Mission to Mars

The Mission to Mars curricular unit introduces students to Mars the Red Planet. Students discover why scientists are so interested in studying this mysterious planet. Many interesting facts about Mars are revealed, and the history of Martian exploration is reviewed. Students will learn about the development of robotics and how robots are beneficial to science, society and the exploration of space. Details on engineers' involvement in space exploration are presented. Furthermore, students will learn how orbits allow astronauts to move from planet to planet and what type of equipment is used by scientists and engineers to safely explore space. Lastly, the specific details on and human risks for a possible future manned mission to Mars (and back to Earth again!) are discussed.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson Plan

Learn 3D Design Using Tinkercad

This series of lessons will teach all of the key features in Tinkercad, a free, web-based 3D design platform. When you have finished the lessons you will have a comprehensive knowledge of how to design/draw in 3D. After that all you need is practice to improve your skills.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Diagram/Illustration, Interactive, Lesson, Lesson Plan, Teaching/Learning Strategy, Unit of Study

Author: Tom Guellich

L5: The History of Agriculture

The purpose of this lesson is to teach students about the history of agriculture and farming vocabulary. This lesson will allow students to think about human impacts on the earth.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Homework/Assignment, Lesson Plan

Author: Bryan Jersky

Sustainable Development 1: An Introduction

This video looks at the meaning of sustainable development and why the current best practices prescribe participatory methods. It also presents a visual model for sustainable development that is closer to the physical reality than the "triple bottom line" model of environmental, equity, and economic goals. This video is part of the Sustainability Learning Suites, made possible in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation. See 'Learn more about this resource' for Learning Objectives and Activities.

Material Type: Lecture Notes

Author: Linda Vanasupa

Classroom Cases: Simple Machines

Science Content Storyline: Simple MachinesBriefly write the content story for the topic: PS2.A Forces and Motion Disciplinary Core Ideas: Each force acts on one particular object and has both strength and a direction. An object at rest typically has multiple forces acting on it, but they add to give zero net force on the object. Forces that do not sum to zero can cause changes in the object’s speed or direction of motion. (3-PS2-1). The patterns of an object’s motion in various situations can be observed and measured; when that past motion exhibits a regular pattern, future motion can be predicted from it.(3-PS2-2)Educational StandardsNGSS: 3-PS2-1. Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object. [Clarification Statement: Examples could include an unbalanced force on one side of a ball can make it start moving; and, balanced forces pushing on a box from both sides will not produce any motion at all.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to one variable at a time: number, size,or direction of forces. The assessment does not include quantitative force size, only qualitative and relative. Assessment is limited to gravity being addressed as a force that pulls objects down.]3-PS2-2. Make observations and/or measurements of an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion. [Clarification Statement: Examples of motion with a predictable pattern could include a child swinging in a swing, a ball rolling back and forth in a bowl, and two children on a see-saw.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include technical terms such as period and frequency.]Summary: Machines make work easier. Levers, inclined planes, and pulleys are simple machines that help us to do work. Work is moving something across a distance using force. Force is a push or a pull. Machines help us to do work by reducing the force needed or changing the direction of the force. There is a trade-off between the amount of effort and distance. (You can’t something for nothing!) 

Material Type: Full Course

Build Your Own Artificial Satellite

Students build their own satellite using household materials. Through the process, they learn about satellites and their functions.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson

Author: Syeda Lammim Ahad

Mapping Earthquakes to Save the World

In the Mapping Earthquakes to Save the World activity, students leverage real-time data to plot earthquakes on a world map. The fate of the world is in their hands – the President of the United States has asked for their help to save humankind. Students identify patterns in their data and connect earthquakes with tectonic plates, making recommendations back to the President about where people are safe and where people are most at risk. This activity was heavily inspired by a project from the Stevens Institute for Technology Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education.

Material Type: Lesson

Author: Eli Sheldon

Vaccine Debate

Students will gather information and data about vaccine information. They will use this information to argue whether or not vaccinations should be mandatory, culminating in a summative assessment in the form of a debate and a reflection on the information gathered.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Authors: Ryanne Dennis, Molly Horn, Madeleine Wright

3.MD Finding the Area of Polygons

This is a task from the Illustrative Mathematics website that is one part of a complete illustration of the standard to which it is aligned. Each task has at least one solution and some commentary that addresses important asects of the task and its potential use. Here are the first few lines of the commentary for this task: Find the area of each colored figure. Each grid square is 1 inch long....

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Illustrative Mathematics

STEM Challenge: Marshmallow Tower

Looking for a fun and engaging way for your students to work on collaboration and using the engineering design process? STEM Challenge: Marshmallow Tower is for you! Simple and cheap materials and little prep required.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Alexis Ketner

Carbon Footprint

CLIL projectsensibilization about carbon footprint reduction

Material Type: Module

Author: claudio bottalo

Dream It, Build It, Launch It!

This Super Lesson utilizes Project Based Learning to assist learners with designing, building, and testing flying contraptions as an introduction to Engineering. The goal of this project is to engage students in collaborative team work and to introduce students to the Science and Engineering Practices: Asking Questions and Defining Problems, Planning and Carrying Out Investigations, and Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions. We have offered this Super Lesson as an 8-week elective course, developing and strengthening student interest in applied Math and Science topics. It could also be offered within upper elementary or middle school Science and Math courses. In addition, each week’s topic could be used as a stand alone mini-lesson if time is limited. We have worked to include multiple options within this unit to make it accessible to both general education and special education programs, including recommendations for modifications and extensions.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Interactive, Lesson Plan, Unit of Study

Making Our School Safe & Accessible

In this problem-based learning module, students will work collaboratively to improve the accessibility or safety of their school or community. For example, students could identify that accessibility ramps need to be added to the school property or additional sidewalks need to be created/repaired to increase the safety of students as they walk to school. Students would work together to create models of these improvements and create a communications plan that informs the stakeholders of the materials needed to create these improvements (i.e. using volume to determine the amount of concrete, using angles to determine measurements for ramps, etc..).

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network

What Route is Best for ME to Buy a Vehicle?

     This problem-based learning module is designed to link a student’s real-life problem to learning targets in the subjects of math, social studies and language arts.  The problem being, what route is best for me to buy a vehicle?  The students will prepare, research and present findings about their own personal finances relating to buying a vehicle.  The students will create two equations based on two purchasing plans they will be comparing.  At the conclusion, students will be able to decide which plan is best for them based on research and mathematical practices.  Students will present to their peers, teachers, administrators, and most importantly their parents in an attempt to convince them of their chosen plan.    This blended module includes teacher led instruction, student led rotations, community stakeholder collaboration and technology integration.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network

Digital Footprint

Why is it important that students be careful what is posted for everyone to see? Students will investigate and discuss these questions during this module that directly relate to their daily life. Students will work cooperatively in groups to design an infomercial to be presented to elementary students and/or parents and community members. Key Learning Targets: I can use technology to produce and publish my work, and link to sources.I can include multimedia projects or visual displays when they will be helpful in clarifying and emphasizing information.I can actively participate and contribute to a discussion with my teacher and my peers. I can present my findings to a group or audience in a clear and concise way.I can create a storyboard to prepare a public service announcement. I can compare contrast trends of technology. I can write an explanatory paragraph to examine a topic (present and future digital footprint).

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Jody Bauer

Solar Cookers

In this project students will research and then build a basic solar cooker shell made out of cardboard. Then they will run a variety of materials through experiments. Data from the experiments will be used to determine which materials should be added to the solar cooker shell to improve its ability to heat up food. This project was created as a collaboration between a science and an engineering/woodshop class. The engineering class researched and build the basic solar cooker cardboard shells. The science class tested additional materials to add to the shells to improve the solar cookers. Then the engineering class, following the directions from reports created by the science class, added the materials to the solar cooker shells to create the final products.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson Plan, Reading, Unit of Study

Math, Grade 6, Ratios, Student Project

Students choose a project idea and a partner or group. They write a proposal for the project.Key ConceptsProjects engage students in the applications of mathematics. It is important for students to apply mathematical ways of thinking to solve rich problems. Students are more motivated to understand mathematical concepts if they are engaged in solving a problem of their own choosing. In this lesson, students are challenged to identify an interesting mathematical problem and to choose a partner or a group to work with collaboratively in order to solve that problem. Students gain valuable skills in problem solving, reasoning, and communicating mathematical ideas with others.Goals and Learning ObjectivesIdentify a project ideaIdentify a partner or group to work with collaboratively on a math project

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Weather vs. Climate

It’s a sunny day where you live. So that means you must live in a warm climate! Or...is a sunny day just the weather? Hmmm.. weather and climate are related but they mean different things. In this seminar you will learn about the difference between weather and climate. You will be able to apply your past knowledge of weather to this seminar. By the end of this seminar, you will be able to classify outside conditions as either weather or climate.StandardsStandard 3.3.4.A.5Describe basic weather elements. Identify weather patterns over time.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Authors: Bonnie Waltz, Deanna Mayers, Tracy Rains

Forensic Science In Action

The goal of this project is to stimulate student's critical thinking and investigative skills. We will lead students in an investigative process utilizing Forensic Science to uncover and solve theft in the school building. Students will research forensic instrumentation. Next they will go into discovery and explore and design a basic fingerprinting tool kit. Students will get the opportunity to build their own prototype of their tools.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Tiffany Spencer

Introduc

Assessment for Introduction to Raspberry Pi/Arduino through Making

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Assessment

Author: Nick Jackson