Grand Designs And Great Failures

Engineering enthusiasts are sure to explode in understanding as they practice the engineering design process (EDP). A container of "toxic popcorn" is placed in the classroom. Teams must work together to devise a method for removing it...

Using popsicle sticks and glue, groups must work together to design and build a bridge that can support weight and is aesthetically pleasing. The lesson begins by learners reading about different features of bridge architecture, followed...

This instructional activity certainly will not be a drag! Little engineers design parachutes that make use of air resistance and, as a result, slow the descent of the payload as much as possible. It is an opportunity to teach about many...

No matter what subject you're teaching, you'll find some fun and innovative ideas for using newspapers in your classroom with a helpful resource. Based on Getting the Most Out of Teaching with Newspapers by Rebecca Olien, the series of...

A tree shading an air conditioner can improve its efficiency up to 15 percent. In the activity, pupils work in groups to design a landscape after listening to a gardener speak to the class. Scale drawings and pictures of selected plants...

In order to make evidence-based claims, one must be able to draw explicit information from text. From here, learners take that information, analyze the text to develop a deeper understanding, and connect with the information in order to...

Dive into animation creation using Dreamworks® animated films. Compare and contrast characters, wonder and ponder why the plot is so important, and think of background and themes as your creativity unrolls onto paper.

Following the standard style of the publisher, this lesson begins with a reading excerpt on the topic. Learners read about different types of agricultural equipment and agricultural history. They then work in teams to engineer and test a...

Building to shake, rattle, and roll. Using a variety of easily found materials, class members design and build an earthquake-proof building that meets height, load, budget, and strength requirements. Instructors use the provided rubric...

This open-ended boat building exercise is meant to be part of a three-lesson plan 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...