Students write a computer program that can receive two numbers and allows the user to decide to add, subtract, or multiply them together. Once solved, they discuss the sample solution using a case construct. Students discover when it is...

Stretch out the grid. Teaching modules provide suggestions on how to use the case study, GridWorld, throughout the year as opposed to only right before the exam. The instructional units provide suggestions for presentations, assignments,...

Civil rights meets biotechnology in a instructional activity that scrutinizes the collection of DNA of citizens who have been arrested, but not yet convicted of a crime. Real-life cases are examined in which the DNA of a relative was...

Engineering design projects serve as great opportunities for collaborative problem solving. In this case, young scholars work in small groups designing, building, and eventually testing a structure that meets a teacher-specified...

Learners develop an experiment to test a hypothesis. They use their knowledge of antigen-antibody specificity to develop a hypothesis. Students articulate that the antibody-antigen specificity is one part of the immune system. They...

Young scholars analyze popular feelings and beliefs about two major disasters: the sinking of the Titanic (1912) and the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger (1986). They compile evidence, through research and interviews, about how...

Don't melt away! Pairs investigate different insulation materials to determine which one is better than the others. Using a low-temp heat plate, the teams insulate an ice cube from the heat source with a variety of substances. They...

Dressing for success is not always about looking sharp. Sometimes it is about staying warm and dry. Present your class with an activity that challenges groups of pupils to design a layered material for blizzard conditions. The teams test...

Looking for the best inclined plane for the job? Groups calculate the theoretical mechanical advantage for four different inclined planes. They determine the actual mechanical advantage by measuring the amount of force needed for the...

 The class must determine the magnetic properties of different materials, including aluminum and steel by sorting through materials using a magnet. Groups make a prediction on whether a material is magnetic and then perform...

Students explore the meaning of privacy, and then defend contrasting positions in legal cases relating to electronic privacy rights.

Fifth graders create a picture book of local landforms using digital cameras. They also illustrate two vocabulary terms by hand and locate pictures of other geography vocabulary terms in magazines. Students take picture-taking field...

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

Students working in pairs utilize a tutorial to produce a pen and pencil set on the CNC lathe and a holder/case on the CNC mill/router.

High schoolers identify current world crisis. They explore UN policies in dealing with them. Students access the individual U.S, involvement in each case through research analysis. They become aware of the role of the United Nations in...

Students investigate the ways in which ancient technologies - six types of simple machines and combinations - are used to construct modern buildings. As they work together to solve a design problem (designing and building a modern...

Some of today's technologies are controversial, in vitro fertilization being one of them. Mature high school biology classes examine the technology involved in and dilemmas created by this procedure. They play different roles in an...

Ecology aces examine sea surface temperature maps and relate temperatures to concentration in fish and zooplankton populations. Take your class to a computer lab and provide experience with actual remote sensing data. Some of the links...

Young mathematicians research and discuss real world math word problems and ways in which they apply math concepts in their everyday lives. They create a storyboard of a math word problem from which they create a slide for a multi-media...

Now it becomes crystal clear why the unit is called Mixtures and Solutions. The fifth installment of a six-part unit explores mixtures and solutions. After viewing a demonstration on mixing pebbles with water, salt with water, and...

In this mind-bending activity, young engineers explore this question of whether or not light actually bends. Using holographic diffraction gratings, groups design and build a spectrograph. The groups then move on research a problem...

Introduce your class to the layers of abstraction of the Internet with a lesson on the HTTP protocol. Pupils review previous lessons on levels of the Internet, then investigate new high levels by examining the HTTP traffic on...

Explore terminology related to water droplets. The sixth installment of a nine-part series teaches young scientists about wetting and contact angles between water droplets and surfaces. It also distinguishes between hydrophobic and...

Explore decision-making logic in programming computer games. The 10th installment of a 21-part unit teaches scholars how to apply conditional statements and Boolean expressions. They use these concepts to create a "Guess My Number" game...