materials to devise a way to deposit a ping-pong ball into a paper cup that is located in the middle of a 6-foot diameter circle, while standing outside the circle.
Teach Engineering
What is GIS?
Is GIS the real manifestation of Harry Potter's Marauders Map? Introduce your class to the history of geographic information systems (GIS), the technology that allows for easy use of spatial information, with a resource that teaches...
Curated OER
Magnet Circus
Students explore the properties of magnets by designing a device that can move as far as possible using only magnets to move it, and design a machine that will stay in motion for the greatest period of time.
Curated OER
Free Up the Ketchup!
Learners, in teams, use given materials and their knowledge of Newton's First Law to create a device that will remove a sticky ping pong ball from a 16-oz. cup (which represents ketchup stuck in a bottle.)
Curated OER
Freestanding Structures: A Tech Museum Floor Activity
Students attempt to design the tallest structure that they can with the given materials which are wooden dowels and rubber bands. They discuss the physics of their structure and how they would improve it the next time they built a...
Curated OER
Puttin' It All Together
Students explain the concepts of kinetic and potential energy and how it can change forms. For this energy, motion, and frictional forces lesson students participate in a hands on activity that includes calculating energy.
Curated OER
Spin Me a Story
Students examine the motif of spinning and weaving in myths and folktales. They read various myths, complete a WebQuest, develop a mind map of story elements, and write an original "spider" story.
Curated OER
What a Drag
Learners learn examples of friction and drag, and suggest ways to reduce the impact of these forces. The equation that governs common frictional forces is introduced, and during a hands-on activity, students experimentally measure a...
Curated OER
Basic Electromagnetism and Electromagnetic Induction
In this electromagnetism and electromagnetic induction activity, students answer 12 questions about electricity, about the magnetic fields in given diagrams, about the right-hand rule and about electric current and voltage in magnetic...
Curated OER
Pulleys
Students determine how to tell the difference between a simple system and a complex pulley system. Using pulleys, students build simple pulley systems to demonstrate the mechanical advantages of pulleys.
Curated OER
TE Activity: Build a Charge Detector
Pupils examine how electrical force takes place between two objects by building an electroscope. They apply the electroscope to determine an objects' charge intensity and to see what factors influence electric force.