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Lesson Plan
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Purdue University

Field Trip Snack Holder

For Teachers 3rd Standards
Is light related to insulation? An informative hands-on STEM activity demonstrates how light affects temperature. First, the class investigates how light passes through different mediums and how that relates to temperature. Then,...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Purdue University

Simple Machines – Dog Gone It!

For Teachers 3rd Standards
How can people use simple machines to solve real-world STEM problems? Learn about simple machines using a hands-on, project-based learning activity. First, pupils investigate and evaluate simple machines. Then, they receive a task that...
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Activity
DiscoverE

Waterproofing the Roof

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Can your pupils build a roof that stands the test of time? Use an insightful engineering design project to highlight both materials science and architecture. Scholars either team up or work as individuals to design, create, and test a...
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Activity
DiscoverE

Design a Shoe

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Engage young scientists in a project where high fashion meets engineering! Using foam core and hot glue, partnered pupils design and create a functional, fashionable pair of shoes. Groups then put the footwear through its paces using a...
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Activity
DiscoverE

Build a Watershed

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
What's the best way to learn how watersheds work? Build one! Combining engineering, the water cycle, and ecology concerns, the activity is the perfect fit for an interdisciplinary unit. Teams construct a model watershed with simple...
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Activity
DiscoverE

Slender Tower Challenge

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
Looking for an engineering project that will tower above the rest? Try a design experiment that has built-in fun! Groups examine a variety of skyscraper designs, then compete to create their own slender towers. The teacher's guide is...
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Lesson Plan
2
2
American Chemical Society

Chemical Reactions and Engineering Design

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Construction leads to habitat loss and local wildlife suffers. Scholars must build a reptile egg incubation device that meets many constraints. Various experiments help them discover the chemical reaction needed to reach the proper...
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Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Design Step 6: Evaluate/Manufacture a Final Product

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
This is what all of the excitement has been building up to! Young engineers create engineering drawings, use machines to manufacture their products, test, and evaluate their designs in the last step in the engineering design process.
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Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Design Step 5: Construct a Prototype

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Enough with the talking, let's build something! In the fifth step in the engineering design process, young engineers build a prototype to test their ideas. The lesson walks them through the process of evaluating it step-by-step....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Designing a Crew Exploration Vehicle

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
Take your class on an out-of-this-world adventure with this fun engineering design lesson. Working in small groups, young scientists design, build, and test crew exploration vehicles using some creativity, teamwork, and an assortment of...
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Lesson Plan
NASA

Soda Straw Rockets

For Teachers K - 6th Standards
Three, two, one, blast off to a better understanding of force and motion with this exciting science lesson plan! Beginning with a discussion about rockets and gravity, young scientists go on to complete a series of worksheets about net...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Dispenser Designs

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
After reading about the history of tape dispensers, learners compare and contrast different dispenser designs. Next, teams work within budgetary and time constraints to design a better dispenser. When finished, each engineer reflects on...
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Lesson Plan
National Geographic

Engineering Inspirations from Nature

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
With James Cameron's DEEPSEA CHALLENGER expedition as an example, engaged engineering students learn about biomimicry and how engineers can imitate processes in nature to design new technology. They experiment with temperature on...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Popsicle Bridge

For Teachers 2nd - 12th Standards
Using popsicle sticks and glue, groups must work together to design and build a bridge that can support weight and is aesthetically pleasing. The lesson begins by learners reading about different features of bridge architecture, followed...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Assembly Line

For Teachers 2nd - 12th Standards
Working under specific constraints and with designated criteria, groups work together to create a product using an assembly line process. In addition, they work through the entire engineering design process with an excellent graphic to...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Interactive Gumball Machine

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
Sure, you may be able to build a better mousetrap, but what about a gum dispenser? In a fun engineering challenge, teams must design and build a working interactive gumball machine with specific constraints and criteria.
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Get it Write

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
In an effort to practice engineering design, STEM classes break out into teams and endeavor to make a working ink pen. To prepare, they read about writing implements through history, patents, and viscosity of liquids. Armed with this...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Light but Strong: A Lesson in Engineering

For Teachers K - 5th Standards
Aspiring space engineers design a rocket launch platform together to explore materials. The platform needs to be lightweight so that it can be transported easily, but super strong so that it can support the weight of the rocket and its...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Statue Display Tower

For Teachers 2nd - 12th Standards
Sometimes engineering problems that seem easy prove to be more challenging than imagined. Present your class with the challenge to build a functional display tower to support a statue using only the supplies available in class while...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Water Tower Challenge

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
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...
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Tall Tower Challenge

For Teachers 2nd - 12th Standards
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...
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Activity6:37
Bonneville

How to Build a Turbine

For Teachers 4th - 12th Standards
Here is a six-minute video of a pair of electrical engineers that illustrate how to build a wind turbine. A list of materials is provided, along with general guidelines for your class. Use this to introduce turbine design to your...
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Activity5:09
1
1
Bonneville

How to Build a Motor

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Electrical engineers entertain and explain how to construct an electromagnet-driven motor. Kellie and Mike, the hosts of the show, are enthusiastic teachers that will help introduce a project that you likely include in your middle school...
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Activity4:34
Bonneville

The Great Marble Drop

For Teachers 4th - 12th Standards
Mike and Kellie, a team of electrical engineers, demonstrate how to to design a contraption that accurately drops a marble onto a target. The materials needed and general instructions are provided on the website or via a downloadable...