Teach Engineering
Better By Design
Which modification is the best? Using the scientific method, pairs determine the effects of each control surface on the distance of a glider's flight. The activity, section 16 in a 22-part unit on aviation, allows pupils to gain a better...
New York City Department of Education
Grade 8 Science: Genetic Modification of Organisms
Genetic modification is a hot topic in the science and political world. A complete unit gives learners an opportunity to research genetic modification, play an interactive genetic engineering simulation, and interact with the information...
NASA
NASA Engineering Design Challenges - Spacecraft Structures
What kind of design challenges are there in building structures to support rocket engines? The unit takes design teams through the process of building the lightest possible thrust support structure that can withstand the necessary forces...
Curated OER
Solar Heat: Building and Testing a Solar Oven
Building a solar oven is always an enriching and engaging activity when your class is studying forms of energy or alternative and renewable energy sources. This lesson plan refers you to the re-energy.ca home website for specific...
Achievement Strategies
CCSS Unit Design Template for PE
From baseball and tennis to capture the flag and four-square, here is a great document that will help you design your next unit on a sport-related activity.
Curated OER
Dental Chemistry Analogy
After taking in background information on teeth, marble, eggshell, and fluoride, chemistry aces design an experiment. Their goal is to demonstrate whether or not fluoride has a similar effect on marble or eggshell as it does on tooth...
NASA
Roving on the Moon
Take a rover out for a test drive. The challenge is to build a rubber-band-powered rover out of cardboard. Individuals or groups work at making modifications to a prototype rover to increase its efficiency.
Teach Engineering
Weather Alert
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 electricity to...
Curated OER
Design a Book Cover
Students explore character, plot, setting, symbolism, and conflict for a book that they are reading. Sample book covers are provided and students apply what they have learned by designing a book cover.
Curated OER
Drawing Portraits Using a Grid
A well-developed art instructional activity is always great to have around. This instructional activity on portrait drawing includes a full procedure, modifications, background information on artist Chuck Close, recommended websites, and...
Curated OER
Designing My Dream House
Seventh graders design possible dream house layouts. In this architecture activity, 7th graders use sketch paper and a ruler to develop several rough sketches of a dream house. Students discuss how to use a scale for the floor plan.
Curated OER
Interpreting Lao Design: Painting
Students examine Lao art techniques and practice replication and modification of Lao designs. Maintaining a symmetrical image, they embellish designs with imagery and background color. They discuss the students' works and note the...
Teach Engineering
Will It Fly?
Go fly a kite, then fly a plane! The 19th part of a 22-part unit on aviation looks at the way kites and gliders help aid in the understanding of flight. Pupils discuss how engineers used kites to influence airplane designs.
Curated OER
Design Your Dream Room
Students determine length, width, perimeter, and surface area, and work with two-dimensional representations of three-dimension objects to design and write descriptions of their dream bedrooms.
Teach Engineering
Balsa Glider Competition
Change one variable and try again. Teams build basic balsa gliders and collect data on their flight distances and times. Through collaboration, the team decides on two modifications to make to the basic design and collect data for the...
Curated OER
Design a Book Cover
Students use the programs Pics4Learning and ImageBlender 3 to apply their knowledge of characters, plot, setting, symbolism, and conflict to design and create a book cover. Designed as a culminating literature activity.
Magic of Physics
Loads Lab
Take a load off! Introduce junior engineers to the effects of load on structural design with an easy-to-use interactive. Individuals apply one of many load options, examine its effects, then learn about the safeguards employed during...
Curated OER
Probability Experiment Simulation: Design and Data Analysis Using a Graphing Calculator
Seventh graders simulate probability experiments. Using a graphing calculator, 7th graders design, conduct, and draw conclusions from simulations or probability experiments. Students construct frequency tables and compare the...
Curated OER
The Kite
Historical facts and some diagrams about the structure of a kite are given in this PowerPoint. Interesting facts lead to the goal of individuals or groups designing and building their own kite. With this in mind, it might be useful to...
Curated OER
Zoo Habitat Design
Students design a zoo habitat for an animals. For this zoo habitat lesson, students develop an idea for a zoo habitat that would meet the needs of a specific animal. They solve problems that might be encountered by using their knowledge...
SASK Sports
A Resource Manual for Sport Leaders
Here is an incredible collection of activities designed to teach younger pupils broad-based and sport-specific skills. Games are organized according to a variety of sports (i.e. soccer, softball, baseball, etc.) and skill (i.e. running,...
Curated OER
Designing and Building Catapults
Seventh graders complete a challenge to create a catapult that projects a marble or other projectile at least one meter. While experimenting they apply the Four Question Strategy to answer the question, " How can I make one modification...
Curated OER
Hot Air Balloon Design Lesson Plan
Sixth graders discuss what they know and what they want to know about hot air balloon using a KWL chart. They then use a wide array of materials to design a hot air balloon that will lift successfully in cooperative groups referring to...
NASA
Rocket Wind Tunnel
Using a teacher-built wind tunnel constructed from a paper concrete tube form, a fan, and a balance, individuals determine the amount of drag their rocket design will experience in flight. Pupils make modifications to increase the...