Lesson Planet
Search educational resources
  • Sign In Try It Free
  • AI Teacher Tools
    • Discover Resources Search reviewed educational resources by keyword, subject, grade, type, and more
    • Curriculum Manager (My Content) Manage saved and uploaded resources and folders To Access the Curriculum Manager Sign In or Join Now
    • Browse Resource Directory Browse educational resources by subject and topic
    • Curriculum Calendar Explore curriculum resources by date
    • Lesson Planning Articles Timely and inspiring teaching ideas that you can apply in your classroom
    • Our Story
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Testimonials
    • Contact Us
  • Pricing
  • School Access
    • Your school or district can sign up for Lesson Planet — with no cost to teachers
      Learn More
  • Sign In
  • Try It Free

Hi, what do you want to do?

Create a lesson plan
Create a lesson plan
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Find a teaching resource
Find a teaching resource
Self-Assembly: The Power of Organizing the Unorganized Instructional VideoSelf-Assembly: The Power of Organizing the Unorganized Instructional Video
Publisher
TED-Ed
Resource Details
Curator Rating
Educator Rating
Not yet Rated
Grade
9th - Higher Ed
Subjects
Science
6 more...
Resource Type
Instructional Videos
Media Length
3:42
Audiences
For Teacher Use
1 more...
Instructional Strategies
Direct Instruction
2 more...
Technology
Video
Projection
Internet Access
Accessibility
Closed Captions
1 more...
Year
2013
Usage Permissions
Fine Print
Instructional Video

Self-Assembly: The Power of Organizing the Unorganized

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This Self-Assembly: The Power of Organizing the Unorganized instructional video also includes:
  • Think
  • Discuss
  • Answer Key
  • Join to access all included materials

What if buildings could grow, adapt, and repair themselves like a living organism? Using the process of self-assembly, this crazy idea may one day become a reality. The video looks at how unordered parts interact with one another and create organized structures completely on their own. Though rather abstract, this phenomenon can be seen in the structure of atoms and molecules, the formation of solar systems and galaxies, and in the cellular processes within our own bodies. A supplement for lessons on a variety of topics including chemical bonding, magnetism, gravitational force, engineering design, and cellular biology.

40 Views 21 Downloads
CCSS: Adaptable

Concepts

magnetism, magnets, atomic structure

Additional Tags

organized structures, self-assembly, natural order, magnetism, atomic bonding, galaxy formation, solar system formation, new technologies, atomic structure, molecular arrangement, planet formation, science

Pros

  • Provides numerous examples demonstrating the process of self-assembly
  • Draws connections between biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering
  • Allows teacher to customize a lesson to focus on specific learning objectives

Cons

  • Academic vocabulary may be challenging for younger high school students
  • Requires background knowledge of general biology and chemistry
  • Video is short, giving only a brief overview of self-assembly 

Common Core

SL.9-10.3 SL.11-12.3

See similar resources:

Lesson Plan

Drawing Lewis Structures

Curated OER
In this drawing Lewis structures worksheet, students read about the 5 steps taken to draw Lewis structures for atoms and molecules. These include identifying the valence electrons, placing pairs of electrons between atoms to be bonded,...
12th - Higher Ed Science
Worksheet

Atomic Structure Worksheet

Shelby County Schools
Teaching young scientists about atoms is no small task, but this series of worksheets will make it a little easier. From creating and labeling Bohr models, to identifying information provided in the periodic table of elements,...
7th - 12th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Lesson Plan

Esters: An Introduction to Organic Chemistry Reactions

Chymist
Scratch and sniff an introduction to organic chemical reactions. A creative lesson has individuals study the esters commonly used in scratch-and-sniff stickers and advertisements. Following the lab procedure, scholars create the organic...
9th - 12th Science
PPT

Atomic Structure

Curated OER
This is a basic presentation that can be used to introduce your budding chemists to the structure of an atom. It gives step-by-step examples of a few atoms, showing their particles as well as their chemical formulas and the associated...
4th - 9th Science
PPT

Atomic Structure

Curated OER
The first nine slides visit the history of our understanding of atoms. The next several outline the structure of atoms. Subatomic particles, electron configuration, and diagramming methods are introduced. This is a neatly organized...
7th - 12th Science
Instructional Video

Introduction to the Atom

Curated OER
Sal does a phenomenal job introducing students to the atom, and the history that goes along with how we understand and view atoms today. Students are introduced to the atomic number, and how elements are organized into the periodic table...
21 mins 7th - 10th Science
Interactive

Concord Consortium: Stem Resources: Molecular Self Assembly

Concord Consortium
A series of science simulations exploring how molecules assemble themselves and how scientists are learning to engineer their structure. Students will discover what patterns molecules form with interactive lessons. At the end there is a...
9th - 10th Science
Interactive

Atom and Ion Builder

Concord Consortium
Explore and control the building blocks of atoms! Physical science superstars add and remove subatomic particles to create atoms and ions with an easy-to-use interactive. An alternate activity includes an assignment that focuses on the...
6th - 12th Science
Unit Plan

Ted: Ted Ed: Self Assembly: The Power of Organizing the Unorganized

TED Talks
From something as familiar as our bodies to things vast as the formation of galaxies, we can observe the process of self-assembly, or when unordered parts come together in an organized structure. Skylar Tibbits explains how we see...
9th - 10th Science
Interactive

Atoms to Molecules: Constructing Helium

CK-12 Foundation
Protons and neutrons and electrons, oh my! Physical science scholars get hands-on with interactive atomic modeling. Starting with a simple helium atom, participants create and name ions, then build isotopes. Questions throughout the...
7th - 9th Science
Try It Free
© 1999-2026 Learning Explorer, Inc.
Teacher Lesson Plans, Worksheets and Resources

Sign up for the Lesson Planet Monthly Newsletter

Open Educational Resources (OER)

  • Health
  • Language Arts
  • Languages
  • Math
  • Physical Education
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Special Education
  • Visual and Performing Arts
View All Lesson Plans

Discover Resources

  • Our Review Process
  • How it Works
  • How to Search
  • Create a Collection

Manage Curriculum

  • Edit a Collection
  • Assign to Students
  • Manage My Content
Contact Us Site Map Privacy Policy Terms of Use