Lesson Plans and Activities

STEM Resource Clearinghouse.

Provides a variety of activities for learning science, technology, engineering, and math. Searchable by topic, age of student, and amount of time it takes to complete an activity.

http://clearinghouse.starnetlibraries.org/index.php?id_category=57&controller=category

NBC LEARN FREE STEM VIDEOS

For more than 80 years, NBC News has been documenting the people, places, and events that shape our world. NBC Learn, the educational arm of NBC News, is dedicated to making these historic stories, images and primary source documents available on-demand to teachers, students, and parents.

http://www.nbclearn.com/portal/site/learn/resources

PBS LEARNING MEDIA

Browse by standards allows you to find all resources for pre-K to 13+ that support a given standards statement.

http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/standards/0

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO: TEACH ENGINEERING

TryEngineering offers a variety of lesson plans that align with educational standards to allow teachers and students to apply engineering principles in the classroom. Search by category or keyword.

http://tryengineering.org/lesson-plans

THE MATH FORUM AT NATIONAL COUNCIL OF SUPERVISORS OF MATHEMATICS

Lesson Plans/Activities searchable by grade level and topic.

http://mathforum.org/library/resource_types/lesson_plans/

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PHYSICS TEACHERS

There are many resources available to help teachers of physics, astronomy, and physical science.

http://www.aapt.org/Resources/index.cfm

NATIONAL SCIENCE DIGITAL LIBRARY

Lesson plans and other resources, searchable by grade level and subject.

https://nsdl.oercommons.org/

THE STEM COLLABORATIVE

The STEM Collaborative was formed when four public television stations with a steadfast commitment to classroom and community education were awarded a Local Service Initiative grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to create innovative digital content in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) subject areas. Maryland Public Television, Arkansas Educational Television Network, Alabama Public Television and Kentucky Educational Television formed key partnerships with education groups, subject area experts, and local organizations to assess the needs of middle school educators and students and chart an appropriate course for project development.

http://www.stemcollaborative.org/additionalResources.html

U.S. NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE

Classroom resources about nanotechnology, which is a part of various scientific disciplines, such as physics, biology, chemistry, materials science, engineering, and more. As such, it can be taught at various levels and woven into various types of STEM learning.

http://www.nano.gov/nanotech-101/what/definition

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has joined forces with NBC Learn and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) to celebrate the International Year of Chemistry by creating "Chemistry Now"- a weekly, online video series that uncovers and explains the science of common, physical objects in our world and the changes they undergo every day.

http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/chemistrynow/

AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

Educational and safety resources for teachers.

https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/educators.html

ENGINEERING PLACE

Various lesson plans based on topic and age level. North Carolina State University College of Engineering

http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/theengineeringplace/educators/k8plans.php

ENGAGE KIDS IN HANDS-ON ENGINEERING

Use DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL activities, animations, video profiles, and episodes in classrooms and afterschool programs, in libraries and museums, at events and at home. PBSskids.org - Design Squad

http://pbskids.org/designsquad/parentseducators/

TEACHERS' VOICE

A blog about videos and resources for making STEM come alive for a variety of ages.

https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2014/04/23/make-stem-come-alive/

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

STEM activities and resources for K-12 teachers and students.

http://www.gk12.org/resources/stem-activities-and-resources-for-k-12-teachers-and-students/

The I-STEM Resource Network is a partnership of public and private higher education institutions, K-12 schools, businesses, and government, hosted by Purdue University. I-STEM includes committees comprised of educational content experts and practitioners who come together to design and employ programs to address STEM issues. I-STEM supports K–12 teachers and education leaders working to implement high academic standards towards STEM literacy for all students. It also provides Indiana education leaders with new knowledge about teaching and learning. I-STEM is funded by the Lilly Endowment, the Eli Lilly Company Foundation, Biocrossroads, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, and the Indiana Department of Education, with support from Purdue University.

http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/58647/20-awesome-science-projects

NASA

NASA Robotics Alliance Project

Lesson plans for K-5th grade.

https://robotics.nasa.gov/edu/k-5.php

PBS KIDSGO.ORG: WGBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

Zip Line

Elementary students design and build something to carry a Ping-Pong ball from the top of a zip line to the bottom.

Zipline

PBS KIDSGO.ORG: WGBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

Leave it to the Levers

Elementary school students learn when they need to lift a weight too heavy to lift by themselves, they can use a lever and follow a surprising rule: multiply the length of your lever and you will similarly multiply the weight you can lift.

Leave it to the Levers

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS

Cardboard Columns

Upper elementary students re-engineer a collapsed column and predict how performance will change. Source: American Society of Civil Engineers: Building Big

Cardboard Columns

SCIENCE SPARKS

Strength of Domes

What does an egg, the Taj Mahal, the U.S. Capitol, and St. Peter’s Basilica all have in common? This experiment for elementary school students looks at how something we think of as being brittle and weak can actually hold a heavy load under certain conditions.

Source: www.discoverR.org

Dome

CYBERCHASE

ROCKET-POWERED SKI LIFT

Upper elementary to middle school students explore the benefits of testing with models. Cyberchase is produced by THIRTEEN in association with Title Entertainment Inc. and WNET.ORG.

Skilift Rocket WWW.PLANETSMARTY.COM

Let's Build a Roller Coaster

Geared toward elementary and middle school students to make them aware of the role engineers play in the design of thrill-producing rides in order to keep people safe. www.discoverE.org

Roller Coaster

NASA

NASA Robotics Alliance Project

Lesson plans for 6th-8th grade.

https://robotics.nasa.gov/edu/6-8.php

PBS KIDSGO.ORG: WGBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

Dance Pad Mania/p>

This activity for middle-schoolers demonstrate the engineering design process. Teams must work together to build a dependable, functional electric circuit.

Dance Mania

DISCOVER ENGINEERING/NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK FOUNDATION

Sun Central/p>

Middle-school students gain insight into saving energy by using solar power. Source: Tacoma Power/www.discoverengineering.com

Sun Central

DESIGN SQUAD

Kicking Machine

This activity for middle-schoolers demonstrates the engineering design process. Students will consider both potential and kinetic energy while they plan, design, build, test, and redesign. PBS Kids/Design Squad

Kicking Machine

HEROES OF ENGINEERING FROM AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS

Silver Streak

Middle-schoolers design a futuristic transportation device that will hold the most people (pennies) as possible and move across the room as fast as possible. www.discoverE.org

Silver Streak

SOCIETY OF WOMEN ENGINEERS

Resistance Is Futile! Learning activity

Seventh- through 10th-graders learn the science behind how things move when forces are applied (physics) is of great importance to engineers.

Resistance Is Futrile

PBS KIDSGO.ORG: WGBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

Feel the Heat

Sixth- through ninth-graders design and build a solar hot water heater to see how big of temperature change they can achieve.

Feel The Heat

DESIGN SQUAD

Harmless Holder

Middle and high school students use the engineering process to solve a challenge and understand the difference between product design and process design. PBS Kids/Design Squad

Harmless Holder

DISCOVERE.ORG

PROSTHETIC LIMB: An Engineering Feat

Teams of four students (appropriate for middle- and high-schoolers) will investigate the technology of prosthetics. The teams will design a model prosthetic lower leg using various materials. www.DiscoverE.org

Prosthetic

NASA Robotics Alliance Project

Lesson plans for 9th-12th grade

https://robotics.nasa.gov/edu/9-12.php

SOCIETY OF WOMEN ENGINEERS

Pump it Up!

High school students will build a gravity-driven water pump and learn how pumps work in terms of pressure and velocity. Students learn that engineers work in teams, using field work as well as math and science and then discussing their work products.

Developed in collaboration with Education Development Center Inc. Found on discoverengineering.org

Pump it Up