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Lesson Plan
Polar Trec

Touring the Poles

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Would you want to vacation in the Arctic or Antarctic regions? Scholars research both regions and produce a travel brochure trying to convince tourists to visit. The project focuses on the geography, climate, flora, fauna, and indigenous...
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Unit Plan
Columbus City Schools

Let’s Get Theoretical About Cells

For Teachers 6th Standards
Get up close and personal with cells in a hands-on journey to discover what makes up living things. Scholars learn valuable microscope skills, delve into the Modern Cell Theory, and gain insight into how cells reproduce. The included lab...
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Lesson Plan
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Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

Don't Mess with Mercury (Lesson B)

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
At one point, people thought mercury was therapeutic for humans, but now we know it is highly toxic. The second of three activities covering mercury focuses on its health hazards if humans are exposed. Pairs research and answer questions...
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Lesson Plan
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Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

Don't Mess with Mercury (Lesson A)

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
Mercury is the only metal that is a liquid at room temperature. Teach your class this and many more interesting mercury facts by assigning an engaging task. A public relations activity, the exercise informs pupils of the hazards of...
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Lesson Plan
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Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

Don't Mess with Mercury (Lesson C)

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
The health effects of mercury exposure if the focus of the first of three activities about the properties of metals. Pairs research mercury to write, prepare, and share posters, articles, or PSAs with the class. 
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Printables
Curated OER

Smogasbord

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
When your environmental or earth science class is studying air pollution, you will want to take the time to go over this resource. Pupils peruse the history of air pollution regulations and examine outstanding diagrams of what...
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Lesson Plan
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Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Shake it up with Seismographs!

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
Shake things up in your STEM or earth science classroom when you have small groups construct their own seismographs. A reading assignment on the history of seismographs, the Richter scale, and current technology sets the stage for the...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Failure: Seeds of Innovation

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!" Through this assignment, emerging engineers examine how failed experiments are simply part of the process of an outstanding design. They begin with some reading about the microwave oven,...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Chair Lift Challenge

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
During the Winter Olympics, this would be an engaging task to include in your STEM lesson plan. Design teams plan, construct, and test a miniature ski lift that can carry a pingpong ball up and down a rope line without falling out. With...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Pendulum Time

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
Take your time with this lesson. Junior engineers read about different types of clocks and then work together to build a pendulum time-keeper. There are no hints as to how they might go about accomplishing this complex task, so you may...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Blast Off!

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
With the use of a model rocket kit, aspiring aerospace engineers work cooperatively to construct and launch a rocket. A preparatory reading assignment is included, covering Newton's laws of motion and information about the first...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Radio Reception and Transmission

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
After reading about radio transmission, application, and the difference between AM and FM, small teams of engineers use a kit to construct an FM radio and then send and receive broadcasts. This is an ideal activity for middle school STEM...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Arduino Blink Challenge

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Emerging engineers read about Arduino software and how it can be used. Then they follow a nine-step tutorial to connect an Arduino board to a computer and put it to work! The objective is to code a program that will cause an LED to...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Stop and Go

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
It's "Green light, go!" with this lesson! STEM classes are illuminated with the history of traffic signals and how the engineering design has improved over time. They also learn about patents for new inventions. Finally, they research in...
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Lesson Plan
Prince William Network

The Incredible Journey

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
Divide your school gym into breeding grounds and non-breeding grounds so that your zoologists can play a game simulating the seasonal migration of shorebirds. Players pick one of the included game cards and follow its directions, which...
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Lesson Plan
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Prince William Network

Migration Math Madness

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
A great way to incorporate math into life science, this lesson has learners measure migratory routes on a map and calculate the actual distance that shorebirds on the routes would cover. Learners compute the distance covered in both...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Engineered Music

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
Sound engineers investigate the structural design of a musical instrument, the recorder. They work in collaborative groups to choose an instrument to build out of everyday craft materials. It must be able to repeat a three-note sequence...
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Lesson Plan
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Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Life Vest Challenge

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
After reading about the history and science of personal floatation devices, patents, and intellectual property, engineering teams design a life vest for a can of soup. To evaluate which groups considered the need for waterproofing, hold...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Be a Scanning Probe Microscope

For Teachers 3rd - 9th Standards
Extensive reading is done in order to learn about scanning probe microscopy and nanoscale. Afterward, individuals use a pencil to probe an unidentified object that is inside of a box so that they cannot see it. Using only what they could...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Tennis Anyone?

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
After reading up on the history of sports racquets, engineering teams design and construct a racquet for batting a Velcro-striped ball at a target. Teams evaluate their design by aiming for the target three times each and answering...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Keep it Cool

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
This cool lesson plan is ideal for elementary engineers or physical scientists, especially when learning about heat transfer and insulation. After reading a page of background information, engineering teams collaborate to design and...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Making Sense of Sensors

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
Have small groups in your class construct working hygrometers as an example of the benefits of using sensors in engineering. This activity can be used during a weather unit when covering humidity or in a STEM activity as a preparation...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Adaptive Device Design

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
After reading about how engineering has made adaptive devices possible for people with disabilities, pupils work in groups to discuss different devices to determine whether or not they are adaptive. They also disassemble a pair of...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

A Century of Plastics

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
After reading about polymer materials, engineer trainees examine how plastics have been integrated into everyday products. In groups, they compile a list of products made entirely without plastics and then, as a closing activity, try to...