Feed the Birds In this unit, students will think about what they do when they get hungry. When they get hungry, they must find food. This is exactly what animals do to meet their basic needs. Have students ever wondered how birds eat? Birds are in most schoolyards and can easily be observed by students.…
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Flat Pack Farming Help save the Earth! As a third-grade class, discover how and why businesses are continuing to put focus on reducing materials for packing goods. Students will learn firsthand how to reduce and reuse resources to save the Earth, save materials and reduce costs. Students will design a container garden with foldable containers,…
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Mimic Me! In this unit, students will design a new form of technology inspired by living things around the world. Their investigation will include hands-on exploration of different cell parts and their functions; basic block-based, graphical computer coding to present parts of a cell; and biomimicry ideation tools embedded in many of the lessons to…
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Survivor Fraction Island Engineers and Scientists often use simulations to determine the potential outcomes of problem situations. Being able to control the variables in order to plan what needs to be done to solve those problems or plan for potential problems is essential to this process. In this unit, students will use the Engineering Design…
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“Fish-y” Gardening In this 7th grade unit, student teams design and construct a small/micro-scale symbiotic aquaponic system that can be used by populations lacking natural resources needed to provide and cultivate a sustainable, nutrient-rich food source. This unit engages students in participating in an engineering design challenge in which they create a viable farming method…
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It’s NOT Easy Being Green Algae! After being initially exposed to the basics of photosynthesis and cellular respiration, student teams design an algae growth chamber focusing primarily on producing large quantities of algae. Teams collect and measure algae on a daily basis, and research uses of algae for a sustainable fuel source. In order to…
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Mission Survival In this unit, students will investigate the concepts of genetic mutation and genetic engineering. They will construct a phylogenetic tree based upon genomic point mutations, research genetic engineering and genetically modified organisms, participate in a class debate, and create a persuasive artifact on the ethics of genetic engineering. Engineering Design Challenge Students will…
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Is the Sun Toxic? 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…
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Students inquire how to stop an oil leak in a model of the BP oil leak in the Gulf by simulating the situation in a 10 gallon aquarium. Students generate potential solutions, which are then tested and redesigned. Students learn about natural factors involved in this real life situation and scenario including ocean depth, properties of…
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Bacterial and fungal spores are all around us every day. Most of the bacteria that we encounter are not harmful to us but a few are and these can lead to undesirable, even fatal, outcomes. In this activity, students will design and construct a container with a germ free environment and will then test to…
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