As we proceed into the future, space exploration is becoming an essential part of our own growth as humans. Space exploration requires innovative, creative, adaptable people to develop the technology necessary for these grand endeavors into new environments. Specifically, the first settlers on Mars will have to use technology developed on Earth in order to […]
In this unit, students explore the ways to dampen, mask, or stop a sound wave from propagating into a system (or material) and the surrounding environment. Students research and explore how sound waves are propagated and transmitted through various media. In the engineering design challenge, students will use their acquired knowledge to construct a portable, […]
Cancer is a part of our daily lives. The treatment for most cancer patients is usually achieved through aggressive chemotherapy. Unfortunately this treatment has major side effects as it destroys not only the cancer cells but also the non-cancerous cells around it. Is there a method of treating cancer using nanotechnology to help target just […]
In this unit students will be engineering a systematic strategy for determining the volume of several rectangular prisms without actually being able to see them. Student groups will be given several boxes which contain different sized rectangular prisms. The lids of these boxes will have a coordinate grid which extends into all four quadrants. Each […]
Lasers can be used for many purposes such as targeting and communication. Light is refracted (“bent”) as it travels from one medium to another. This can be demonstrated by a straw appearing to be “bent” when placed into a glass of water. Throughout this inquiry STEM lesson, student will have students investigate and apply lasers, […]
In this unit, students will explore the relationships between force, motion, and gravity as they team up with Underwriters Laboratories to create a prototype for use in emergency situations, such as a house fire, to break a person’s fall. Teams of students will work collaboratively to employ the engineering design process as they design an […]
Teams of students are presented with a scenario in which they are employees at a local museum. Each team member assumes a different jobs within the museum and completes research based on that role. Teams are tasked to boost museum attendance at their museum by acquiring an exhibition from the Smithsonian SITES program. Their task […]
This investigation is to introduce/solidify students’ working knowledge of sorting and classification. Through this process students will investigate light transmittance through everyday objects. The students will perform a simple flashlight test to classify objects into three predetermined groups; that of transparent, translucent, and opaque. Students will create class graphs to represent the discoveries. An in […]
Although the sun is the primary source of energy for all life, it can also be considered a toxin. The essence of this lesson is to have students understand that a toxin is a poisonous substance and that the sun is an example of a toxin. Students will be introduced to other toxins including ones […]
This activity will explore heat transfer and temperature conversion. Students will conduct Internet based inquiries on conduction, convection, and radiation to understand a thermal sensor lab. Use of the data collected from this lab will be implemented in the investigation, design, and testing of solar cooker. Through a provided scenario students employ their knowledge to […]
