117 results
Free middle school engineering laboratories
Save Fred! Engineering and Design Challenge
Fred is a gummy worm that is not such a great swimmer and has fallen off his boat! Can you help save him? The challenge is to work with your teams using only the tools provided (paperclips) to flip Fred's cup back over, get Fred's life preserver on, and get him back in his boat! An introductory engineering and design challenge activity that I have used with great success in second through 8th grade classes. The engineering process is emphasized, focusing on the ideas of iterations and constr
Subjects:
Grades:
1st - 8th
Types:
STEM Design Cycle ~ FREE Graphic Organizer
Let me start by saying that we use the design cycle on a daily basis in all content areas. I make the graphic organizer poster-sized and it hangs up in our classroom all of the time. We use post-it notes to show our thinking and where we are in the cycle at any given moment!
Students also have their own copies of the design cycle organizer to use during our STEM challenges and other STEM activities. Learning how to use the design cycle is a process for the students, let them find their way
Subjects:
Grades:
K - 8th
Engineering Design Process Chart and Worksheet
A free package illustrating and explaining the Engineering Design Process for kids. Ideal for STEM class (science tech engineering math) or maker space projects.
Included in the Package:
Flowchart of the Engineering Design Process (1 page)
Explanation of each step of the design process (6 pages)
Student worksheet for one of the key step (1 page)
Cover and copyright page (2 pages)
This is a process that works for all STEM projects.
Ideas for STEM projects:
Back to School STEM Challenge Ideas
B
Subjects:
Grades:
1st - 12th
Types:
NGSS Space Engineering Design Project
What is more interesting than space, astronauts, and CANDY?In this project, students will learn about the engineering design cycle. They will learn about how astronauts must have specially designed food packages to use in space. They will go through the engineering design process to design, build, and refine a package that will allow astronauts to eat M&Ms in space. This activity is number 5 of 5 in a mini engineering unit. It is aligned tothe NGSS Engineering Design Standards (3-5-ETS1 and
Subjects:
Grades:
4th - 8th
Types:
NGSS:
MS-ETS1-2
, 3-5-ETS1-3
, 3-5-ETS1-1
, MS-ETS1-1
, 3-5-ETS1-2
 ...
Also included in:Â NGSS Engineering Design Mini Unit Bundle (3-5-ETS1 and MS-ETS1)
Renewable Energy STEM Challenge Design a Sailing Ship Lab Using Wind Power
For this STEM Challenge, students must design and test a sailing ship in a tub of water to deliver a marshmallow passenger safely to the other side using a handheld fan as wind. This is the perfect science lab experiment to complete around Thanksgiving as you learn about the voyage of the Mayflower and the Plymouth colony. It also works well as part of a unit on wind power and renewable energy. This resource includes: teacher directions, discussion questions, and extension activities3 slides of
Subjects:
Grades:
3rd - 6th
Types:
NGSS:
3-5-ETS1-3
, 3-5-ETS1-1
, 3-5-ETS1-2
, 4-ESS3-1
Also included in:Â STEM Challenges Bundle of Hands-On Science Lab Activities PRINT and DIGITAL
Egg Drop Challenge Editable STEM Lab End of Year Activity
Looking for a fun and engaging STEM activity for the end of the year or after state testing? If so, then the Egg Drop Challenge Editable STEM Lab End of Year Activity is the answer! Challenge your students to design an apparatus to save their egg from disaster after being dropped from a specified height. You can use a stairwell, the school bleachers, a school window… any height at all. This 3-page lab is completely editable and includes an editable scoring rubric AND an Award Certificate for the
Subjects:
Grades:
7th - 10th
Types:
NGSS:
MS-ETS1-2
, MS-ETS1-4
, MS-PS2-2
, MS-ETS1-1
Science Experiment about Simple Machines - Inclined Plane
A simple science experiment about the Simple Machines that enables your students to investigate how they work and how they make our lives easier. It uses common, everyday objects to help your students investigate the properties of simple machines.
This hands on experiment lets your students investigate what an inclined plane and how it can be called a "machine".
This experiment is differentiated with activities to keep your fast finishers busy, and comes with full Teacher's Notes that expla
Subjects:
Grades:
3rd - 6th
Types:
VEX IQ Parts Labels - Complete Bundle
This is a COMPLETE BUNDLE OF VEX IQ PARTS LABELS. My robotics classroom was getting out of control and students were having a hard time finding parts. I made these labels to organize my parts. I suggest printing out the labels in color. Cutting them up, laminating them and then taping them onto your bins based on how you organize your parts.Because it's a google document you can scale the parts photos to meet the size of your storage. This particular file does not have a ton of labels. I plan to
Grades:
1st - 8th
Types:
Engineering Challenges Experiment - Forces and Structures - Grade 9 MYP Science
A fun and challenging lab activity recommended for grade 9 physics that will have your students constructing bridges and towers using easily available materials. Students must consider not only forces and structural design, but also different materials and their costs in order to build efficiently. Questions can be answered in notebooks, while the data is recorded directly on the worksheets. Teacher preparation notes, as well as opportunities for discussion, reflection, and extension are include
Subjects:
Grades:
8th - 10th
Types:
CCSS:
NGSS:
MS-ETS1-2
, HS-ETS1-2
, HS-ETS1-3
, MS-ETS1-1
, MS-ETS1-3
Also included in:Â MYP Science Experiments Growing Bundle - Grade 6-10 Complete Collection
4:07
FREE Elementary & Middle School STEM Activity Tutorial: Hoop Glider Competition
If you enjoy this free tutorial, you’ll love the complete STEM Activity Challenge! Each challenge comes with: Teacher Demonstration Video (tutorial), Teacher Instructions, Materials Lists, Student Worksheets, Grading Rubrics & an NGSS reference sheet.
*****It's a FREE resource (3-5th)!!!! Please click below to check it out!*****
Activity Challenge: Hoope Glider Competition {Grades 3rd, 4th & 5th}
Activity Challenge: Hoope Glider Competition {Grades 6th, 7th & 8th - $2.50}
In
Subjects:
Grades:
3rd - 8th
Engineering and Design Challenge: STEM Easter Activity!
This is an engineering and design scenario centered around a short story. Simply read the story to your students, provide them with materials, and away they go! Students solve problems through engineering and design in a new and engaging way. This colorful story provides the hook needed to explain the WHY in problem centered design!
Subjects:
Grades:
2nd - 8th
Types:
Simple Machine Virtual Lab #1- Levers
A few years ago, I put together some great hands-on simple machine labs that allowed students to construct simple machines and test their performance using some Vernier digital force sensors. I ran into a problem when students were absent and needed to make up the labs, so I created these virtual labs, in which I perform all the tests on video and ask the students to interpret the results and make observations as they work their way through the Google Forms. When the world drove us to completely
Grades:
6th - 9th
Types:
Also included in:Â Simple Machine Virtual Labs for Distance Learning
Thermal Energy Lab (Design your own cooler)
Students complete this lab and show their knowledge of thermodynamics, heat transfer, insulation, and conductors. Students, over the course of a week, will draw and design a device that helps to stop the transfer of heat. They will begin the lab by brainstorming ideas for a design. They will also have an explanation sheet that says why they chose to use certain materials. Included in this lab are student directions, a student checklist, a grading rubric, and an explanation of each part of the la
Subjects:
Grades:
6th - 12th
Types:
Kinetic and Potential Energy Lab Investigation
Great for use at the beginning of a Kinetic/Potential Energy unit. Lab uses simple materials that most schools will have. Students will investigate how kinetic and potential energy are related to each other and how work will be affected according to the amount of potential (then kinetic) energy an object possesses. Can be adapted for lower grades and AP/Honors courses.
Subjects:
Grades:
7th - 12th
Types:
CRISPR Chimeras.
Introduce your middle level/Jr. High or Introductory Biology students to the latest biotechnology available. This models the use of 2016's breakthrough in genetic science with a basic, yet tangible example of using CRISPR (your scissors!) to cut and paste DNA.
Subjects:
Grades:
6th - 9th
Types:
Solar Cookers 5E Lab
Update for distance learning: If students have cardboard boxes, foil and tape, and an optional thermometer, this can be be done at home. Students love this lab! This 5E can take 3-5 days depending on how many days you allow them to refine their designs. Students take cardboard boxes, rip them apart, tape and cover with foil into a shape that they think will heat water and/or cook. Student assessment questions lead them to discover how solar cookers can help people with contaminated drinking wat
Subjects:
Grades:
7th - 12th, Higher Education
Types:
Also included in:Â Unit 6: Energy Bundle for AP Environmental Science
How do Airplanes Fly? What makes paper airplanes fly?
These two readings have been complied using information from several online resources which are found at the bottom of the second page.
Use these two readings to accompany the research section of the Paper Airplane Lab on my TPT store.
**Reading comprehension worksheet to accompany the readings is available in my TPT store!**
Grades:
4th - 7th
Types:
Physics - Electricity and Magnetism - The Electric Motor Lab
This is a lab that I put together where students actually create very small simple motors. The lab requires small magnets, magnet wire, paper clips, batteries and alligator clips.
There is a video tutorial here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it_Z7NdKgmY
Subjects:
Grades:
7th - 12th
Types:
Egg Drop Engineering Process
Week long in class project to engineer a design for the egg drop. This meets multiple standards for the Design Process.
You are part of a team of engineers who have been asked to design a container that will protect the medications as they fall to the ground. You will model this problem using a raw egg. There are some volume and mass restrictions for the container and height requirements for the drop. It will be important to work well with your team in analyzing the problem; designing and build
Subjects:
Grades:
6th - 8th
Types:
VEX IQ Parts Labels - Electronics
This is a digital download of tags to label parts bins. My robotics classroom was getting out of control and students were having a hard time finding parts. I made these labels to organize my parts. I suggest printing out the labels in color. Cutting them up, laminating them and then taping them onto your bins based on how you organize your parts.Because it's a google document you can scale the parts photos to meet the size of your storage. All of my TPT files are no fuss - just things I use in
Grades:
1st - 8th
Types:
Plant adaptations project - engineering, NGSS, objectives, scientific modeling!
This plant adaptations project is amazing because it can be used to challenge students from early elementary through high school. Many topics such as adaptations, evolution, and the design process can all be covered. This product contains resources at three levels - elementary, middle, and high school.The resources included within address NGSS standards, include content and language objectives, emphasize the engineering process and involve the use of scientific modeling to design and construct t
Subjects:
Grades:
3rd - 12th
Types:
NGSS:
MS-ETS1-2
, 4-LS1-1
, HS-ETS1-2
, 3-5-ETS1-3
, HS-ETS1-3
 ...
Blast Off to Summer with a Water Rocket Lab! Based on Lessons from NASA
This is how I ended the year with a bang, my 8th graders loved it and look forward to it all year long. Often times throughout the years it turned into a whole school event where the entire student body was counting down the launch sequence with us! 5, 4 , 3, 2, 1, BLAST OFF!!!! Lesson DescriptionIgnite your students' curiosity and foster a love for science with this engaging rocket science lesson, perfect for the end of the year in middle school! This hands-on activity will delve into the
Subjects:
Grades:
6th - 12th
Types:
NGSS:
MS-ETS1-2
, MS-PS2-2
, MS-PS3-1
Light Stroboscope Lab and more with your phone
Stroboscopes are used to "freeze" the motion of rotating or vibrating objects. The iphone (and android) have free software that turns the phone into a stroboscope.You now have the ability to freeze motion that is too fast for your eyes to stop.A student activity is to use a fan and determine the rotation rate with the phone.In addition, many drawn patterns when rotating, produce amazing movements to the eye. A 5 question page is included with a page of solutions. Last is a sample lab using inexp
Subjects:
Grades:
5th - 12th
Aluminum Foil Boat Team Challenge
Students will work in teams to design, create, and test a structure made out of aluminum foil. The teams will compete against each other to create a "boat" that holds the most amount of coins while floating on water. They will have to make predictions, record data, form conclusions, and answer questions throughout the lab.
Subjects:
Grades:
5th - 8th
Showing 1-24 of 117 results
TPT is the largest marketplace for PreK-12 resources, powered by a community of educators.
IXL family of brands