Turn on Inventiveness

The best inventions come from a problem that needs to be solved! Given a container with holes in it, learners must solve how to stop liquid from pouring out. They work together to develop an invention to accomplish this task.

Students study the invention of the parachute and how Leonardo da Vinci came up with the design.  In this aerodynamics lesson plan students test the properties that make parachutes more efficient.

Who wouldn't love to get a letter from a blue bird? Elementary art enthusiasts analyze the social and historical context of Ason Yellowhair's Navajo piece, Bird and Cornstalk Rug. They examine the construction and images on the rug...

Take a virtual trip to infinity and beyond. Pupils watch a space visualization that leaves Earth and heads to the ISS and then follows the Apollo missions to the moon. Scholars view detailed images of the space station and its different...

Take a field trip around Earth by way of satellite images. Learners watch a video lesson that describes different images taken from orbiting satellites. They then test their visual skills in a 14-question online quiz. 

Compact fluorescent bulbs are the easiest way to increase energy efficiency around the house. But why? Science scholars compare CF bulbs with their incandescent counterparts using a simple test. A solar-powered toy illuminates the...

Pupils identify the characteristics of effective speeches. Students find elements of good speeches in the text and in the delivery of model speeches. Pupils build a working three-dimensional model of an invention or an actual invention...

Let nature inspire your budding artists. They paint seascapes on actual seashells. First, they observe the seaside, then they paint what they see (image or in person) on the inside of a white shell. 

Young scientists explore nature's water treatment plants in this simple science demonstration. By placing a stalk of celery in a cup of water mixed with food coloring, children are able to observe how plants absorb nutrients and...

Sometimes being mixed up is a good thing! Young chemists explore the basics of making solutions with a realistic interactive. Pupils observe the differences in volume using quantities of water and ethanol, as well as the effects of...