Making Cloth: The Impact of Technology

Some interesting reading on the history of barcodes opens this technology lesson. Readers find out how engineers contribute, and then they gather into groups to discuss possible improvements to our current UPC barcode system. Know that...

Schools generate a lot of trash. This lesson has groups collect data about the amount of trash that people generate at school over a period of time. They sort the trash and determine the amounts based upon type. The class determines the...

All of the people in your class would agree that life would be different without the invention of the telephone! Study Alexander Graham Bell's most famous and influential invention through the primary source document of his sketch of the...

Small groups research one of six recycling topics and collect data to develop a model. They then use the model to make predictions and draw inferences about the recycling trends of their materials and present their findings to the class. 

It's a delicate balance—using technology to improve our lives while still protecting the environment, and ourselves, from the hazards of technology use. Class members examine statistics about the increase in media use, complete a survey...

Watching is not the same as seeing. Transform viewers from passive watchers to active students of film with this 34-page packet, filled with lessons and activities that use Mr. Smith Goes to Washington to examine the technology, the...

Nano-nano! Nanotechnology can seem like it's from another planet! After learning about this tiny technology, collaborative groups experiment with how smaller particles affect chemical reactions. They do this by immersing a whole and a...

What was life really like in American during the Industrial Revolution? Middle and high schoolers explore tenement living, assembly lines, factory work, and the blossoming world of technology in a series of educational and engaging...

To prepare for the activity, STEM classes read about nanotechnology and the amazing properties of graphene. They collect a graphene sample from pencils, and then connect them into simple circuits to determine whether it makes a better...

After reading about the history and recycling of paper, creative crafters collaborate to think of a new process for making recycled paper. A complete teacher's guide and student worksheets are included. There is no written procedure for...