A lot of questions surround definitions of genetic modification. This unit models two different techniques of genetic modification and tries to help students understand the terms and the consequences of human intervention in food production. This unit features 3 lessons and 6 files. Lessons are aligned to NGSS.

Become a “farmer” on a journey from pre-planting to harvest to see what decisions farmers are making every year as they farm. Growers across the country are gaining access to more and more data about their farms. The data is being gathered through equipment or other precision agriculture techniques, then it must be analyzed so that decisions made will be based on evidence. Scientists in all disciplines use the same practices as farmers. This unit features 5 lessons and 27 files. Lessons are aligned to NGSS.

Create models to understand DNA and the gene transfer process used in biotechnology. Explore questions: Are there harmful side effects of biotechnology? Can biotech solve world hunger? Should GMO foods be labeled? This unit features 5 lessons and 5 files. Lessons are aligned to NGSS.

Students act as lab technicians working for a cosmetic company and learn the names, functions and units of common lab and measuring equipment by generating soy-based beauty products. Students will learn how to use SLOPs to create soy-based beauty products and research STEM career fields within the cosmetic industry. This unit features 5 lessons and 5 files. Lessons are aligned to NGSS.

The technology innovations in use in the agriculture industry have been touted as second only to those of the US military. What are these innovations? GPS guided tractors, follow-along equipment, application of fertilizer or herbicide only where needed, variable rate planting, artificial intelligence that can identify weeds and spray them individually—these are just a few of these innovations. This unit illustrates how ozobots can be used to simulate one of these advances. This unit features 4 lessons and 7 files. Lessons are aligned to NGSS.

How can compression and tension be used to create sustainable and innovative structures of the future that require less material to build? This challenge will explore how forces can be harnessed to build strong structures instead of overcoming forces. When building structures, attention to endurance and sustainability are at the height of concern. Therefore, exploring methods for constructing buildings that maintain resistance to natural and external forces, such as high winds from hurricanes or vibrations from earthquakes, while simultaneously using reduced construction materials is necessary. In this challenge, students will examine tensegrity structures and, upon learning how they are constructed and work, design their own model tensegrity structures that would benefit a city or community.

This is a 2-hour lesson that includes a self-paced interactive module and classroom activities. The teacher guide includes a challenge sequence (timeline), relevance to standards, materials list, assessment, evaluation rubric, and learning extensions.

Lesson objectives: (1) Explore the forces present in tensegrity structures. (2) Review common challenges to building structures in modern and historical cities. (3) Evaluate how tensegrity structure principles can be used to create sustainable structures. (4) Design a sustainable structure and/or resistant to hurricanes or earthquakes.

Introducing engineering concepts with Hour of Engineering website is an engaging way to get students thinking about a STEM future. Hour of Engineering is designed to inform and inspire students in upper elementary through high school about engineering. Helping your students build an innovation mindset with the adaptive tools to solve problems starts here!

By participating in the Hour of Engineering students will: Define STEM vocabulary; Display engineering literacy; Explore the engineering design process; Experiment with practical engineering skills; Solve real-world engineering challenges; Link concepts between science, technology, engineering, and math; Build engineering habits of mind like creativity, systems thinking, and collaboration.

There are three parts to the Hour of Engineering website: landing page with inspirational content, learning modules, and engineering design challenges. (1) The landing page features clickable items to inspire students about the connection between engineering, art, science, math and even music! Students can freely explore the videos and models to learn about each object before moving on to deeper learning. (2) Learning modules allow students to explore a specific engineering topic. Students can explore learning modules on their own or you can pair them with connected engineering challenges to guide a sequence of learning on a topic. (3) Engineering challenges are a gamified way for students to explore various topics, activities and objects within fields of engineering. Students participating in engineering challenges earn stars based on their interaction with learning elements. There are knowledge checks and interactive models for students to explore during a challenge.

Students learn how scientists in several fields work together to take part in the steps of anti-cancer drug discovery.

Chris explores Arches National Park to explain how erosion and weathering work together to shape the Earth's surface.

Chris visits Virgin Islands National Park to learn how subduction zones create island arcs like those found in the Caribbean.

Saguaro National Park receives about 10 inches of rain a year, but has some of the highest biodiversity in North American. Learn how plants and animals are adapted to a hot and dry environment.

The Great Smoky Mountains is home to over 21,000 species - but where do they call get their energy? Chris learns about food webs and trophic levels with special guest, conservation biologist and host of the Rewildology podcast, Brooke Mitchell.

Chris learns how convection currents in the air create ocean currents and marine geoscientist Angelique Rosa Marin drops by to help explain why those currents move in a circle due to the Coriolis Effect.

Acadia National Park is known the world over for it's beautiful pink granite - but how did it get there? Learn how the rock cycle creates and transforms igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.

Take the INFOhio and COSI STEM Beach Bingo Challenge this summer to accelerate your learning with fun activities and earn a badge and certificate to Show What You Know!

Explore Benny's garden, and he will show how plants and trees are built. Join him to to learn about basic plant parts.

Could a Tyrannosaurus be created in a modern-day lab? Join paleontologist, Jack Horner, in using protein sequencing to find the closest relative to the T-Rex, and then hypothetically re-creating a specimen in the lab.

What can rock layers tell us about the Earth’s history? Students will be able to explain past events by analyzing rocks, rock layers, and fossils.

Learning Blade® (5-9) is a STEM Program provided at no cost by the Ohio STEM Learning Network (OSLN).

Learning Blade is a system of interactive online lessons, teacher guides, and printable activities for middle-grade students. Instructional materials support learning about high-demand STEM, CTE, and Computer Science careers while reviewing academics.

Students can browse more than 400 online lessons in human-centered "Missions" or stories to explore exciting careers aligned to state standards. Teachers also have access to dozens of lesson plans that support innovative project-based learning and classroom activities using common materials. Now includes a 20-hour "Introduction to Coding" course designed for 7th and 8th grade.

Chris and Gabe Santos from the Alf Museum explain how you can learn about the Earth's history by learning how to read the rock layers at Grand Canyon National Park.