Students experience the design of different structures. This is a single lesson that is devised to enable students to create, design, and evaluate different structures. Students use Lego blocks to create several different designs. They evaluate the various steps involved in creating their structures. They think about possible alternative steps for building their structures. (author/kct)

This resource allows students to look at different kinds of materials; to identify the properties of materials and their suitability for different purposes. In this investigation, the familiar tale of The Three Little Pigs is used as an introduction to materials and manufacturing. Students examine the properties, limitations and durability of a variety of materials, then evaluate which of the materials would be best for building a model house. This lesson is the first of a two-part series on the properties and uses of different materials. In Materials 2: Recycled Materials, students are introduced to the idea that some materials can be recycled. (author/kct)

The objective of this promising practice lesson is to design and construct a boat that takes into account factors such as buoyancy, the properties of materials, and design constraints. Students design and construct a boat out of aluminum foil and a few other simple materials. The boats are then tested by floating them in a pool or sink of water, and then adding mass until they sink. While students may not be able to articulate it, they will intuitively begin to understand the scientific laws required for the design of the boat, i.e. buoyancy and Archimedes Principle. They will also explore the shapes of boats and construction techniques that may work for the boats. (author/ts)

The purpose of this lesson is to use Internet resources to explore the side effects of technology; and to design, implement and evaluate solutions related to the problem of waste disposal. At the end of the lesson students apply what they've learned to a practical real-life problem, reducing the school's garbage.

The Internet resources used in this lesson are very informative and engaging. Through these resources students can explore the history of waste management, explore the impact of various waste reduction programs on a city, and test their knowledge about hazardous waste. It may be helpful to organize the websites into a webquest to help students access the information quickly and easily. (author/ts)

This resource contains eight of the nearly three dozen activities found in the publication, "The Exploratorium's Guide to Scale and Structure" written by Barry Kluger-Bell and the School in the Exploratorium. Students are actively involved in building and analyzing structures. All activities have been tested in elementary school classrooms. Additional information such as overviews for each section, a glossary of terms, lesson extensions, and an extensive bibliography are provided. Great exercises for students to explore conditions necessary for constructing usable, stable structures are included. Clear instructions and guiding questions are provided for the instructor to use as the student experimentation progresses. Information is offered on where similar structures are found in nature and our man-made surroundings. (author/ts)

The purpose of this promising practice lesson is to build a feedback-controlled system (a water clock) and research ways to improve the system design. Students read about the history of time keeping devices and then observe a teacher-led demonstration followed by a discussion about the limitations of the simple water clock. Students are then challenged to create a feedback-controlled robotic system that keeps the water level consistent so that a constant drip rate can be maintained. (author/ts)

In this content resource students are challenged to design a super-slow helicopter. Students are given a template for a paper helicopter. They must then determine which features of the helicopter can be modified to slow its descent. This activity would fit nicely into a larger lesson or unit on Newton's laws of motion. (author/ts)

In this promising practice lesson, students will explore design considerations of model rockets. They will consider how model rockets are similar to real rockets (in design and flight), as well as how they are different due to the constraints placed upon them such as size and intended user. In order for this to be a substantive lesson, it is important for students to be very specific in their thoughts and discussions.