Dog gone it!

08 Jun 2015 | Contributor(s): Brenda Capobianco, Todd Richard Kelley, Chell Nyquist, James Daniel Lehman

This design challenge, for students in grade 3, focuses on simple and compound machines. The objective of the challenge is to design a compound machine to help a large breed of dog to get into and out of the back of a car.

STEMEdhub: Supporting STEM Education Initiatives via the H U Bzero Platform

07 Apr 2015 | Contributor(s): James Daniel Lehman, Peg A Ertmer, Ann Bessenbacher

Built as one of 60+ hubs on the HUBzero platform, STEMEdhub was developed in 2011 as a resource for research, education, and collaboration in STEM education. The hub currently supports 82 different groups. In this article, the authors describe two specific groups (SLED and AAU) that are taking...

Bio-Inspired Paper Flowers

03 Jun 2014 | Lesson Plans | Contributor(s): Bryan Hubbard, Kari Clase, Alyssa Panitch, Evan Rebar, Tahira Reid, Nancy Tyrie, James Daniel Lehman

This grade 3 lesson introduces students to the basic structures of plants and their functions. Students are challenged to create paper flowers that turn colors through processes that mimics how real plants function.

Save the Wolf (Simple Machines)

03 Jun 2014 | Lesson Plans | Contributor(s): Kendra A Erk, James Daniel Lehman

This grade 3 design lesson introduces simple machines and challenges students to use simple machines to create a device to capture a wolf.

Earthen Dam Design Task

03 Jun 2014 | Lesson Plans | Contributor(s): Venkatesh Merwade, James Daniel Lehman

This grade 3 design task focuses on earth materials and the construction of an earthen dam.

PBL to the Rescue: Using PBL in a Human Anatomy and Physiology High School Class

17 Sep 2013 | Seminars | Contributor(s): Brian Duncan

This one hour video presentation given by Brian Duncan, an Attica, Indiana Jr./Sr. High School science teacher. He presents his experience using PBL to teach Human Anatomy and Physiology High School class to the Research Goes to School workshop in Summer 2013. Be sure to look at the supporting...

Biofuel Candle Comparison Lab

20 Jun 2013 | Lesson Plans | Contributor(s): Kathy Daniels

This basic lab was developed to be used in a non-science classroom to help start student thinking about energy densities of different fuels in mathematical terms. The main objective is to get middle and high school math students to quantify observations of candles made from petroleum based fuels...

Drink Pouch

11 Jun 2013 | Lesson Plans | Contributor(s): Bryan Hubbard, Alyssa Panitch, Kari Clase, Tahira Reid, Nancy Irene Tyrie, James Daniel Lehman

This 3rd grade design activity is focused on creating a drink pouch that can keep a drink cool in the hot sun.

Design of Musical Instruments for a Rock Band

10 Jun 2013 | Lesson Plans | Contributor(s): David C Eichinger, Erin K Doherty, James Daniel Lehman, Venkatesh Merwade

This grade 3 design task helps students to learn about sound by designing a stringed musical instrument.

Sound Absorption

09 Jun 2013 | Lesson Plans | Contributor(s): James Daniel Lehman

This grade 3 lesson plan focuses on a design task to create a wall to absorb sound.

Exploring Whirligigs

09 Jun 2013 | Lesson Plans | Contributor(s): Brenda Capobianco, James Daniel Lehman

This inquiry lesson, for grades 3-4, involves students conducting a fair test investigation to determine the way an object (a whirligig) falls through the air and how this fall depends on its mass, surface area, and other factors. This lesson is an adaptation of a lesson developed by...

Design Team Developed: Plastic Water Bottle Design

30 Nov 2012 | Lesson Plans | Contributor(s): James Daniel Lehman

This lesson plan, intended for grade 6, focuses on using mathematics to design the shape of a plastic water bottle to optimize the surface area to volume ratio and so reduce the amount of plastic used to make the bottles.

Pill Bugs' Habitat Inquiry Activity

11 Nov 2012 | Lesson Plans | Contributor(s): James Daniel Lehman

This is an inquiry activity, aligned to grade 4-6 standards, in which students design fair test investigations to determine the habitat of pill bugs (roly polies).

Model Ecosystem Video

04 Oct 2012 | Demonstration Video | Contributor(s): David C Eichinger, James Daniel Lehman

In this video, Professor David Eichinger discusses a model ecosystem activity that is used in Biology for Elementary Teachers and is applicable to the elementary classroom.

Design Team Developed: Sun Tracking System for a Solar Panel

13 Sep 2012 | Lesson Plans | Contributor(s): Bryan Hubbard, Kari Clase, John Grutzner, Alyssa Panitch, Nancy Irene Tyrie

This lesson plan is designed for 6th grade and addresses topics related to the sun-earth-moon system. Specifically, this lesson addresses that seasons result from the tilt of the earth, which causes changes in sunlight intensity and length of day. Related mathematical standards address...

Design Team Developed: Reindeer Habitat

06 Sep 2012 | Lesson Plans | Contributor(s): Senay Purzer, David C Eichinger, Erin K Doherty

This lesson plan is designed fro 6th grade and covers life science topics in science and are calculations in math. In engineering, the importance of using scientific and engineering vocabulary in explanations & justifications is emphasized.

EDCI Strong Book Nook Fall 2011

28 Mar 2012 | Lesson Plans | Contributor(s): Brenda Capobianco

Grade 6 lesson plan, engineering design process.

EDCI Catapults Sp 2012

28 Mar 2012 | Lesson Plans | Contributor(s): Mary Hildebrand, Andrea Levrio

EDCI Rollercoaster Energy Spring 2012

28 Mar 2012 | Lesson Plans | Contributor(s): Brooke Ann Winebrenner, Cassie Timmons

EDCI lesson plan about potential and kinetic energy.