In this video segment adapted from NOVA, find out how cars made of a material stronger than steel and half the weight can help combat climate change.
In this activity students examine and learn about the various jobs and skills within engineering careers.
Network architects do much more than connect wires. Hear from one who continues to look towards the future!
Watch a software developer explain how a love of math, science, and the creative process led him to pursue a career in information systems.
Watch three web developers explain how teamwork and a creative mindset are the building blocks of their trade in making computer code efficient and their websites intuitive and user-friendly.
A professional site offering an expansive listing of over 185 career profiles. Included are lists of employers and degree granting universities, salary data, professional associations, and descriptions of different types of academic degrees. Numerous links to valuable resources. Highly recommended site.
A career as a Radiation Therapist is profiled.Included: Radiation Therapist overview, Preparation, Day In The Life, Earnings, Employment, Career Path Forecast, Professional Organizations.
This article provides links to six web sites that provide an overview of cause/effect relationships, graphic organizers, and teaching strategies for elementary teachers.
Students are introduced to the "Walk the Line" challenge question. They write journal responses to the question and brainstorm what information they need to answer the question. Ideas are shared with the class (or in pairs and then to the class, if class size is large). Then students read an interview with an engineer to gain a professional perspective on linear data sets and best-fit lines. Students brainstorm for additional ideas and add them to the list. With the teacher's guidance, students organize the ideas into logical categories of needed knowledge.
Students teams use a laparoscopic surgical trainer to perform simple laparoscopic surgery tasks (dissections, sutures) using laparoscopic tools. Just like in the operating room, where the purpose is to perform surgery carefully and quickly to minimize patient trauma, students' surgery time and mistakes are observed and recorded to quantify their performances. They learn about the engineering component of surgery.
Learn about the Chandra X-Ray Observatory's telescope system, science instruments, and spacecraft system in this interactive activity adapted from NASA.
This activity examines the characteristics of light. Students demonstrate that light travels straight and does not bend around an object.
A large complete authoritative biography of Coulomb. Five large pictures, over a dozen links to contemporaries, references, a poster, other mathematicians. A fine source.
Similar to how Charlotte uses her web to communicate, students create webs for short messages. They learn how spiders create their webs, and about the different types of webs they make. With this knowledge, students design and create their own webs and incorporate messages.
Chemistry is the scientific study of matter and its interaction with other matter and with energy. It is the branch of natural science that deals with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions.
In this chemistry and engineering-based activity, students will take on the role of environmental engineers as they are challenged to investigate the best building materials for Mars. To kick off the exploration, they will look at concrete and other key construction materials used on Earth today, considering their properties, pros, cons, and environmental impact. Next, students will investigate the best way to build structures on Mars. They will learn about 3D printing—which is how structures are likely to be built—and they will consider the natural resources available on Mars that could serve as building materials. They will ultimately develop a recommendation to be used in Martian construction moving forward.
Estimated time required: 2-3 class periods.
Technology required for this lesson: Laptop/Desktop, Smartphone.
Working in engineering project teams, students evaluate sites for the construction of a pyramid. They base their decision on site features as provided by a surveyor's report; distance from the quarry, river and palace; and other factors they deem important to the project based on their team's values and priorities.
The Civil Air Patrol (US Air Force affiliate) has many STEM lessons and kits available to educators for a one-time fee. The kits include robotics, microcontrollers, telescoopes, flight simulators and others.
Students learn about gear ratios and power by operating toy mechanical cranes of differing gear ratios. They attempt to pick up objects with various masses to witness how much power must be applied to the system to oppose the force of gravity. They learn about the concept of gear ratio and practice calculating gear ratios on worksheets, discovering that smaller gear ratios are best for picking objects up quickly, and larger gear ratios make it easier to lift heavy objects.
Students are challenged to design a method for separating steel from aluminum based on magnetic properties as is frequently done in recycling operations. To complicate the challenge, the magnet used to separate the steel must be able to be switched off to allow for the recollection of the steel. Students must ultimately design, test, and present an effective electromagnet.