Students examine and describe the six main simple machines. In groups, they work with an inclined plane to calculate the ideal and actual mechanical advantages of the plane. Using their results, they must determine the efficiency of the...

Students develop a topic statement or research question. They examine the best use of search engines and directories to effectively retrieve good information.

Students examine solubility and the significance of water.  In this aqueous solution lesson plan students complete a lab activity on soil profiles.

Creating buildings that reach hundreds of feet into the sky is no easy task. The third instructional activity in this series begins with four activities that engage young architects in exploring the major challenges that are faced when...

The construction of skyscrapers is no simple undertaking, involving the careful coordination and planning of many different people. The third lesson in this series explores this detailed process by first teaching children about the main...

Using a remote-controlled robot, junior engineers simulate a hazardous materials removal exercise. This activity will introduce students to the following careers: robotics technician, hazardous materials specialist, environmental...

How fun it must be to play Frisbee in space! That is just what a NASA engineer gets to do, and you can learn how, too. Follow the instructions provided in this informational article to create your own satellite launcher. Afterward,...

An online animation demonstrates how the lock system between Lake Superior and Lake Michigan works. Pupils then construct their own models of the lock system out of shoe boxes that they bring from home. This is an educational activity...

Hold a competition in your science or engineering class to find out which group can design the most effective new style of paper cup from a single sheet of paper. Each group will be challenged by this activity and will have fun at the...

Young scientists present their experimental designs from the previous experiment. The ninth instructional activity in the series outlines what learners should present, what class discussions should happen, and the solution NASA came up...

Your advanced physics class will appreciate this lesson in which they use magnetic field sensors to determine the relationship between the number of turns per meter of a solenoid and the magnetic field produced. The materials for this...

Investigate life along the Old Spanish Trail! They visit websites and identify the history and environment. They create journals, dramatic enactments, and maps to discover the role individuals played in society. They also explore the...

Learners complete searches using a directory, search engine, and meta-search engine. In this Internet research lesson, students complete Internet searches using a directory, basic search techniques, advanced search techniques, and a meta...

In this DNA technology worksheet, students look at genetic engineering and how it has helped humans. Then students will read about the human genome and how DNA fingerprinting is used in crime scenes. This worksheet has 4 short answer...

Students study DNA research and genetic engineering. Also, they learn why diversity among people are important.

Learners design and test packaging an egg. In this engineering design lesson, students design and test packaging that will keep an egg from cracking when dropped from a certain height.

Students combine their knowledge of genetics, farming and nutrition to design a genetically engineered food. Students focus on how the food will be improved, how it differs from the original product, what types of modifications will be...

Students study the three major web search tools: search engines, directories, and metasearch engines. They examine the appropriate times to use each of the search tools.

Seventh graders study the engineering projects that the US Army Corps of Engineers initiated during the development of Texas. They examine primary source documents that are in digital and print form, and identify US Army Corp of Engineer...

It's important to make sure houses can withstand winds. A hands-on activity has learners create a structure out of household materials. They use a fan to simulate hurricane-force winds to see if their structures can withstand the...

Secondary artists create a metal box made from copper tooling foil and solid oil paint sticks (Shiva Paintstiks). The exacting design develops organizational principles and the painted finish allows for individual expression of...

Blend art, adolescent snacking habits, and math to create new cereal boxes. Secondary learners review scale drawings. They use this information to construct cereal boxes to scale and will compare their creation to the original product to...

What a scam! Middle and high schoolers pose as journalists exposing consumer fraud. In this lesson, they write an article for a magazine using data collected during previous investigations (prior lessons) to defend their findings that a...

Students examine sea surface temperatures to see how hurricanes get heat from the oceans surface.  In this hurricanes lesson plan students use the Internet to find data and make line plots.