Students create model coral reefs showing surface area and including examples of communities.  In this coral reef lesson, students research and explore the functions or benefits from a coral reef.  Students design a benthic...

Students engage in a discussion about what a parachute is and how it works. They create a parachute using different materials that they think will work best. The students test their designs, which will be followed by a class discussion...

Sixth graders discuss what they know and what they want to know about hot air balloon using a KWL chart. They then use a wide array of materials to design a hot air balloon that will lift successfully in cooperative groups referring to...

Young scholars design and film commercials using digital video cameras and the computer program iMovie in this exciting lesson plan provided by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology.

I need something to test. The three sessions in this lesson have individuals build and test a prototype of their design. The first two sessions are devoted to prepping for the prototype by drawing up specifications and materials. The...

How can you encourage pupils to demonstrate creativity while still meeting the objective of applying technical knowledge? This activity is your answer! Scientists will create an imaginary creature and prepare a graphic organizer with...

Need a unit to teach fractions to fourth graders? Look no further than this well-developed and thorough set of lessons that takes teachers through all steps of planning, implementing, and assessing their lessons. Divided into eight...

Students use three different pieces of art and identify the power struggles that are being represented. In groups, they use the Internet to research the distribution of wealth throughout Canada during the Victorian time period. They...

Learners use PhotoDraw software to create original drawings. Using the basic design elements, line, shape, form, texture, value, and color, students create original drawings on the computer based on drawings previously rendered by hand.

Pupils investigate atomic and nuclear structure of matter by researching historical atomic theories. Students examine Rutherford's studies and discover that many scientific conclusions change over time as new data is collected.

Students investigate the function of a floor stretcher and some of the past designs. The goal is to improve the design durability and ease of use. Then they sketch their ideas and write a rationale for changes made to the structure.

Students engage in a lesson plan that uses applied mathematics to find the solution to the design of a pool for a home. They design the pool based upon scale measurements that include perimeter and area of the pool area, water volume,...

Students examine the use of steamboats in North Carolina. In groups, they design and contruct their own small models of steamboats using simple materials. They test their models in water and share how they were built and why. They...

Seventh graders explore general structure of and natural changes that occur in DNA strands, and discuss concept of genetic engineering by creating small portion of strawberry chromosome with three genes, modeling naturally occurring...

Stop the raindrops from getting into the house! Eager engineers learn about roofing history and waterproofing by nanotechnology. They get into groups and work on designing a waterproof roof for a small model house. The accompanying...

What does it take to prepare for a construction project? In an engineering lesson plan, youngsters examine how a Ferris wheel can turn and carry a load without falling apart. After reading up on big wheel designs, they create a model...

Do your class members ever focus too much on graphics or animations when designing a PowerPoint presentation? Have you ever come across a presentation filled with great information, but found it difficult to read because of color choices...

Here is an app especially designed for care providers of children with autism or other developmental delays that will help them build customized picture schedules to help support the behavioral needs of their students.

Combine vocabulary development and a study of verb tenses with a general introduction to sports. Class members get acquainted with the language associated with sports, and then complete a project to design and describe their own...

Design and build a rover ... then eat it? This activity has groups of two design and build Mars rovers. The teams determine what instruments they want to include with their rover and plan a budget. They calculate the cost of the body of...

An infographic is fantastic way for learners to illustrate their understanding of content, express themselves creatively, and teach others in a manner that is both engaging and informative. While originally designed for a lesson on...

Fascinate young life scientists by showing them how their brain learns. By using prism goggles while attempting to toss bean bags at a target, lab partners change their outlook on the world around them, producing amusing results....

Don't let your eyes play tricks on you ... use scale to keep your eyes in check! Young scholars observe images without scale and try to identify the structure. Then, they look at the same image with a scale bar and assess whether their...

How do rockets fly? Teams design, build, and launch a rocket made from a two-liter bottle to explore forces on a rocket such as Newton's Laws of Motion.  During the design phase, young engineers draw a diagram of their rocket and...