Browse lesson plans

Design technology: Children's engineering

This unit includes design technology projects linked to major themes in engineering. All the lessons and activities support national and state standards. They include materials lists, procedures, student data sheets, and assessment strategies. The lessons vary in grade level and can be modified up or down.

Format: lesson plan (multiple pages)

Float, sink, flink!

In this lesson, students will learn to make things flink, meaning they neither float to the top nor sink to the bottom of a fluid. They will discover that whether an object floats or sinks depends not only on the properties of the object itself, but also on the properties of the fluid (either gas or liquid) in which it is situated.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2–4 Science)

By Erin Denniston.

Measuring weight

In Design technology: Children's engineering, page 4.3

In this lesson, students will build an understanding in the difference between density and weight. They will measure objects with a triple beam balance and record their findings.

Format: lesson plan (grade K Mathematics and Science)

By Erin Denniston.

Resources on the web

Balancing act

In this Illuminations lesson plan, students use mathematical models to represent and understand quantitative relationships. They are presented with pictures of pan balances with one or more objects in each pan. From these pictures, students discover relationships... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Water, water

Students compare the amount of water they use in daily life with the amount allotted for each person each day on a Space Shuttle. Then, they estimate and measure the weight of, and amount of space occupied by, a gallon of water. They collect, organize,... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

The weight of things

This lesson introduces and provides practice with the measurable attributes of weight. It also gives an opportunity to assess student knowledge of and skill in using measurement of mass. This learning experience focuses students’ attention on the attributes... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations