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Activity
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network

What’s In Your Neighborhood?

For Teachers K - 12th Standards
Chart your way to an understanding of nanoscale. Using a Google map, learners estimate a radius around their location of 1,000 and 1,000,000 meters. Predicting what 1,000,000,000 meters would look like takes them off the charts!...
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Activity
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network

Shrink Me!

For Teachers K - 12th Standards
The incredibly shrinking meter—decimeters to centimeters, to millimeters, and now to nanometers! Learners may have a difficult time visualizing particles on a nanoscale. Help them see a little clearer using a well-designed lesson that...
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Activity
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network

Size and Scale – Learning about Measurement

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
Can you visualize one billionth of a meter? It's not easy to understand the scale of a nanometer. Learners use a hands-on lesson to develop an understanding of the size of a nanometer in comparison to common objects. They walk away with...
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Activity
Teach Engineering

Edible Algae Models

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
Sometimes it's okay to eat your science experiment. A hands-on activity has pupils create models for algae to learn about its cellular structure. The best part of the experiment? The resulting juice-filled gels are edible—yum!
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Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Algae: Tiny Plants with Big Energy Potential

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
My, what big energy potential you have! Scholars learn about the energy potential of using algae as a biofuel. A PowerPoint presentation first describes the structure of algae and then how researchers use algae as biofuel to produce energy.
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Teach Engineering

Let's Get it There Fast

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
Are planes the best shipping method? Using maps, pupils determine the fastest mode of transportation between two cities. Given a list of items to ship, groups decide the best shipping method to finish the 18th segment of a 22-part unit.
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Teach Engineering

Physics Tug of War

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
Slide books with a little assistance from Newton. Using books, groups create a demonstration of Newton's Second Law of motion. Pupils compare the distance traveled by one and two books when they apply a force to them.
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Fun with Bernoulli

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
Reduce the pressure in the classroom. The second instructional activity in an Airplanes unit of 22 introduces the class to Bernoulli's Principle. Pupils demonstrate the principle by blowing between different objects causing a reduction...
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Teach Engineering

Messin' with Mixtures

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
Do you separate your trail mix before eating it? Then you've been separating mixtures your whole life! Scholars model a contaminated soil sample using trail mix and estimate the percentage of each component. They consider how to clean up...
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Properties of Mixtures vs. Solutions: Mix It Up!

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
Now it becomes crystal clear why the unit is called Mixtures and Solutions. The fifth installment of a six-part unit explores mixtures and solutions. After viewing a demonstration on mixing pebbles with water, salt with water, and...
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Teach Engineering

Engineering and the Periodic Table

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
Elements, to the rescue! Scholars first review the periodic table, and then learn about the first 20 elements and their properties and uses in the fourth of six lessons in the Mixtures and Solutions unit. Applying their newfound...
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Understanding Elements

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
Nothing says organization quite like a table. The third lesson in a six-part Mixtures and Solutions unit teaches young scientists about elements and the periodic table. They learn how the periodic table is organized and about the...
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Teach Engineering

Gumdrop Atoms

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
There's nothing sticky about the resource, unless you count the gumdrops! Scholars create a model of a lithium atom, complete with protons, neutrons, and electrons. It's just that these models are made with gumdrops and toothpicks.
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

The Building Blocks of Matter

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
Everything can be reduced to atoms. The first installment of a six-part Mixtures and Solutions unit focuses on the building blocks of matter. Scholars review basic atomic structure, including protons, neutrons, and electrons, in...
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Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Flow Rates of Faucets and Rivers

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Go with the flow and use a helpful resource. A set of two activities has learners investigate flow rates. They first determine the flow rate of a faucet by measuring how long it takes to fill a bucket. Using the results, they make a...
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Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

You Are There... First Flight

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Glide into the study of flight. An engaging lesson has scholars research information on the Wright brothers. They develop props and produce a recreation of the first flight at Kitty Hawk. They then report on the event as if they were...
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Clean it Up!

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
Harness the power of bacteria. Scholars see how using organisms that exist in nature can help solve human problems in the process known as bioremediation. They research and discuss several successful examples, such as using oil-eating...
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Teach Engineering

News Flash!

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
Extra, extra, read all about it! Scholars research information on endangered species and produce a news report to share their findings with the rest of the class. In groups, they then consider engineering solutions to problems on habitat...
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Extinction Prevention via Engineering

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
It's time to save endangered species through engineering. The third lesson in a nine-part Life Science unit has young environmentalists study species extinction. An engaging discussion leads to some ideas on how to use engineering design...
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Teach Engineering

Design a Flying Machine

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
Wrap up the unit in one final design. Pairs use their knowledge of aviation to design new flying machines and record how their designs take into consideration the forces that act upon airplanes. The pupils determine whether their designs...
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Future Flights: Imagine Your Own Flying Machines!

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
What will flying look like in the future? The 21st lesson in a 22-part unit on aviation reviews the major aspects of the lesson. Pupils brainstorm ideas of a future flying machine.
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Balsa Glider Competition

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
Change one variable and try again. Teams build basic balsa gliders and collect data on their flight distances and times. Through collaboration, the team decides on two modifications to make to the basic design and collect data for the...
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Will It Fly?

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
Go fly a kite, then fly a plane! The 19th part of a 22-part unit on aviation looks at the way kites and gliders help aid in the understanding of flight. Pupils discuss how engineers used kites to influence airplane designs.
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Teach Engineering

Airplanes Everywhere: Land! Water! Sky! Oh, My!

For Teachers 5th - 7th
How important is aviation? Using the background information, teachers provide the class with a brief history of aviation. The class discusses how airplanes are important to the area of transportation in the 17th installment of a...