Curated OER
Design: Line
Middle schoolers employ an analysis and exploration of line use, to understand line in terms of design, style, and functionality. The learners experiment with line design. Understanding dynamic and diverse use of line will broaden...
Curated OER
The DIY: A Hands-On Look at the New Industrial Revolution
Upper graders explore the new industrial revolution and how the tech boom in recent years is similar and different to the Industrial Revolution of the past. They watch a video, explore web sites, and discuss what they see. They work...
Teach Engineering
Designing a Sustainable Guest Village in the Saguaro National Park
Brainstorm ideas to design a sustainable guest village in the Sonoran Desert. The first installment of a nine-part unit teaches young environmental scientists about the basics of the Saguaro National Park and about sustainable design....
Purdue University
Design of an Earthen Dam for a Lafayette Neighborhood
How do dams support bodies of water? Scholars engage in a hands-on STEM activity where they design, build, and test dams to learn about bodies of water and how humans use natural resources. They learn how criteria and constraints affect...
Skyscraper Museum
Designing a Skyscraper
Besides serving as awe-inspiring monuments of human achievement, skyscrapers are built to perform a wide range of functions in urban communities. The second lesson plan in this series begins by exploring the history of the Empire State...
Curated OER
Lessons in Looking: Imperialism Cartoons
Using a Smartboard, learners break apart symbolism found in a political cartoon published in 1902. They work to analyze the cartoon in terms of US Imperialism occurring in the late 1890s. All necessary materials are included in this well...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Failure: Seeds of Innovation
"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,...
Curated OER
Robots All Around Us
Student work in design teams to research robots, create a drawing of a robot they want to make, build a prototype of their robot, present their prototype and research, and write a descriptive paragraph about their creation.
Curated OER
Industrial Strength Design
Students design, invent, and build a model of something new, useful, or decorative to solve a problem using any combination of materials provided. They also create logos, packaging, etc. related to product sales.
Curated OER
The New Haven Oyster Industry and Water Quality
Students examine the different types of water pollutants and how they affect the waterways. In this environmental science lesson, students collect and interpret data from government agencies. They discuss how industrial development in...
Teach Engineering
How Effective is Your Sunscreen?
Protect skin from UV radiation! Groups design and conduct an experiment to test the effectiveness of UV safety products. The groups collect the data from the experiment and prepare a lab report. In the second day of the activity,...
Teach Engineering
Fun with Air-Powered Pneumatics
How high did the ball go? Engineering teams build a working pneumatic system that launches a ball into the air. The teams vary the amount of pressure and determine the accompanying height of the ball. An extension of building a device to...
Media Smarts
Broadcasting Codes
Let your learners be the judges for a series of case studies that focus on broadcast codes in Canada. In order to familiarize your class with the codes and guidelines that govern the broadcasting industry, in particular Canada's...
Purdue University
The Represented World: Recreational STEM
How are forces and motion important to a swing set? Scholars explore the concepts of force and motion using swing sets. In preparation for their own STEM design project, individuals take surveys and data from peers, complete labs on...
Curated OER
Industrial Revolution History
Students examine the facets of the Industrial Revolution. In this world history lesson, students use the Internet to research causes, effects, and implications of the Industrial Revolution. Students use selected websites to respond to...
National First Ladies' Library
Fashion Trends in the 1960s: Hippies, Flower Children, and Design
Middle schoolers use the Internet to research and examine clothing styles of 1960s, draw pictures of various clothing and accessories popular in that decade, trace images on top of foil tray or pan to design a stamp, and make a timeline...
Curated OER
Food Packaging
Students identify the functions of packaging food and how the designs work. In this food packaging lesson students identify the changes that occur in different types of materials.
Curated OER
Division of Labor
Students explore cottage industry and division of labor. They study the Industrial Revolution and its effects on workers and productivity.
Curated OER
Fashion Recycles
Complete fashion design activities as a part of a study on protecting the environment. In this fashion and environment instructional activity, students discuss global environmental awareness and work in groups to list recyclable products...
San Antonio Independent School District
Inventions and Innovation
What effect did innovations like the Bessemer Process, the light bulb, and the telephone have on the industrialization of the United States? Here is a nice graphic organizer that will help your young historians approach this question.
Teach Engineering
Biomimicry and Sustainable Design - Nature is an Engineering Marvel
Discover how copying nature can be beneficial to humans. Scholars read articles about examples of biomimicry and its potential applications. Along the way, they learn about Nature's Nine Laws and how they relate to biomimicry. This is...
Curated OER
Industrial Revolution in America: Exploring the Effects of the Heat Engine on the Growth of Cities
Young scholars research the development of the steam engines. In this US history lesson, students analyze the impact of this invention to civilization. They discuss the events leading to the growth and development of different cities.
Curated OER
Writer's Workshop for ESL Students: Refuting an Argument
Thorough and well-organized, this lesson plan helps pupils to weigh, build, and refute an argument (the latter of which is featured here; the first two parts are linked within the resource). Given a simplified argument and counter...
Curated OER
In The Year 2121
Students research the advances of an invention's industrial design over decades or centuries. They project improvements and innovations for the future in drawings and descriptive prose. Automobiles are used as an example.