Bycatch, the unintended capture of animals in commercial fishing gear, is a hot topic in marine conservation today. The surprisingly high level of bycatch about 25% of the entire global catch is responsible for the decline of hundreds of thousands of dolphins, whales, porpoises, seabirds and sea turtles each year. Through this curricular unit, students analyze the significance of bycatch in the global ecosystem and propose solutions to help reduce bycatch. They become familiar with current attempts to reduce the fishing mortality of these animals. Through the associated activities, the challenges faced today are reinforced and students are stimulated to brainstorm about possible engineering designs or policy changes that could reduce the magnitude of bycatch.

Students learn about linear programming (also called linear optimization) to solve engineering design problems. As they work through a word problem as a class, they learn about the ideas of constraints, feasibility and optimization related to graphing linear equalities. Then they apply this information to solve two practice engineering design problems related to optimizing materials and cost by graphing inequalities, determining coordinates and equations from their graphs, and solving their equations. It is suggested that students conduct the associated activity, Optimizing Pencils in a Tray, before this lesson, although either order is acceptable.

Students define and classify alloys as mixtures, while comparing and contrasting the properties of alloys to those of pure substances. Students learn that engineers investigate the structures and properties of alloys for biomedical and transportation applications. Pre- and post-assessment handouts are provided.

Acting as engineering teams, students take measurements and make calculations to determine the specific strength of various alloys and then report their data to the rest of the class. Using this class data, students write data-based recommendations to NASA regarding the best alloy to use in the construction of the engine and engine turbines for the Space Launch System that will eventually be used to transport astronauts to Mars.

Watch alpha particles escape from a polonium nucleus, causing radioactive alpha decay. See how random decay times relate to the half life.

Watch alpha particles escape from a polonium nucleus, causing radioactive alpha decay. See how random decay times relate to the half life.

This book by Kim Adelson for the Black Hills Audubon Society helps young children learn about different animals and their characteristics, and whether or not they are birds. Through colorful illustrations and engaging text, the book presents various animals and their habitats, and poses the question of whether or not they are birds. This book is a great resource for educators to introduce children to the world of birds and their unique features.

Aerogel, commonly called "frozen smoke," is a super-material with some amazing properties. In this lesson and its associated activity, students learn about this silicon-based solid with a sponge-like structure. Students also learn about density and how aerogel is 99.8% air by volume, making it the lightest solid known to humans! Further, students learn about basic heat transfer and how aerogel is a great thermal insulator, having 39 times more insulation than the best fiberglass insulation. Students also learn about the wide array of aerogel applications.

Children experiment with freezing water to observe a state change of water, and discover that it is less dense as a solid (ice) than it is as a liquid (water). Amazing Expanding Ice is an overnight activity requiring 20 minutes of preparation, overnight freezing of the experiment, and 10 minutes of follow-up discussion.

Looking for a lesson for your younger students? This K-2nd grade lesson will allow students to investigate the three types of honey bees in a colony, identify their roles, and recognize honey bees as part of a community that works together. The lesson includes three activities, vocabulary words, recommended reading, and a "making honey" lab! 

The lesson begins with a demonstration introducing students to the force between two current carrying loops, comparing the attraction and repulsion between the loops to that between two magnets. After formal lecture on Ampere's law, students begin to use the concepts to calculate the magnetic field around a loop. This is applied to determine the magnetic field of a toroid, imagining a toroid as a looped solenoid.

Students design, build and test model roller coasters using foam tubing. The design process integrates energy concepts as they test and evaluate designs that address the task as an engineer would. The goal is for students to understand the basics of engineering design associated with kinetic and potential energy to build an optimal roller coaster. The marble starts with potential energy that is converted to kinetic energy as it moves along the track. The diameter of the loops that the marble traverses without falling out depends on the kinetic energy obtained by the marble.

This lesson follows the NGSS standards for reviewing analog and digital waves. Students will be able to review the differences and similarities of analog and digital waves. Students will also be able to review how signals sent as analog or digital waves are used. 

In this activity, students explore how the timing of color change and leaf drop of New England's deciduous trees is changing.

In this place-based lesson, students will dissect an apple fruit to learn more about its different parts. Includes activity instructions, extension activities, songs and rhymes, anatomy of an apple student worksheet, and sink or float student worksheet.

NGSS: K-ESS3-1, 1-LS1-1

Time: 30 minutes

Materials: "Apples Grow on Trees" or other book about apples, knife, cutting board, at least three apples, apple parts tray, and apple dissection worksheet.

The Anchoring Phenomenon Routine is the launch to student investigation around the anchoring phenomenon. This phenomenon will be the one that students will describe and explain, using disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts in investigations. The Anchoring Phenomenon Routine will encourage thoughtful consideration of the phenomenon, initial models, connections to related phenomenon, discussions about the phenomenon and the creation of the KLEWS chart used for documenting student learning. In an Anchoring Phenomenon Routine, ​students​:
● Are presented with a phenomenon or design problem
● Write and discuss what they notice and wonder about from the initial presentation
● Create and compare initial models of the phenomenon or problem
● Identify related experiences and knowledge that they could draw upon to explain the phenomenon or solve the problem
● Construct a KLEWS Chart
● Identify potential investigations to answer the questions on the KLEWS Chart, adding the questions to the chart

The Anchoring Phenomenon Routine is the launch to student investigation around the anchoring phenomenon. This phenomenon will be the one that students will describe and explain, using disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts in investigations. The Anchoring Phenomenon Routine will encourage thoughtful consideration of the phenomenon, initial models, connections to related phenomenon, discussions about the phenomenon and the creation of the KLEWS chart used for documenting student learning. In an Anchoring Phenomenon Routine, ​students​:
● ​Are presented with a phenomenon or design problem
● ​Write and discuss what they notice and wonder about from the initial presentation
● ​Create and compare initial models of the phenomenon or problem
● ​Identify related experiences and knowledge that they could draw upon to explain the phenomenon or solve the problem
● ​Construct a KLEWS Chart
● ​Identify potential investigations to answer the questions on the KLEWS Chart, adding the questions to the chart

The Anchoring Phenomenon Routine is the launch to student investigation around the anchoring phenomenon. This phenomenon will be the one that students will describe and explain, using disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts in investigations. The Anchoring Phenomenon Routine will encourage thoughtful consideration of the phenomenon, initial models, connections to related phenomenon, discussions about the phenomenon and the creation of the KLEWS chart used for documenting student learning. In an Anchoring Phenomenon Routine, ​students​:
● ​Are presented with a phenomenon or design problem
● ​Write and discuss what they notice and wonder about from the initial presentation
● ​Create and compare initial models of the phenomenon or problem
● ​Identify related experiences and knowledge that they could draw upon to explain the phenomenon or solve the problem
● ​Construct a KLEWS Chart
● ​Identify potential investigations to answer the questions on the KLEWS Chart, adding the questions to the chart

The Anchoring Phenomenon Routine is the launch to student investigation around the anchoring phenomenon. This phenomenon will be the one that students will describe and explain, using disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts in investigations. The Anchoring Phenomenon Routine will encourage thoughtful consideration of the phenomenon, initial models, connections to related phenomenon, discussions about the phenomenon and the creation of the KLEWS chart used for documenting student learning.
In an Anchoring Phenomenon Routine, ​students​:
● Are presented with a phenomenon or design problem
● Write and discuss what they notice and wonder about from the initial presentation
● Create and compare initial models of the phenomenon or problem
● Identify related experiences and knowledge that they could draw upon to explain the phenomenon or solve the problem
● Construct a KLEWS Chart
● Identify potential investigations to answer the questions on the KLEWS Chart, adding the questions to the chart

The Anchoring Phenomenon Routine is the launch to student investigation around the anchoring phenomenon. This phenomenon will be the one that students will describe and explain, using disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts in investigations. The Anchoring Phenomenon Routine will encourage thoughtful consideration of the phenomenon, initial models, connections to related phenomenon, discussions about the phenomenon and the creation of the KLEWS chart used for documenting student learning.
In an Anchoring Phenomenon Routine, ​students​:
● Are presented with a phenomenon or design problem
● Write and discuss what they notice and wonder about from the initial presentation
● Create and compare initial models of the phenomenon or problem
● Identify related experiences and knowledge that they could draw upon to explain the phenomenon or solve the problem
● Construct a KLEWS Chart
● Identify potential investigations to answer the questions on the KLEWS Chart, adding the questions to the chart