Students learn about rotary encoders and discover how they operate through hands-on experimentation. Rotary encoders are applied in tools to determine angle measurements and for translations of angular motion. One common rotary encoder application is in a computer's ball-type mouse—the ball itself is a type of rotary encoder. In this activity, students experiment with two rotary encoders, including one from a computer mouse and one created using a LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT kit. They collect data to define and graph the relationship between the motion of the rotary encoder and its output.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 Moon landing on July 20th, 1969 the Idaho Naitonal Laboratory is looking for your team to use the Engineer Design Process to create a new rover.

Hear about getting the most from the internet from the much-loved character Ruff Ruffman. [4 min, 21 sec]

Hear about some ways to put the internet to good use from the much-loved character Ruff Ruffman. [3 min, 50 sec]

A collection of 40 STEM activities and experiments for learners in PreK to Grade 8+ which are separated into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematic subject areas (8-12 activities each). Each card includes a materials list, instructions, reflection question, and a fun fact, tip, or extension.

The Engineering Design Process has been such a crucial part of STEM education for the past few years. With schools pushing to become more engaged and involved with problem based learning, the design process is seen as a great starting point. In this content package for upper elementary grades, educators will find lesson plans and ideas on how to teach the design process, eBooks and digital texts with some studies on how to implement design thinking, ready-to-use activities and interactives to encourage real-world learning for students, and videos and multimedia to help students visualize different applications of the Engineering Design Process. 

This website, maintained by elementary STEM consultant Bob Claymier, contains:
1) A list of over 40 STEM resources for grades K-6 ( construction materials, books, curriculum, websites) related to elementary STEM.

2) a list of over 40 robotics and coding resources for grades K-6

3) A free set of standards-based science lessons for grades K-6, all with an engineering component

4) A free monthly elementary STEM newsletter (current and archived editions) that contain information on resources, events, and articles pertaining to elementary STEM.

Students build a saltwater circuit, which is an electrical circuit that uses saltwater as part of the circuit. Students investigate the conductivity of saltwater, and develop an understanding of how the amount of salt in a solution impacts how much electrical current flows through the circuit. They learn about one real-world application of a saltwater circuit — as a desalination plant tool to test for the removal of salt from ocean water.

Students learn how to determine map distances and areas using the map scale. They get a feel for how much an area represents on the map in relation to the size they are suggesting for their underground caverns to shelter the Alabraska population.

Use a virtual scanning tunneling microscope (STM) to observe electron behavior in an atomic-scale world. Walk through the principles of this technology step-by-step. First learn how the STM works. Then try it yourself! Use a virtual STM to manipulate individual atoms by scanning for, picking up, and moving electrons. Finally, explore the advantages and disadvantages of the two modes of an STM: the constant-height mode and the constant-current mode.

SciGirls has the bold goal of changing how millions of girls think about science, technology, engineering and math -- or STEM. Each half-hour episode highlights the processes of science and engineering, following a different group of middle school girls who design, with the help of scientist mentors, their own inquiry-based investigations on a variety of topics. They also learn how rewarding and fun it is to work with their peers, and the shows' female mentors offer girls a glimpse of exciting STEM career possibilities. In This Collection: Video (242), Document (59) for Grades 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 , Resources in Spanish (278)

SciGirls has the bold goal of changing how millions of girls think about science, technology, engineering and math - or STEM. Each half-hour episode highlights the processes of science and engineering, following a different group of middle school girls who design, with the help of scientist mentors, their own inquiry-based investigations on a variety of topics. They also learn how rewarding and fun it is to work with their peers, and the shows' female mentors offer girls a glimpse of exciting STEM career possibilities. SciGirls educational materials provide gender-equitable teaching strategies and hands-on inquiries based on the concepts modeled in SciGirls' videos. Included in this collection: Video (240), Document (59) for Grades 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 , Resources in Spanish (276).

The SciGirls talk with their mentor about the robots that she works with in her lab and how they test their robots. Seeing women who have succeeded in STEM helps inspire and motivate girls, especially when they can relate to these mentors as people with lives outside of the lab. [3:23]

Go back hundreds of millions of years to the Triassic Period, take a look at amazing CGI dinosaurs and find out how they evolved to become the dominant form of life that they were for so long. [3:57]

See a confrontation between Stegosaurus and Allosaurus with amazing CGI effects that bring the long extinct dinosaurs to life. [2:40]

Learn the story behind designing & building a billion dollar luxury boat. [4:19]

Learn about lift, thrust, drag, weight, airfoil, air pressure, Bernoulli's principle to understand flight aerodynamics. [7:14]

View a four-stroke internal combustion engine and see how its different parts such as pistons, valves, and spark plugs work together to help get cars moving. [1:40]

Head to the beaches of Holland to find artist, sculptor, and inventor Theo Jansen and his amazing collection of kinetic beach creatures which roam around freely while harnessing the power of the wind. [2:38]