Museum of Science
Skyscraper Engineering
The sky's the limit when learning about engineering. Future engineers conduct an activity to learn about forces associated with skyscrapers. They design and build a model of a skyscraper from basic household materials, then test their...
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Skyscrapers: Engineering Up!
Students build their own newspaper skyscrapers with limited materials and time. They identify several different structural engineering principles relating to skyscrapers. They explain how their towers resisted the wind load.
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Skyscrapers
Students engineer their way through a hands-on science activity. In this architecture lesson plan, students examine dead loads and wind loads as they participate in the Skyscraper Challenge.
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Higher and Higher: Amazing Skyscrapers
Middle schoolers brainstorm the names of skyscrapers then get into groups and create their own skyscraper. In this architecture lesson students answer questions about their skyscraper after creating one.
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Pyramid Building: How to Use a Wedge
Students explore the simple machine of a wedge. In this wedge lesson, students test wedges on different materials including wax, soap, clay and foam. They learn how a wedge was used to build the ancient pyramid and modern day skyscrapers.
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Shadows and Skyscrapers
Eighth graders explain the relationship between the position of the sun, a city's latitude and shadow length. Ratio's, geometry, and algebra are used to determine the shadow lengths and building heights. A sun angle (altitude) charts to...
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Skyscrapers
Middle schoolers examine photographs of skyscrapers. They work together to design their own building. They must include a list of all of the essential materials and how to deal with problems. They present their completed design to the...
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Strong as the Weakest Link
Students apply knowledge of stresses and forces by building model structures. In this force activity, students consider skyscrapers and bridges in the world around them and the stresses that these structures endure. They use their...
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Internet Fact Hunt at the "Fact Monster" Web Site- May #1
In this Internet fact hunt learning exercise, students access the "Fact Monster" web site to answer 5 multiple choice questions. They answer US history, science, and geography questions.
DiscoverE
Bridges, Buildings and Beyond Activity Packet: Grades 3-5
The road to a better understanding of engineering lies with bridges and tunnels. A set of four engaging activities teaches learners about engineering concepts related to construction projects. They perform an experiment to find the...
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Skyscraper Capers
Students discuss skyscrapers and listen as the teacher introduces the project. They use the Internet to perform research on one skyscraper. Students use information they gather to create a brochure of their building . They create an...
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Build the Tallest Building
Learners study skyscrapers and how they were constructed. In this tallest building activity students construct a model of the tallest building in the world.
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The Ups and Downs of Technology
Young scholars create a visual timeline of skyscrapers built in the past 20 years. In this physical science lesson, students research important facts about the building. They discuss the challenges architects face when building skyscrapers.
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Reach For The Sky
Learners consider alternative designs for a tall building and choose one of their designs to build. As a final step, they design and construct a model of a skyscraper.
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Columns
Students view a video clip on skyscrapers. They discover how columns support different size loads. They participate in activities and discuss their results.
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Colossal Squid Caught in Antarctic
Students define the word colossal, then read a news article about an enormous squid caught off Antarctica. In this animal studies and current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with dictionary and vocabulary activities,...
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Strong as the Weakest Link
Pupils discover the types of stress that materials undergo. They examine how bridges and skyscrapers are built to withhold the tension. They create their own structure out of marshmallows and spaghetti.
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Vertical Thinking
Learners explore the inventions and innovations of skyscraper engineering as a part of architecture analysis. In this architecture analysis instructional activity, students research the inventions, innovations, architects, and engineers...
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Designing the Perfect Science Fair Project Webquest
Sixth graders examine the Scientific Method and define their topic of interest. Students familiarize themselves with how to utilize their resources and create note cards. Students create their written report and display of their...
Teach Engineering
Projectile Magic
What do the movies October Key and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone have in common? The fourth installment of a five-part module presents equations regarding projectile motion and how to rearrange them. Scholars view video clips...
Center for Learning in Action
Challenge with Solids, Liquids, and Gases
There's a container for every matter—liquid, solid, and gas. Pupils design three different containers, each with the capability to hold one of the states of matter, and share their design with the class.
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Balsa Towers
Students build their own tower using concepts from previous lessons. They are given a set of materials to use and general guidelines. They share what they have created with their classmates.
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Simple Machines
Students create a pyramid design based on the 6 simple machines that they are introduced to. In this simple machines lesson plan, students are introduced to the wedge, wheel and axle, inclined plane, screw, and pulley.
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Engineering: Simple Machines
Fourth graders participate in activities to examine how simple machines help build things. They identify the six types of simple machines. They discover how simple machines where use historically to build pyramids and how they are still...