Interactive
Curated OER

Submarines

For Students 3rd - 6th
In this online interactive submarines activity, students respond to 11 fill in the blank and multiple choice questions regarding the information included in the provided paragraph.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

John Fitch: Pioneer Steamboat Inventor

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students explore the transportation revolution brought about through the use of steam power to move boats over water. They practice note taking skills by taking notes from an article.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Thurmond: A Town Born from Coal Mines and Railroads (28)

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the complex and often dangerous daily routines at the Thurmond train depot, and explore how rail workers were immortalized by some of the people they served.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson 1: Design a Transportation Stamp

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students, in groups, research a certain form of transportation that has affected Maine's economic and cultural development. They write a persuasive letter that uses the research to support an argument.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Durango and Silverton Railroad

For Students 6th - 8th
In this word search worksheet, students search and find vocabulary words as they relate to the Durango and Silverton Railroad lines. Words may be located forward, backward, up, down, and diagonally.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Folly or Fortune?

For Students 9th
In this listening selection worksheet, 9th graders read and listen to the story 'Folly or Fortune' by Lois Miner Huey to improve their listening skills.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Generators: Three Mile Island vs. Hoover Dam

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students are given a history of electricity and its development into the modern age lifeline upon which we so depend. The methods of power generation are introduced, and further discussion of each technology's pros and cons follows. ...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electrical Generators

For Teachers 1st - 12th
Students study what an electric generator does and its history.  In this energy lesson students complete several experiments including building their own electric generator.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Egyptian Inspiration Web

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students conduct Internet research to discover information about scientific, technological, cultural and intellectual achievements in Egypt, along with Egyptian family life. Students create Inspiration webs of their findings.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Hurricane Strength: Spatial Association of Wind Speed and Water Temperature

For Students 6th - 9th
In this hurricane worksheet, students read and analyze satellite images of hurricane Rita. They complete 4 short answer questions about it.
Activity
Science Museum, London

Science Museum Energy Hall: The Impact of the Steam Engine

For Students 9th - 10th
This fascinating museum exhibit is on how the development of the steam engine has impacted the lives of many people over the last two hundred plus years.
Website
Science Museum, London

Science Museum Energy Hall: Steam Engine Pioneers

For Students 9th - 10th
Find out about the men who pioneered the development of the steam engine and the engines that they developed.
Primary
Digital Public Library of America

Dpla: Full Steam Ahead: The Steam Engine and Transportation in the Nineteenth Century

For Students 9th - 10th
This primary source set uses illustrations, documents, and photographs to tell the story of how the steam engine transformed the railroad industry and played crucial roles in the Industrial Revolution and westward expansion.
Primary
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Primary Source Set: Steam Engine: Transportation 19th Century

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This collection uses primary sources to explore the steam engine and transportation in the nineteenth century.
Handout
Other

The Invention of the Steam Engine

For Students 9th - 10th
In short, readable paragraphs, students can easily follow the history of the invention of the steam engine.
Website
University of Houston

University of Houston: Engines of Our Ingenuity: History of the Steam Engine

For Students 9th - 10th
From the Engines of Ingenuity web site. A lengthy page discussing ingenuity and invention as it pertains to steam engine history. Very anecdotal and interesting. Includes biographical information and interesting details about Hero of...
Website
Other

Rob's North York Moors Railway: The Steam Locomotive

For Students 9th - 10th
A page describing the parts of a steam engine and explaining their operation. Thorough discussion of the parts.
eBook
Other

Modern World History: The Industrial Revolution Begins in England (1760 1850)

For Students 9th - 10th
In this textbook unit, students learn the reasons why the Industrial Revolution took root in England first, and the innovations that made this possible. These included textile inventions such as the flying shuttle and the spinning jenny,...
Article
University of Houston

University of Houston: Engines of Our Ingenuity: Hero(n) of Alexandria

For Students 9th - 10th
Describes the life of Hero of Alexandria and discusses Hero's contribution to the development of the steam engine. Text is the actual radio transcript of a syndicated radio broadcast on invention and ingenuity.
Activity
Science Museum, London

Science Museum: Energy Hall: The Story of Steam

For Students 9th - 10th
A virtual exhibition on the history of steam power, with animated images of the first steam engines. Covers the history of coal mining and engine building by millwrights and engineers, and gives biographical information about early...
Article
University of Houston

University of Houston: Engines of Our Ingenuity: Steam Engines in England

For Students 9th - 10th
An interesting historical account of the development of the steam engine. Provides pictures of the earliest of steam engines.
Handout
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory

Magnet Academy: Steam Condensing Engine 1769

For Students 9th - 10th
Few inventions have affected human history as much as the steam engine. Without it, there would have been no locomotives, no steamers and no Industrial Revolution.
Article
University of Houston

University of Houston: Engines of Our Ingenuity: Big Diesel Engines

For Students 9th - 10th
Traces the historical evolution of the diesel engine. Explains the distinction between gasoline engines and diesel engines. Discusses the uses of diesel engines. Interesting, anecdotal and well-written. (Text is the actual radio...
Handout
Other

Smith College: Heron's Steam Engine

For Students 9th - 10th
From the Smith College Museum of Ancient Inventions website. Description of Heron's invention of the aeolipile - a precursor to the steam engine. Includes a graphic depicting a replica of the device.