I've had several classes of middle school and high school students make electric motors like those described in Get Your Motors Running from TeachEngineering. This activity provides just about the perfect level of difficulty for the great majority of students. Activities that are too difficult can ... Read More

The entire weather series of activities from TeachEngineering.org is excellent, but the activity I found especially interesting is "Weather Forecasting," since it helps to illuminate the role of engineering in predicting the weather. What comes to mind first, of course, are modern weather ... Read More

For fifth grade teachers in NGSS states, or who are teaching units that include the big idea that our Sun is a star (and the stars are all Suns), this series of activities about spectroscopy—and especially the activity in which students build and use a "fancy" spectroscope—helps students understand ... Read More

My 5-Star rating for this activity depends on presenting it to a middle school group, as I believe middle school students can appreciate all aspects of this activity, including the distinction between qualitative and quantitative data. This activity is also a very good way to help students achieve ... Read More

Although there have been many lessons about the Tacoma Narrows bridge disaster this is the first I have heard of that has students test a model of the bridge and observe resonance. The 6, 8, and 10-step Engineering Design Processes provide a good lesson for teachers as well.