TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Investigating Torque
This lesson focuses on torsion as a force acting upon structures. Students will have the opportunity to design something to withstand this force.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Soapy Stress
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...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: A House Is a House for Me
Students brainstorm and discuss the different types of materials used to build houses in various climates. Small models of houses are built and tested against different climates.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Load It Up!
Students take a hands-on look at the design of bridge piers (columns). First they brainstorm types of loads that might affect a Colorado bridge. Then they determine the maximum possible load for that scenario, and calculate the...
![Shake Proof Science: Engineering Earthquake Safe Structures [Pdf] Lesson Plan](https://d15y2dacu3jp90.cloudfront.net/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "Shake Proof Science: Engineering Earthquake Safe Structures [Pdf] Lesson Plan")
Other
Shake Proof Science: Engineering Earthquake Safe Structures [Pdf]
Lesson covering earthquake basics and designing structures that can withstand earthquakes. Learners are tasked with building earthquake-proof structures using marshmallows, spaghetti, and the option of bamboo skewers. These are then...
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: Building an Earthquake Resistant Structure
How can you use the engineering design process to build a structure that can stand up to an earthquake?
PBS
Pbs Kids:activities and Videos: Structures
PBS site provides videos and activities are hands-on challenges that focus on the engineering design process. They use simple materials, allow for multiple solutions, and are ideal for ages 9-12.
University of Houston
University of Houston: Engines of Our Ingenuity: No. 1499: Domesticating Animals
This article names six factors that must exist in order for a species to be domesticated by humans. Includes analysis of diet, growth rate, breeding, personality, disposition, and social structure. This is a transcript of an accompanying...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: The Leaning Tower of Pasta
Here's a project for a budding architect or structural engineer. Can you make a strong, lightweight tower using only uncooked spaghetti and white glue? In this project, you'll learn about materials testing and apply what you learn to...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Fallen Arches: The Surprising Strength of Eggshells
Arches have been used for structural engineering since ancient times. This experiment tests the strength of a naturally occurring arch shape: the shell of an egg. How much weight do you think an eggshell can support?
Science for Kids
Science Kids: Science Quizzes: Engineering Quiz
A ten-question trivia quiz on popular topics in engineering, e.g., famous structures.
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College: Mqed: Forces and Forms in Large Structures
The downloadable monograph investigates forces and forms in large structures. Three teaching units are included that explore bridge engineering.
TryEngineering
Try Engineering: Water Tower Challenge
Students learn about the engineering design process as they design, build, and test a water tower made with everyday items. The objective of the lesson is to work in teams to learn about water delivery systems and create one that will...
Ruth Patrick Science Education Center
Ruth Patrick Science Education Center: Shaking It Up With Earthquake Engineering
Students will learn basic information about earthquakes and their impact. They then follow the engineering design process as they construct earthquake-resistant buildings using toothpicks and marshmallows. The buildings are tested using...
Learn Engineering
Learn Engineering: Theory of Vibration
Did you know that some bridges have failed due to the effect of vibration? This article and video explore vibration and its importance in the design of civil structures and mechanical equipment. The article discusses all concepts covered...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The Fundamental Building Blocks of Matter
This lesson plan explores the fundamentals of atoms and their structure. The building blocks of matter (protons, electrons, neutrons) are covered in detail. Students think about how atoms and molecules can influence new technologies...