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Lesson Plan Focus
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Topics Covered
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Ages
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A Century of Plastics
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how plastics of all sorts have been
engineered in to everyday products over
the past century, with
emphasis on materials selection and
engineering.
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engineering design,
properties of materials
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8-18
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|
A Question of Balance
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on the use of weight scales and
measurement by manufacturing engineers.
Teams of students are posed
with the challenge of developing a
system to fill jars with a
specific weight or count of products
such as marbles or paperclips.
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mathematical applications,
motion and forces
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11-18
|
|
Adaptive Device Design
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on the engineering of adaptive or
assistive devices, such as prosthetic
devices, wheelchairs,
eyeglasses, grab bars, hearing aids,
lifts, or braces.
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engineering design
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8-18
|
|
Build a Big Wheel
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on the engineering behind big wheels
(sometimes called Ferris wheels). Teams
of students explore the
engineering behind the "London Eye,"
explore the history of big
wheels, and construct a working wheel
model using pasta, glue, and
teabags.
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buildings and structures,
engineering design, motion and forces
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8-18
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Build Your Own Robot Arm
Lesson Focus: Develop a
robot arm using common materials.
Students will explore
design, construction, teamwork, and
materials selection and use.
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engineering design,
properties of materials, robotics,
technology
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8-18
|
|
Can You Canoe?
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how canoes, which have been hand
built for centuries, have been impacted
by engineered materials and
manufacturing processes over the years.
Student teams design and
build a model canoe frame and then cover
their frame with everyday
materials and test their design in a
basin. Student model canoes
must be able to float, travel a distance
of 4 feet, and support a
load. Students then evaluate the
effectiveness of their canoes and
those of other teams, and present their
findings to the class.
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engineering design, motion
and forces, properties of materials
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8-18
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Cast Your Vote
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how technology and engineering
impact society, and how poll-taking has
been influenced by
engineering over time. Students design
and construct a voting or
polling machine out of everyday items,
then evaluate the
effectiveness of the design.
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engineering design
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8-12
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Clipper Creations
Lesson Focus: Develop a
working model of a nail clipper.
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engineering design,
mathematical applications, motion and
forces, simple machines
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8-18
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Cracking the Code
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how computerized barcodes have
improved efficiency in product
distribution; explores the barcoding
process and engineering design.
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engineering design,
mathematical applications, technology
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8-18
|
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Critical Load
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on issues civil engineers face,
including critical load and how to
reinforce the design of a
structure to hold more weight.
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buildings and structures,
engineering design, motion and forces
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8-14
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Design and Build a
Better Candy Bag
Lesson Focus: Demonstrate
how product design differences can
affect the success of a
final product -- in this case a bag for
holding candy. Students work
in pairs to evaluate, design, and build
a better candy bag.
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engineering design,
mathematical applications, motion and
forces, properties of
materials
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8-18
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|
Dispenser Designs
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how engineers have to design
objects to meet the needs of users,
while considering the
limitations of materials, and the
implications of cost.
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engineering design,
properties of materials
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11-18
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EEEEK- A Mouse!
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on computer and mechanical engineering
and explores how computer mice operate
and how engineering provided
an interface between man and machine.
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engineering design, motion
and forces, properties of materials,
technology
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8-18
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Electric Messages:
Then and Now
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on exploring electric message systems,
from light signals using International
Morse Code to text
messaging. Students construct a simple
telegraph using a battery,
wires, a switch, and bulb, and explore
the impact of communications
on society.
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electricity and magnetism,
energy, technology
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8-14
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Electric Switches
Lesson Focus: Demonstrate
how electric circuits can be controlled
with a simple switch. Note: This lesson
plan is designed for
classroom use only, with supervision by
a teacher familiar with
electrical and electronic concepts.
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electricity and magnetism,
energy, technology
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8-11
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Engineered Memory
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on the engineering behind storage
devices, and engineering improvements
over time. Though exploring
the operation of the "floppy" disk,
students explore the
mechanics underlying operation, and then
test the disk under a
variety of conditions.
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electricity and magnetism,
technology
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8-18
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Engineered Music
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on the engineering behind the design
of musical instruments. Teams of
students explore the engineering
behind recorder manufacturing, and then
design, construct, test, and
evaluate a working musical instrument
using easily found
materials.
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energy, engineering design,
motion and forces
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8-18
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Engineered Sports
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how the principles of aerospace
engineering have impacted golf ball
design, along with equipment
used in other sports. Students analyze
the use of dimples on golf
balls, and work as a team of engineers
to determine whether adding
dimples to airplanes would increase fuel
efficiency for the airline
industry. They also explore the physics
of bounce as it relates to
several sports balls.
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engineering design,
properties of materials, motion and
forces
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11-18
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Engineering Air Traffic
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on the engineering behind air traffic
control systems. Students work in teams
to evaluate data generated
for a virtual air traffic system, and
determine a plan to bring
three planes safely through a set
airspace. They then recommend
engineering enhancement to the current
system.
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mathematical applications,
motion and forces, technology
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11-18
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Engineering Ups and Downs
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on the engineering behind elevators.
Teams of students explore principles and
requirements of vertical
travel, then design and construct a
working elevator to service a
toy car garage using wheels, pulleys,
string, cardboard and other
materials.
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engineering design, motion
and forces, simple machines
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11-18
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Exploring at the Nanoscale
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how nanotechnology has impacted our
society and how engineers have learned
to explore the world at the
nanoscale. Students participate in
hands-on activities to
understand exactly how small the
nanoscale is, explore how surface
area changes at the nano scale, and work
in teams to develop
futuristic applications of
nanotechnology.
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engineering design,
mathematical applications, properties of
materials, structure of matter
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8-14
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Filtration Investigation
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how filtration systems solve many
problems throughout the world such as
improving drinking water.
Through this lesson, students work in
teams to design and build a
filtration system to remove dirt from
water. Students select from
everyday items to build their filter,
test the resulting system
evaluate the effectiveness of their
filters and those of other
teams, and present their findings to the
class.
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engineering design,
environments and resources
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8-18
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Flashlights and Batteries
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on the concept of electron flow
through the demonstration of electrical
circuits in a flashlight,
and how batteries operate.
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electricity and magnetism,
energy, technology
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8-11
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Get Connected With
Ohm's Law
Lesson Focus: Demonstrate
Ohm's Law using digital multi-meters.
Fun hands-on activities are
presented that demonstrate Ohm's Law.
Teachers use digital multi-meters to
collect data that are plotted
to show that voltage and current are
related by linear functions
for ordinary resistors and by power
functions for light bulbs.
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electricity and magnetism,
energy, mathematical applications,
technology
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10-18
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Getting Your Bearings
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on the concept of friction and the use
of ball bearings to reduce friction.
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energy, engineering design,
motion and forces
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8-18
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Give Binary a Try!
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how binary codes function and
binary applications for computer
engineers. The lesson offers
students an activity to learn to
download software and read online
binary clock, and advanced students an
opportunity to build one
from a kit.
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mathematical applications,
technology
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8-18
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Give Me a Brake
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on brakes, force, and friction, using
bicycle rim brakes to demonstrate basic
braking mechanisms to stop,
slow, or prevent motion.
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energy, engineering design,
motion and forces
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8-18
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Hand Biometrics Technology
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on engineering applications of
biometric technologies for
identification or security applications.
After exploring hand geometry
biometrics, students work in teams of
"engineers" to evaluate pros and cons of
incorporating a hand
recognition biometric technology into a
new security system for a
museum.
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engineering design, human
body, mathematical applications
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8-18
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Heart of the Matter
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on the engineering and operation of
artificial heart valves, and the
interface between man and machine.
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engineering design, human
body, motion and forces
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8-18
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Here Comes the Sun
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on solar panel design, and its
application in the standard calculator.
It explores how both solar
panels and calculators operate and
explores simple circuits using
solar power.
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engineering design,
electricity and magnetism, energy, light
and heat
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8-18
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How the Rubber Meets
the Road
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how engineers design tire treads to
increase safety and reliability.
Students are presented with the
challenge of designing a new tire tread
that will be safe when
driving in rainy conditions. Student
teams will design and
construct a sample tread out of clay,
then test and evaluate the
effectiveness of the design, evaluate
their results, and present
their findings to the class.
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engineering design,
mathematical applications, motion and
forces, properties of
materials
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8-18
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Hull Engineering
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how the shape of ship's hull can
impact its speed and stability potential
in water. Teams of students
design and test their own ship's hull on
paper, and build it using
foam and other everyday materials.
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engineering design, motion
and forces, properties of materials
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11-18
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Infrared Investigations
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how infrared technology is used by
engineers creating equipment and system
for a variety of industries.
Teams of students explore the
application of infrared in
remote controls, test materials that
encourage or prevent
infrared transmission, and develop
systems that allow transmission
of infrared in restricted environments.
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engineering design, light
and heat, technology
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8-18
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Insulators and Conductors
Lesson Focus: Demonstrating
the concept of conducting or insulating
electricity. Note: This lesson plan is
designed for classroom use
only, with supervision by a teacher
familiar with electrical and
electronic concepts.
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electricity and magnetism,
energy, technology
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8-11
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Irrigation Ideas
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how through the centuries man has
had the need to move water from one
place to another. Engineered
irrigation has proved critical
throughout the world. Through this
lesson, students work in teams to design
and build a system to move
water from one source to two different
delivery areas. The
challenge is to move two cups of water
for at least three feet and
distribute it evenly in two separate
containers. They work with
everyday items, develop a plan, build
their "irrigation" system,
and test their system. Students then
evaluate the effectiveness
of their own irrigation systems and
those of other teams, and
present their findings to the class.
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environments and resources
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8-18
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Making Sense of Sensors
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how sensors are used in many
applications to gather information about
our environment. This lesson
focuses on the hygrometer, a sensor used
to measure humidity. Through
this lesson, students work in teams to
design and build a
hygrometer out of everyday items to
measure humidity levels. The
student hygrometers are not meant to be
exact, but are expected to
indicate a change. Students select from
everyday items to build
their hygrometer, test their machine
using a spray bottle to
increase humidity, evaluate the
effectiveness of their system
and those of other teams, and present
their findings to the class.
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engineering design,
mathematical applications, technology,
weather
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8-18
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Move That Lighthouse!
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how engineers have to evaluate
multiple structural, economic, and
environmental factors when
moving a building.
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buildings and structures,
motion and forces
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8-18
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Oil Spill Solutions
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how engineers use various
techniques to provide speedy solutions
to oil spills or other
threats to natural water resources.
Through this lesson, students
work in teams to analyze an "oil spill"
in the classroom, then
design, build, and test a system to
first contain, and then
remove the oil from the water. Students
select from everyday items
to build their oil containment and
clean-up systems, evaluate the
effectiveness of their solution and
those of other teams, and
present their findings to the class.
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environments and resources
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8-18
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Pipeline Challenge
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how engineers develop pipeline
systems to transport oil, water, gas,
and other materials over very
long distances. Students work in teams
of "engineers" to develop a
pipeline system to transport both a golf
ball and ping pong ball
across the classroom terrain.
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environments and resources
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8-18
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Popsicle Bridge
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how bridges are engineered to
withstand weight, while being durable,
and in some cases
aesthetically pleasing. Students work in
teams to design and build
their own bridge out of up to 200
popsicle sticks and glue. Bridges
must have a span of at least 14 inches
and be able to hold a five
pound weight (younger students) or a
twenty pound weight (older
students). Students are encouraged to be
frugal, and use the fewest
number of popsicle sticks while still
achieving their goals.
Students then evaluate the effectiveness
of their own bridge designs
and those of other teams, and present
their findings to the class.
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buildings and structures,
motion and forces
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8-18
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Program Your Own Game
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how software engineers design
computer games and other software.
Student teams work together to
develop a simple computer program using
free software that is
available in multiple languages.
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mathematical applications,
technology
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11-18
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Pulleys and Force
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on the concept of force and the use of
pulleys to reduce required force.
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motion and forces, simple
machines
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8-11
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Rotational Equilibrium
Lesson Focus: Demonstrate
the concept of rotational equilibrium.
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engineering design,
mathematical applications, motion and
forces
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14-18
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Sail Away
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on watercraft engineering and sailing.
Students work in teams to design a
sailboat out of everyday objects
that can catch a breeze from a fan, stay
afloat with a set load, and
sail four feet.
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engineering design, motion
and forces, properties of
materials
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8-18
|
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Series and Parallel Circuits
Lesson Focus: Demonstrate
and discuss simple circuits and the
differences between parallel and serial
circuit design and
functions. Note: This lesson plan is
designed for classroom use
only, with supervision by a teacher
familiar with electrical and
electronic concepts.
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electricity and magnetism,
energy, technology
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8-14
|
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Ship the Chip
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on engineering package designs that
meet the needs of safely shipping a
product. Students work in teams
of "engineers" to design a package using
standard materials that will
safely ship a single chip through the
mail to the school address.
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engineering design,
properties of materials
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8-18
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Simple Kitchen Machines
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on simple machines and how they can be
found in many everyday items. Students
explore the different types
of simple machines, how they work, and
how they are integrated into
many items. Students explore common
kitchen machines and identify
how many simple machine types are
incorporated into each item.
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motion and forces, simple
machines
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8-11
|
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Simple Machines
Lesson Focus: Simple
machines: their principles and uses.
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motion and forces, simple
machines
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8-11
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Sort it Out!
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on the engineering behind industrial
sorting processes. Working as an
engineering group, students then
work in teams to design and build a
system to sort different sized
coins for packaging.
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engineering design, motion
and forces, properties of materials
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8-18
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Sticky Engineering Challenge
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how engineers work to solve
problems and impact daily life through
new and improved products.
As engineers do, teams of students
select adhesive options to help
them meet a construction goal.
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engineering design,
properties of materials
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8-18
|
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Two Button Buzzer Circuit
Lesson Focus: Demonstrate
how two switches interact in an
electrical circuit such as that used to
sound a buzzer. Note: This
lesson plan is designed for classroom
use only, with supervision by
a teacher familiar with electrical and
electronic concepts.
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electricity and magnetism,
energy, technology
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8-14
|
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Wind Tunnel Testing
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on wind tunnel tests that engineers in
many industries use to when developing
products such as airplanes,
cars, and even buildings. Teams of
students build their own model
car out of everyday products and test
their design in a wind tunnel
made of a fan blowing through a long
cardboard box.
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buildings and structures,
engineering design, motion and forces
|
11-18
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Working with Watermills
Lesson Focus: Lesson focuses
on how watermills generate power.
Student teams design and build a working
watermill out of everyday
products and test their design in a
basin. Student watermills must
be able to sustain three minutes of
rotation. As an extension
activity, older students may design a
gear system that is powered
by the watermill. Students then evaluate
the effectiveness of their
watermill and those of other teams, and
present their findings to
the class.
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buildings and structures,
engineering design, motion and forces
|
8-18
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