Learners plan an airport visit. In this Airplanes and Airports lesson, students observe the people, activity, and machinery at airports. Then learners compare the characteristics of their observations at the airport. Students make...

Middle schoolers demonstrate what they know about the structure and function of the heart and blood vessels. A set of 15 multiple-choice questions also addresses how the heart handles microgravity and how animals without...

Students explore and examine how patterns, measurement, ratios and proportions are utilized in the research development and production of airplanes. They meet a pilot from the Federal Aviation Association who describes the growth of air...

Young scholars study the concepts of weight and drag while making paper helicopters. They measure how adding more weight to the helicopter changes the time for the helicopter to fall to the ground. They apply what they examine to the...

Students are introduced to NASA's Connect Series and Flight Direction programs. They explore the world of aeronautics and their missions. Students receive a front role set to the concepts and skills involved with the various NASA programs.

Learners investigate the Earth's major landforms and how they occur, and how engineers apply this knowledge for the design of transportation systems, mining, and measuring natural hazards. They listen to a teacher-led lecture, match...

Students examine buoyancy and fluid pressure. They conduct a series of fun experiments to discover the effects of pressure and explore how pressure differences can be used to float, lift, transport, or hold a material in place.

Students consider the amount of time that it would take to get to the star, Sirius using various modes of transportation, some practical and some whimsical. The practicality of physically going to another star system is explored in this...

Students watch demonstrations of paper folded designs that do and do not fly and discuss their observations. They identify problems that they, the Wright Brothers, or NASA scientists face when designing an aircraft, and identify...

Students compare and contrast the properties of salt water in the oceans/seas and freshwater elsewhere on the planet. They also analyze mixing caused by currents in the ocean, including the effects of warm and cold water as well as with...

Students work together to complete a 757 Glider kit. They use a GPS to discover how it operates in all weather landings. They complete different obstacles with the glider as well.

Students are introduced to basic aerodynamics through a discussion of thrust and drag and a hands-on activity. They examine the forces of thrust, drag, air pressure, aerodynamic shapes and Newton's Third Law Of Motion.

Students represent and solve problems using geometric models and apply geometric properties and relationships. They also practice constructing and measuring angles. By constructing, drawing, visualizing, and comparing geometric figures...

Students examine the important issue of plane safety. In groups, they are introduced to how NASA determines if it is safe to fly on a particular day given certain conditions. They use the internet to research the types of tools and...

Students watch programs from a series titled "Planetary Landers". As a class, they view a poster of various vehicles that have made their way into space. In groups, they brainstorm the characteristics that should be included when...

The NASA BEST Activities Guides were designed to teach students the Engineering Design Process. This is one of three guides targeting different grade groups. All follow the same set of activities and teach students about humans' endeavor...