Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stable and Unstable Structures

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars research three major bridge collapses. In this Physical Science lesson plan, students will sketch a bridge design for their area after their research. All bridge designs will be presented to the class to discuss strengths...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cultural Logo Design

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students create a logo design to express their own identity. In this logo design activity, students list ten words to describe who they are and choose two of them to use in a logo. Students draw images and choose various forms of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building for the Big One

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students build and test structures that can best withstand earthquakes. They create their structures from playdough, cornstarch, grape-nuts and popsicle sticks and place their structures on a "shake table."
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Twig Construction: Recycled Materials

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Construction projects of any kind require learners to use spacial reasoning, creative thinking, and critical analysis skills. They design and make a twig/leaf structure out of natural and recycled materials. This project would be great...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students read and discuss the story "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" and design a structure that will withstand a clay bear's force sitting on it. They develop a list of activities that the three bears do that real bears can't do, and in...
Lesson Plan
Berkeley Engineering and Mentors

Marshmallow Catapaults

For Teachers 4th - 10th
After a brief lecture on levers, torque, projectiles, and the five-step engineering design cycle, young physical science learners or engineers build catapults out of craft sticks. This is an open-ended exploration of what works and what...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Amazing Triangles

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Student scientists investigate triangle structures. In this building lesson plan, students explore how to design triangle braces in the construction of structures in order to build a stronger base.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Clark Family Story: Tracing the Cause of Hemophilia

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Ms. Strohfeldt did not omit anything when she designed this comprehensive lesson plan on DNA mutation and sex-linked traits. Begin with a pretest as an anticipatory set. Read a case history of the Clark family and the occurrence of...
Activity
Perkins School for the Blind

Testing the Strength of a Column

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Columns have been used throughout the world because they are good load-bearing structures. Learners with visual impairments conduct an experiment to work through the design process as well as to understand this engineering phenomenon....
Unit Plan
Curated OER

Storytelling

For Teachers 1st - 3rd Standards
Show young readers how to put some personality and voice into their storytelling with an in-depth assignment. Kids practice saying the same thing, such as counting from one to ten, in different tones and perspectives, and then work on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Paper Suspension Bridges: You Want Me To Go Up There?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
A few class periods will be required to complete this physics investigation with your high schoolers. There is an unavailable video written into the lesson plan, but there is plenty of material here to bridge the gap. Two terrific...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigating Factors That Affect Cell Membrane Permeability

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Cell membranes and the factors that affect its integrity are studied, with Beet tissue used as the model. A poster to display findings of the permeability of the membranes would clarify understanding and also allow a layer of language...
Activity
Curated OER

The BEAM Project: Building Efficient Architectural Models

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Technology or engineering teams are given a task to design, construct, and test the efficiency of a structure that will foster an even temperature throughout an entire sunny day. Intended as a long-term project, pupils research, plan,...
Lesson Plan
Roald Dahl

The Twits - The Monkeys Escape

For Teachers 3rd - 7th Standards
Houses come in all shapes and sizes, but not all houses are safe from Mr. and Mrs. Twit. The 10th instructional activity in a unit designed to accompany The Twits by Roald Dahl turns learners into architects. While designing houses for...
Unit Plan
University of  Wisconsin

Teaching Things Fall Apart in Wisconsin: A Resource Guide for Educators

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
“There is no story that is not true, . . .” And uncovering the truths in Things Fall Apart is the focus of a 68-page resource packet designed to provide instructors with a wealth of materials that enhance understanding of Chinua Achebe’s...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chinese Calligraphy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Explore the beauty of Chinese Calligraphy. This well-developed lesson will take your class on a journey through the history of Calligraphy, engage them in technique and style, then challenge them by having them create new strokes to...
Lesson Plan
Historical Thinking Matters

Social Security: 3 Day Lesson

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
What does social security reveal about the political and social culture of the 1930s? After beginning with a brief introductory video on the impact of the Great Depression and how various Americans, such as Huey Long and Francis...
Unit Plan
Royal Society of Chemistry

Acids and Alkalis—Gifted and Talented Chemistry

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Looking for a comprehensive plan for teaching acid-base chemistry? Science scholars discover acid-base interactions through a thoughtfully written unit. The resource is divided into paced activities and individual work designed to...
Assessment
Curated OER

2007 U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad Local Section Exam

For Students 9th - 12th
Sixty multiple choice questions cover the entire gamut of chemistry concepts. This is the local section of the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad, where your chemistry candidates take a shot at entering the national competition. They...
Lesson Plan
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National Endowment for the Humanities

Courage “In the Time of the Butterflies”: A Common Core Exemplar

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The courage of Las Mariposas, the Mirabal sisters, is the focus of a series of activities designed to accompany a reading of In the Time of the Butterflies that ask readers to consider what it means to be courageous. Beautifully crafted...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating a Structure Lab

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars construct a paper structure that supports a standard hard cover textbook at least 12 inches above a flat sturdy surface for a minimum of 30 seconds. They explain what a blueprint is. Students build the structure entirely...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's My Structure

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders use the language of mathematics to describe in words a 3-D structure created with one-inch cube. They interpret a written description of a 3-D structure and re-create it with one-inch cubes. Students use Quick Time...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Radial Design

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students examine the use of radial design and crystalline glazing in the art works of Harding Black. They watch and discuss a video about Harding Black, identify the colors and designs on his pottery, and create their own radial design...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bridges- Design a Bridge

For Teachers 5th - 6th
In this bridge design worksheet, students answer 5 general questions about bridges. Students follow the directions to construct 4 types of bridges with paper and test them for strength.