All resources in Lancaster-Lebanon IU 13

Antiobiotic Resistance

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In the explorable explanation players can learn how antibiotic resistance happens. They can interact with bacteria in this simulation to learn how when living things reproduce, there is a small amount of variance in their offspring. This allows organisms to respond to changes in their environment over several generations. Applied to bacteria, when they treated with antibiotics, only the strongest survive and multiply, creating an increasing resilient population.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Game, Interactive, Simulation

Wizardry and Chemistry

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Students learn how common pop culture references (Harry Potter books) can relate to chemistry. While making and demonstrating their own low-intensity sparklers (muggle-versions of magic wands), students learn and come to appreciate the chemistry involved (reaction rates, Gibb's free energy, process chemistry and metallurgy). The fun part is that all wands are personalized and depend on how well students conduct the lab. Students end the activity with a class duel a face-off between wands of two different chemical compositions. This lab serves as a fun, engaging review for stoichiometry, thermodynamics, redox and kinetics, as well as advanced placement course review.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Authors: Eugene Chiappetta, Marc Bird

Climate Change: Cross-Curricular Math, English, Science Lesson

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This unit provides Common-Core aligned lessons based for Math 3, English 10, and Biology (NGSS Standards). The subjects are linked by a text on climate change, and they hit the standards of argumentation for English, comparing functions in Math 3, and human effects on environment in Biology.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Assessment, Data Set, Diagram/Illustration, Homework/Assignment, Interactive, Lesson Plan, Primary Source, Reading, Teaching/Learning Strategy

Authors: Joanna Schimizzi, Christine Sheffler, Rob Leichner, Theodore Mueller, Yilmaz Yoruk

Above-Ground Storage Tank Design Project

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At this point in the unit, students have learned about Pascal's law, Archimedes' principle, Bernoulli's principle, and why above-ground storage tanks are of major concern in the Houston Ship Channel and other coastal areas. In this culminating activity, student groups act as engineering design teams to derive equations to determine the stability of specific above-ground storage tank scenarios with given tank specifications and liquid contents. With their floatation analyses completed and the stability determined, students analyze the tank stability in specific storm conditions. Then, teams are challenged to come up with improved storage tank designs to make them less vulnerable to uplift, displacement and buckling in storm conditions. Teams present their analyses and design ideas in short class presentations.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Authors: Emily Sappington, Mila Taylor

All Kinds of STEM: Oil Spill Cleaner-Upper

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 Oil spill cleaner-upper | micro:bit Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing states and least-developed countries.This activity is in two parts, you can do either part – or both. The first part can be completed with no additional hardware or even micro:bits, comprising a challenge to design an efficient algorithm to clean an area of sea. The second part builds on this to create an autonomous vehicle that can mop up oil spills.

Material Type: Lesson

Authors: Lori Blantz, Heather Brown, Lauren Beal, Andrea Fellows, Janice Beitzel

Daily Temperature Collection and Analysis using micro:bit

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 In accordance with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal #3: Good Health and Well-Being, students are asked to help contain the spread of the communicable disease, COVID-19, by monitoring their daily health. Code will be written to use the micro:bit’s thermometer to collect data which is then stored daily in a CSV file and later used to make statistical calculations and a box-and-whisker plot.

Material Type: Lesson

Authors: Sandy Carosella, Lauren Beal

All Kinds of STEM Design Challenge - Micro:bit programming and sustainable energy

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Micro:bit based engineering design challenge that will incorporate "Kid Wind" lessons. If "Kid Wind" is not available, it could be adapted to use with most any sustainable energy system. Students will identify a component of the system to improve, then identify a code that could be used with that system from the Micro:bit library. Students will then create that code. The end product of the entire lesson involves a presentation on the sustainable energy system, the code, and aspects of career exploration. 

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Mike Hardwig

Detecting Marine Debris - using Micro:bit

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Project lesson plan involving detecting floating marine debris. Connections to the oceans' garbage patches.   Resource using Micro:bit and extension equipment to wire devices and Microsoft Makecode to code the Micro:bit to perform processes. Engineering Design Process is used to design a floating platform to hold and protect all equipment from water while it performs its functions.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Authors: Marie Barber, Lauren Beal

Reliable Online Resources

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Middle and High School educators across Lebanon County, Pennsylvania developed lesson plans to integrate the Pennsylvania Career Education and Work Standards with the content they teach. This work was made possible through a partnership between the South Central PA Workforce Investment Board (SCPa Works) and Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 (IU13) and was funded by a Teacher in the Workplace Grant Award from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. This lesson plan was developed by one of the talented educators who participated in this project during the 2019-2020 school year.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Authors: Rachael Haverstick, Louise Leach

Hurricane Risk Reduction - STEM Lesson

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Students will gain an understanding of warning systems used for natural disaster awareness and learn about the causes of flooding as related to hurricanes. They will need to develop innovative solutions to better prevent damages and loss of life brought on by hurricanes. They will design prototypes using Strawbees, SAM Labs, and Micro:bit resources. 

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson Plan

Author: Mark Wojdyla

Introductory Lesson for Designing a Pedometer (Middle School)

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Diet and exercise are important keys to good health.  This is a design challenge that is part of a unit that I teach in STEM class on health.  Prior to this activity, students explore the CDCs top causes of death with a focus on nutrition, and conduct a study with a focus on MyPlate.  This design challenge helps transition into the exercise component.Students will apply the Engineering Design Process (EDP) to design, test, analyze, and improve a pedometer using micro:bit.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Authors: Kevin Childs, Lauren Beal

Design Challenge The Ring of Fire- Exploring Volcanoes

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During this lesson, students will gain an understanding of the different ways that volcanoes can erupt, as well as how land forms over time as a result of volcanoes. Students will integrate and exhibit learning by designing a model of a volcano that simulates heat sensing and vibration of a volcanic eruption. The Ring of Fire is a 40,000 km stretch of ocean and land along the edges of the Pacific Ocean.Tectonic plates break apart and then crash back together. This causes many earthquakes and volcanoes along the ring of fire.755 of the earth’s volcanoes occur in this area, as well as 80% of earthquakesCreate a system and model of a cinder cone volcano that simulates heat sensing and the vibration of a volcanic eruption. 

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson Plan

Authors: Lori Blantz, Rachael Haverstick