Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Dispenser Designs
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...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Popsicle Bridge
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...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Interactive Gumball Machine
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.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Using DNA to Explore Lizard Phylogeny
In a fun and interactive two-day lesson, learners sort anole lizard pictures by appearance. Next, they watch a video about the anoles and re-sort based on the information in the video. In addition to physical characteristics, budding...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Tall Tower Challenge
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...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection in Humans
Sickle cell disease only occurs when both parents contribute the trait, and mostly in those of African descent. Where did it come from? How did it evolve? Tony Allison, a molecular biologist, noticed a connection between sickle cell and...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation
The pocket mouse can be light brown like the sands of the desert, or dark brown like the volcanic lava flows that are interspersed throughout New Mexico's Valley of Fire. It seems that predators have weeded out light colored mice in this...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Get Connected with Ohm's Law
Ideal for your electricity unit, especially with middle schoolers, this lesson plan gets engineers using multimeters in electrical circuits to explore the relationships among voltage, current, and resistance. Older learners may even plot...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Ship the Chip
Here is a tasty challenge, especially for middle school engineers: design a container that meets mass and volume criteria, and will safely transport a tortilla or potato chip through the mail without damaging it! Mostly, this is a crisp...
Artisan Global
QuakeFeed Earthquake Map, Alerts and News
Amateur seismologists explore Earth's earthquakes in real time using a variety of map styles and parameter selections.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Exploring at the Nanoscale
Nano-nano! Nanotechnology can seem like it's from another planet! After learning about this tiny technology, collaborative groups experiment with how smaller particles affect chemical reactions. They do this by immersing a whole and a...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Working with Watermills
In collaborative groups, emerging engineers or environmental scientists plan and construct a water wheel or watermill that rotates for a total of three minutes. Everything you need to carry out this lesson is included: objectives,...
Texas Instruments
TI-Nspire™
We landed on the moon with less computing capabilities than you can find in this app! Here is a multiple function calculator that takes all the power you get from a handheld and adds the wonderful large screen that only a tablet can...
Texas Instruments
TI-Nspire™ CAS
When it comes to rating educational calculators, this calculator is always near the top of this list. Now it's available as an app. There is a lot of calculator power wrapped up in this app. Not only is this a fully functioning...
Animoto
Animoto Video Slideshow Maker
Turn the pictures on your phone into a great looking movies that will blow the hair back of whoever watches it. It is easy to make people laugh, cry, or just inform them about something interesting by using the creative tools available.
Haiku Deck
Haiku Deck - Beautiful Presentations and Slideshows with Charts and Graphs
Create beautiful and simple presentations, sales pitches, lessons, and visual stories that utilize Getty Images, high quality photos licensed under Creative Commons, as well as your own prints. What you create will demand people’s...
Pala Software
MathBoard
Do you want to practice arithmetic skills from simple addition facts, to cubes and square roots, to solving one-step equations? Here is a great app for practicing and learning everything from arithmetic practice using integers to solving...
GoSoftWorks
GoSkyWatch Planetarium for iPad - The Astronomy Star Guide
Digital compass alignment enables navigation of the skies with true orientation at any time. Just point to the sky or "aim for the stars!" This application acts as a virtual telescope, allowing you to zoom in on any object that is...
Curated OER
The Elements: A Visual Exploration
Have the building blocks of the universe at your fingertips! Visually intriguing and animated, this interactive periodic table may also be the most informative chemistry tool available!
Remind 101
Remind: School Communication
Imagine a simple way to remind students and parents about upcoming events, projects, appointments, and more through text messages. This free service allows for one-way communication from the teacher to parents/students. Simply sign...
WeTransfer BV
Paper by FiftyThree
There is no such thing as someone who is not artistic when using this app. In fact, this is the type of app that makes you want to go out and buy a tablet computer. Whether you have a creative lesson planned, or just need a place to take...
K20 Learn
Building Arguments With Evidence Part 2: Constructing Arguments
New ReviewWhat is the biggest issue facing young people today? Class members consider the question—along with other provocative pieces from the New York Times—and then try to write their own arguments and back them up with evidence. Once complete,...
K20 Learn
(Mis)Reported and (Mis)Remembered: The Vietnam War
New ReviewWhat are the complicated legacies of the Vietnam War? Learners consider the question as they examine videos and primary sources from the conflict. After examining footage and documents such as the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and an op-ed...
K20 Learn
American Exclusivity: The Chinese Exclusion Act
New ReviewThe Chinese Exclusion Act—the first race-based immigration restriction—is echoed in today's debates on the topic. Using graphic organizers and structured discussions, historians consider the reasons behind the act and compare the...