In this one hundred dollar laptop computer activity, students read the article, answer true and false questions, complete synonym matching, complete phrase matching, complete a gap fill, answer short answer questions, answer discussion...

Protect the marshmallows! Groups create contraptions that will keep marshmallows in a cup, even after dropping them from a certain height. This is a fun way to model the shock-absorbing capabilities of spacecraft.

Let your class bounce to examine the concept elastic potential energy. Individuals bounce on a pogo stick in order to calculate its elastic potential energy. Groups then compare the elastic potential energy to the gravitational...

Imagine precisely cutting and then moving a 120 ton boulder more than two miles without mechanical cutting tolls, skid loaders, or hydraulic cranes. Imagine carving a stone figure that includes a drainage system that permits rainwater to...

Second graders explore and discuss adding 10 as they predict number patterns with the hundred chart. They work in pairs, groups choose a number, 1-9, and predict what happens if they add 10 to the number. Students make-a-ten strategy...

Third graders review place value by arranging four numbers to make the highest number possible. They are shown a hundred flat. Students are asked to show another way of making 100 using base-ten blcoks. They are then shown a thousands...

Knowing the temperature coefficient allows for the calculation of voltage output at any temperature. Groups conduct an experiment to determine the effects of temperature on the power output of a solar panel. The teams alter the...

Get your learners interested in space exploration. Groups design space rovers using design software and then build prototypes of their designs. The farther the rovers can travel, the better. The catch? The rovers must be powered by...

Wrap up an engineering lesson with a worthwhile project. An engineering design task challenges groups to develop a package for a pharmaceutical company given constraints on the volume. Learners then create a presentation to highlight...

Can your pupils build a roof that stands the test of time? Use an insightful engineering design project to highlight both materials science and architecture. Scholars either team up or work as individuals to design, create, and test a...

Fifth graders examine and research a major region of the Unites States in groups of four. In addition, they locate the states, capitals, mammals and two bodies of water or mountain ranges found within their region. After the research,...

Students, when given a microscope or a camera, write two observations they have seen using technology that they did not see with just their eyes with 100% accuracy. When given a blank map, they mark the location of Mammoth Cave along...

Students discover new ways to preserve the ecosystem by completing graphic organizers.  In this environmental instructional activity, students read an article from the Natural Inquirer in small groups and fill out a graphic...

Learners discover the positive and negative effects of technology. In this technology lesson, students give examples of technology advances from the past few years. Learners get into groups and debate whether a particular item has hurt...

Explore optics using an inquiry-based experimental approach! Young scholars use a set of materials to design and build a unit capable of focusing a beam of light. They experiment with different lenses to determine the best approach to...

Can't build a cantilever? You'll be able to after a hands-on, constructive activity. Young engineers build cantilevers out of straws and tape. The finished products must be able to hang off a table as far as possible.

There's no spin needed to describe the usefulness of a dizzying resource! Using paper plates, DVDs, wooden skewers, and pencils, learners work in teams to create spinning tops. The longest-spinning top wins.

Investigate the growth and development of New York City with the final lesson in this four-part series on skyscrapers. Learners first explore the concept of urban growth by looking closely at a series of three paintings made of Wall...

Amateurs of alternative energy build a mini parabolic-trough solar energy collector and use it to heat water. Temperature is recorded over a three-minute period and the data is graphed and analyzed. Note that in order to paint aquarium...

Think like an engineer and an agricultural scientist over the course of 12 lessons in a STEM based unit. Young scientists take on the roles of animal physiologists, animal geneticists, agricultural engineers, animal nutritionists,...

Help your class master the important concept of critical load. Pupils work together to build a structure using 12 playing cards. They test the critical load of the structure using pennies or paper clips.

Pour a solid foundation of engineering into the minds of future engineers. Scholars take part in three activities to learn about civil engineering. They build a model of a cable-stayed bridge, conduct an experiment to see the effects of...

Students, when researching a space topic in connection to Indiana, find six events related to the topic with a 100% accuracy. They place the six events in chronological order, create a time line, and then make a layered book out of them...

Learners review their numbers up to one hundred. Using a chart, they compare and predict patterns that might be in the numbers. They practice skip counting and grouping numbers. Using a spreadsheet, they graph different sets of numbers...