Curated OER
Tools and Machines for Work: Saving your Energy
Learners consider how tools and machines can make work easier. They examine specific tools for making work easier.
Curated OER
Optical Illusion Machine
Students explore optical illusions. Using Legos, they construct and motorize a machine that has an axle that's geared up and geared down, complete a worksheet, and answer discussion questions.
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
An Easy (Bake) Approach to an Edible NanoLab
You can make it if you bake it! Young scientists model electronic chip fabrication with an easy bake oven. They create a design to embed in their brownie "chips" and compare their models to wafer production in basic nanotechnology.
Curated OER
Match the Machine
Pupils identify simple machines found in different environments. In this matching lesson, students match the machine with the place it belongs.
Curated OER
Snow Day
Eighth graders work in small groups to design and build a snow remover while looking at a snow design brief. They combine 2 or more simple machines to form a compound machine following the design brief in order to meet the required...
Curated OER
You Are Invited to Design and Build a Dream Room
Seventh graders watch a video and enlarge and shrink scale by applying proportional thinking. They practice measuring, using percentages, computing area, and problem solving.
Curated OER
TE Activity: Pulley'ing Your Own Weight
Students experiment with common objects such as spools, string and soap to determine how pulleys make it easier to move large objects. They look at the difference between fixed and movable pulleys. They examine the many uses engineers...
Curated OER
TE Activity: The Beat Goes On
Students determine what the pulse is before examining how to measure the heart rate in different situations. They build a simple device that measures the heart rate, take heart rates, and record them on a worksheet. They discuss how...
Curated OER
Inverse (Indirect) Machines
Students observe relationships between quantities. Students complete activities for three different classes of levers. In groups, students build each type of lever. Students identify levers in their daily surroundings. Students observe...
Curated OER
Build a Snowplow
Pupils design and build a snowplow using LEGO materials. They compete in an Engineer's Challenge to clear a path through Styrofoam peanuts.
Curated OER
Monkeying Around
Third graders study machines. They watch a video about and identify and chart machines they find at home and at school. They design and build simple and compound machines, create an advertisement for them and attempt to sell them at the...
Curated OER
Supersonic Spies
Learners analyze a simple machine and use "reverse engineering" to create an exact replica. They interpret incomplete information to build a simple wheel-and-axle machine. Students discuss how building a machine activity correlates to...
Curated OER
Rain Machine (Solar Still)
Students experiment with a solar still. In this distillation lesson, students find a simple way to use evaporation to make salty water drinkable.
Curated OER
Build Your Own Hovercraft
Students construct a hovercraft following specific procedures. In this technology lesson, students explain the physics principles behind hovercraft. They compare and contrast this machine with the aircraft.
Curated OER
Farming in Ancient Mesopotamia: An Ancient Civil Engineering Problem
Sixth graders identify the major obstacles in farming in Mesopotamia. They work together to design and build a model that solves these problems. They write a short essay that describes the problems and their possible solutions.
Curated OER
Cross Country Adventure
Young scholars practice measurement and geography in this lesson plan. They build a Lego vehicle using an RCX. They predict how many seconds it will take their vehicle to reach a specific state on the United States of America map that...
Curated OER
Energy Conversion
Sixth graders study energy conversions. They watch a demonstration of a working engine and make a chart explaining the energy conversions taking place. They build a simple electric motor and research other types of electric generators.
Cornell University
Catapults
Ready, aim, fire! Launch to a new level of understanding as scholars build and test their own catapults. Learners explore lever design and how adjusting the fulcrum changes the outcome.
Code.org
The Need for Programming Languages
LEGO see if you can recreate my design. Individuals build an arrangement from LEGO blocks and write directions for someone else to follow in order to recreate the arrangement. Pairs then swap directions and try to...
Center for Math and Science Education
Pocket Solar System
How in the world can something as big as the solar system possibly fit in your pocket? Complete this simple modeling activity and find out, as young scientists gain an appreciation for the incredible scale of outer space.
Curated OER
Three Classes of Levers
Eighth graders research the three classes of levers and create a Power Point presentation showcasing the fulcrum, effort arm, and resistance arm in each class. They then write a paper explaining real life applications of the levers.
Curated OER
Build a Space Shuttle
Pupils explore the concept of space. In this space lesson, students pretend to be aerospace engineers. Pupils build space ships out of cardboard tubes. Students discuss what aerospace engineers do. Pupils model their space ships after...
Curated OER
Naturral Born Robots: Robots Have Feelings Too
Students explore robotics. They design a simple device that simulates a human arm lifting a mass. Students test the strength of their arm. Students discuss artificial intelligence.
Curated OER
Pulleys and Levers
Fifth graders explore the concept of pulleys and levers. They read and discuss text from the book "It's Science! Machines We Use," and in small groups construct a simple lever and pulley using a Lego Dacta set.