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
Water Tower Challenge Lesson PlanWater Tower Challenge Lesson Plan
Publisher
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Resource Details
Curator Rating
Educator Rating
Not yet Rated
Grade
3rd - 12th
Subjects
Science
4 more...
Resource Type
Lesson Plans
Audience
For Teacher Use
Duration
3 hrs
Instructional Strategies
Collaborative Learning
4 more...
Usage Permissions
Fine Print: Educational Use
Lesson Plan

Water Tower Challenge

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This Water Tower Challenge lesson plan also includes:
  • Water Tower Challenge
  • Water Tower Challenge (.html)
  • Activity
  • Join to access all included materials

Providing clean water to a town is quite a feat... is your class up for the challenge? After a short reading about water towers, groups work together to design a working water delivery system. The water flow must be adjustable (able to turn on and off) and the water must move from the storage container to a new location. When finished with the design and creation, each learner answers questions about the project.

372 Views 242 Downloads

Concepts

engineering design, engineering, iteration, technology resources

Additional Tags

engineering challenge, engineering design process, iteration

Pros

  • Introduces learners to real-world engineering challenges in a fun, engaging way
  • Groups must work together effectively to ensure success
  • Possible for a wide range of age groups

Cons

  • None

See similar resources:

Lesson Plan

Toxic Popcorn Design Challenge

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
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...
3rd - 12th Science
Lesson Plan

Tall Tower Challenge

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
A fun and challenging activity for nearly any age group, partners must work together to build the tallest structure possible using paper clips, straws, and pipe cleaners. In addition to being tall, the structure must also be able to...
2nd - 12th Science
Activity

Challenge Cards

James Dyson Foundation
Can you build it? Yes you can! This interactive game includes four design challenges presented on separate cards. The cards outline the challenges with limited restrictions but with an end goal in mind. The competitions include building...
6th - 8th STEM
Lesson Plan

What's So Special about Bottled Drinking Water?

University of Georgia
Is artesian water designed to be better, or is it just from wells similar to those in the city of Artesium? This experiment looks at many different types of bottled waters, including artesian. Using a soap mixture, scholars test to see...
9th - 12th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Video

The Engineering Process

Crash Course Kids
The process that brought us items, such as the telephone and air conditioner was no easy task. In this upbeat video, scholars gain insight to the steps engineers take to create, design, and build a final product. 
5 mins 3rd - 8th STEM
Instructional Video

Aerospace Design Engineer

Curated OER
Expose your class to the world of aerospace engineering using this film. A aerospace design engineer describes what he does, and explains the intricacies of this type of work. This would be a good way to introduce your class to the field...
4 mins 6th - 12th STEM
Activity

Above-Ground Storage Tank Design Project

Teach Engineering
The challenge: determine whether a tank will float. A design activity has groups work as engineering teams in order to determine the stability of given tanks and liquid contents. The teams need to determine the equations to...
9th - 12th Science
CCSS: Designed
Lesson Plan

Marshmallow Design Challenge

eGFI
How tall is your marshmallow structure? With limited supplies (including uncooked spaghetti noodles, masking tape, and one marshmallow), teams endeavor to support the marshmallow atop the tallest spaghetti structure they can build....
K - 12th Math
Instructional Video

How Polarity Makes Water Behave Strangely

TED-Ed
Water is common? Not really! Learn how the polarity of the water molecule gives it tremendous properties that make is quite unique in the universe. Learners will understand surface tension, adhesion, and cohesion, as well as why these...
4 mins 6th - 12th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Activity

Portable Wheelchair Ramp Challenge

Teach Engineering
Ramp up the engineering design process in your classroom with an activity that challenges teams to design, build, and test a small-scale portable wheelchair ramp. The class develops design requirements, and teams test their designs...
6th - 8th STEM
CCSS: Designed
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