Students investigate the importance of community service by creating their own project ideas.  In this volunteering activity, students research stories of Peace Corps Volunteers and how they were able to have a positive effect in...

Do some good for the community while learning about engineering. Groups complete a service-based engineering design project over the course of five weeks. The resource provides guidance on how to conduct the project and help pupils get...

A project-based learning plan focuses on landscapes in the community. After identifying problems, such as dead trees or misplaced automatic sprinklers, learners design solutions, contact local organizations to fix the problems, and do...

Applying engineering concepts to the field of medicine, pupils design a device to help test peripheral sight. The class learns and follows a specific design process for engineers before separating into groups; each group builds...

Students explore the components and meaning of philanthropy. For this community awareness lesson, students are able to identify and research agencies and organizations that provide services to children in need, compare and contrast...

Learners discover what makes a community run smoothly by reading signs and visiting various places in their community. In this social studies lesson plan, small groups of students take photographs of community signs and places and then...

First graders design a Powerpoint presentation to reflect information about their community.  For this community lesson, 1st graders create slides to explain the weather, geography and other information about the city.

Fifth graders videotape an interview with a community member. In this service learning project, 5th graders are matched with a resident at a local retirement center. The students spend time corresponding with this person and ultimately...

Secondary carpenters apply their skills to improve display spaces in classrooms at their campus. Includes a contract between workers and teachers who sign on for improvements in the their rooms. Concurrent exploration of building and...

Help overcome challenges in eating pizza. Scholars work in groups to design a device that assists a physically handicapped person eat pizza. They build a prototype of such a device to test their designs before building. To...

Students work in groups to identify a topic or issue that they feel passionate about and produce a short PSA for the topic. For this PSA lesson, students select an issue or social problem to research. Students create a video or a...

You don't have to be a Minecraft wiz to know that this app has great playability for your learners! As afterschool programs and classroom projects around the world demonstrate, this game goes well beyond placing blocks and traditional...

How can engineers help their communities? Three challenges in the first unit explore why STEM is important to communities and how neighborhoods are engineered to experience those benefits. The second unit prompts groups to plan an...

Middle schoolers investigate the ways energy is used at their school and how it can be changed.  In this energy lesson, students participate in a service project related to energy. Middle schoolers record and calculate changes that...

Learners identify a veteran to interview. This could be a family member of one of students or someone contacted through an organization in the community. They use a storyboard to plan their movie about their subject.

Students study the transportation and delivery service and complete a timeline activity. In this delivery and transportation lesson, students identify activities that need to be completed to make deliveries. Students arrange activities...

Students use Web page templates to publish how-to instructions on the Internet. The Web sites are used as instructional databases for others to view. Students also participate in electronic message boards to post and answer questions...

Students create an edible map. For this civics and geography lesson, students research their town's features and local government. Students work in groups to design and create a physical map of their town based on research.

Young scholars investigate animal injuries caused by humans. They present their findings to various neighborhood groups.

From 3-D cities to building bridges, young engineers engage in innovative STEM challenges that promote brainstorming and collaboration. Learners take on the roles of different types of engineers as well as become familiar...

Getting water to a tap requires an understanding the fundamentals of fluid flow. Groups design, build, and test a piping system to get water from the source — a five gallon bucket — to a tippy tap. The objective is to be able to...

Every time a bell rings ... there is lightning in the area. The activity provides directions to build a model of a lightning detection system. Similar to a system designed by Benjamin Franklin, the system uses static...

Students examine the settlement and use of the Smith River area. Using the internet, they research concepts such as the "right of conquest" and "natural rights". In groups, they demonstrate how the land was transferred to the...

Students explore varied aspects of the design process and learn that most products are designed to reach the worlds wealthiest 10%. In this lesson plan, students work in groups to learn ways in which designers are attempting to rectify...