Students compare and contrast castles and forts. They observe buildings in their community and consider how castles and forts are similar. They design their own castle or fort and brainstorm materials to build with, discuss how the...

Students view original design drawings of the White House and discuss ways it has been changed. They view images of the white house from specified dates and discuss the changes that were made from one to the other, as well as reasons for...

Students design and build original mobiles and consider how the forces of gravity and convection air currents affect the finished piece. They explore how an understanding of balancing forces is important in both art and engineering design.

Students observe a model of a waterwheel to investigate the transformations of energy involved in turning the blades of a hydro-turbine into work. They work as engineers to create a model for a new waterwheel while considering resources,...

Fifth graders examine text features and create a PowerPoint presentation. In this text features lesson, 5th graders go over Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures and text features before they choose one to include in a book and...

Learners face the challenges of building big, functional structures, like bridges, domes and skyscrapers. They turn their talents to satisfying clients who have hired them to design their new home.

Learners examine how earthquakes, volcanoes, and landslides can trigger tsunami waves. They determine how engineers use sensors to detect the dangerous wave, and how they help design building that will survive the wave force and water.

Students use DigiScope technology to investigate Daphinia, popularly known as water fleas. They design, conduct, and report on an experiment to determine the effects of varying water temperatures on the heartbeat rate of Daphnia.

Students observe a demonstration on the role of thermal conductivity in heat transfer.  In this thermal conductivity lesson, students design and conduct an experiment to compare the thermal conductivity of four substances....

Tenth graders read and study, in-depth, a specific classical tragedy, in this case, Oedipus. They explore strategies from making meaning out of or interpreting texts, as well as strategies for determining how authors create meaning in...

Students explain the different heat transfer mechanisms and how they influence the building envelope. They develop ways in which the building envelope can be improved and test hypotheses about building envelope designs.

Students examine and observe how many human-made objects get their basic design from things in nature. They listen to the book "Nature Got There First," compare/contrast hollow bones with drinking straws, bird beaks and tool pliers, and...

Students explore how scientists build robotic arms that move similar to humans. In this robot lesson, students examine how scientists make robots. Students design and construct a mechanical arm that moves like a human arm. Students...

Students are introduced to the design of Old Faithful Lodge at Yellowstone Park including its use of trusses. They work in groups and use straws and modeling clay to design and test a variety of building supports.

Students examine the roles of the immune system in keeping the body healthy. They see how engineers contribute to this process by creating antibiotics, and vaccinations. They discuss how an astronauts' immune system may be suppressed...

Students review and evaluate the ways land is covered and used in their local community. They consider the environmental effects of the different types of land use. Students act as community planning engineers to determine where to place...

Eighth graders study European society during the medieval period. They investigate the feudal social structure and how it influenced daily life. They study Japanese society during the medieval period. They compare and contrast the...

Learners investigate science and math by building a rocket. In this geometry lesson, students build a rocket using paper towel tubes while investigating questions about launching a rocket. They discuss balance and unique structure as...

Students will work in groups to design and conduct an experiment to identify amino acids found in an unknown solution. This lesson plan is taught in three sections: (1) Introduction to chromatography (2) Experimental design session (3)...

Young scholars investigate what types of roofs are appropriate for various types of climates and environments. They discuss and observe different types of roofs and housing, listen to the book "Houses and Homes," select a region, and...

Students examine the importance of good quality safety gear. In this investigative lesson, students will tests various polymers, collect data, and analyze the data to determine which polymer is best for safety helmets. They will design a...

Students study the history of Olympic emblems. In this Olympics activity, students examine the Olympic designs and symbols used to represent different Olympic game years. Students then collaborate to create Olympic emblems for a...

Students examine the importance of proteins including their function and structure.  In this protein instructional activity students play a game to help them better understand proteins.

Students explore architectural elements of ancient buildings. In groups, they research famous structures. Students write an opinion paper examining the debate over whether or not ancient monuments should be maintained or rebuilt after a...