Curated OER
Gears and Proportions
Students explore gears. In this simple machines and ratio instructional activity, students view a video clip in which front and rear bicycle gears are explained. From a set of gear combinations and gear ratios, students identify high...
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Changes in Force, Motion, and Energy
Eighth graders construct various machines and compare the work done by them.
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Getting into Shape
Students identify 3-D geometric shapes through different pieces of artwork. They examine and identify segments and angles. Students act out shapes and create a piece of artwork. Additional cross curriculum activities are listed.
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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.
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Tessellations: An Application of Simple Regular Polygons
Tenth graders identify homogeneous tessellations. In this model-based lesson, 10th graders make and identify homogeneous tessellations, both regular and semi-regular.
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"The Three Billy Goats Gruff:" Retelling the Story
Youngsters retell the story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff. They write a sentence for speech bubbles for a character in the story, identify the phrases that can be used for retelling a story, and in small groups write a sentence for the...
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Toy Tally One
Fifth graders explore simple machines. They examine toys and discover toys that are actually simple machines. Students share information, with the class, about their selected toy and how it works.
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Slide Right On By Using an Inclined Plane
Fourth graders examine the simple machine known as a plane. They build their own pyramid and identify the role of screws. They participate in a hands-on activity in which they determine the angle in which to make it easier to pull.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Clipper Creations
Learners create their own model of a nail clipper. They practice using engineering design and model building. They also identify different kinds of small levers.
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Introduction to Work
Fifth graders define work, force, and energy and calculate work done using a simple formula. They observe the teacher using an Equi-beam and identify the fulcrum, calculate different work problems, and participate in a class discussion.
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Fire Safety in the Home
Students discover the importance of fire safety. For this fire prevention lesson, students identify problems in a house that could lead to a fire and draw their own homes that include the appropriate fire prevention tools. The students...
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What Is That Thing?
Could your class identify an old-fashioned can opener? What about a rotary phone, or a VCR? Learners take a look at several gadgets and devices to infer the name and purpose of each item.
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Ship of the Line
Students discover boats by researching 18th century ships. In this Naval history lesson, students identify and describe the different components of an 18th century naval ship after researching information on the Internet. Students...
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Building a Car: Mechanical Engineering
Students use common materials to build a car. In this car building mechanical engineering activity, students build a car using a milk cartoon and plastic wheels. They discuss what mechanical engineers do and what makes a car run.
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Space Age Technology Comes to Earth
Young scholars explore eight career and technical areas and make connections with business, family and consumers, and technology. They examine and describe how agriculture and natural resources impact our quality of life. They explore...
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Energy All Around: Energy in Our Lives
Learners identify the different sources of energy. In this energy lesson plan, students list different machines and identify the type of energy used to operate them. They create a diagram of a wind turbine and label its parts.
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Sparky's Engineer: A Story Book Introduction to Engineering
Students investigate what an engineer does. In this engineering instructional activity, students read the book "Sparky's Engineer" and analyze the different types of engineers that are referenced in the book. The students identify tools...
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Break It Down!
Students explore the everyday implications of system failure. They are challenged to identify the causes of system failure.
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What Can You Make of It?
Students investigate the various uses of a paper cup. In this scientific inquiry instructional activity, students investigate various ways to use a paper cup by identifying its characteristics. Students sketch their discovery.
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Carrot Seed Lesson Plan
Students create a seed museum. In this early childhood lesson plan, students identify various seeds and the plants the seeds will grow into. Students write a description of the plant, illustrate the plant and create a seed museum in...
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Starlight, Star Bright
First graders read books and use the Internet to identify several constellations and stars in the night sky. They make star pictures and write a class report about the night sky including a title, complete sentences and a cited reference.
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A Map Mystery
First graders solve a mystery by following map clues. In this map clues lesson plan, 1st graders follow a computer program called Neighborhood Map Machine. In this program, it gives students directional and spatial clues in order to...
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Map Creation
Second graders identify a map, symbol, key, and compass rose. Students create and print a map for teacher evaluation using the computer. Students identify the symbols on their map and orally present them to the class.
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Rap-Tap-Tap
Fifth graders investigate incline planes and wedges. They identify a variety of incline planes and wedges that are found all around them. Students record their findings using a worksheet.