Students will classify random animals based on each animal's attributes. They will get to investigate the physical characteristics of each animal during this hands-on sorting activity. Students will strengthen their ability to categorize and classify. 

Compare architecture of three different civilizations by visiting the Great Wall in China, pyramids in Egypt, and the Parthenon in Greece and discuss how these visits are so different from our ability to compare them 3 decades ago when technology wasn’t as advanced.

Students are taking everyday items, describing them, and using the proportions and conversion factors they will create a 3d model to replicate their description and create a 3d printed version. 

Let’s learn circuit knowledge while playing!  Students will have access to a variety of electronic components (kits) to design, assemble and troubleshoot different types of circuit designs.  Will you sound a horn, blow a small fan, operate a speaker or make a traffic light?  The possibilities are endless! 

Using microbits have students write a simple code and then debug a similar one.  Then compare that to  editing their writing.

Your opinion matters! You have a responsibility to your classroom to help make decisions through the process of voting. You will make predictions, collect data, and organize data while casting your vote.

In this activity, your students will work in groups using their knowledge about Ancient Mali to solve the clues needed to open a Breakout Box. In an added twist, students will only receive one part of the final clue.  They will need to use technology to communicate with each other in order to get the entire clue, open their box, and open the final Breakout Box. 

Students will practice communicating information to their peers with and without the use of technology.

Students will explore old and new ways to communicate information across long distances.  This lesson includes information on the Virtual Education Programs available through the National Park system.

Let’s learn about community helpers!  What do you want to be when you grow up?  A farmer, police officer, teacher, librarian, doctor…?

This activity supports student knowledge of community and story telling.  Students also build map skills and coding skills as they use the robot to act out the story.  Basic block coding skills can be taught as part of the lesson or prior to the lesson. 

 This is a two day lesson. The first day is a lesson about the history of computers. The students will look at pictures of past computers, computers of today and then discuss what they think the computers of the future will be like.The second day, the students will be looking at components of computers with several fun and exciting stations to help them learn the names of the components (parts and types) of computers such as, desktop computer, laptop computer, tablets, mouse, CPU,  printer, etc.  

The student will learn the input and output of a computer and how it is used in the real world.  The student be given a play computer to explore and talk about what types of job computers are needed for and how the information gets into the computer. 

Students will learn about abstraction by looking at a built model computer and then breaking solving a system of equations down into simple components.

Students will experiment by comparing the leg and arm lengths of the students in the class.  They will create a Google Form and use it to record the data that they collect.  They will use the spreadsheet created by the form to analyze the data and create charts and graphs. Students will then draw conclusions and make predictions based on their data.

Students will explore sequencing (including ordinal numbers); and simple loops (patterns and repetition) using the pea plant life cycle. This is a hands-on learning opportunity for students to investigate the algorithms in the natural world around us. Students will gain insight into loop, repeating, and sequence patterns, they will also debug and brainstorm what to do if the pattern is broken. 

In this activity, your students will learn about algorithms and use robots to practice their map skills as they explore the geographic features found in each continent!  Working in small groups students will program Root robots to “travel” to each continent.  Once there, they will be introduced to the major rivers and mountain ranges using photographs!  In other stations, students will put together a world map floor puzzle and work on their Chromebook to correctly sort landforms into their locations. 

Students will explore how to classify and sort animals by different characteristics and attributes like their body coverings.  Using an animal template provided and fun craft supplies like pasta shells, textured fabric, sequins, and cotton balls, students will create their own animal body covering models.  This engaging hands-on learning experience mixes computer science, art, and life science all in one lesson to get your students excited about learning!

The goals of the unit are to teach the students to be critical thinkers, problem solvers, and collaborators on a final group project (The Rube Goldberg Challenge). Students will learn about STEM, simple machines, coding, problem solving and working together as a collaborating team throughout this unit. Students will do some simple coding with the Sphero RvR Robots so that they understand how hardware and software work and will code a task that will be used as part of their Rube Goldberg Machine. 

This lesson allows students to experience coding in a low stress, engaging environment while reinforcing thier learning about food webs and the interrelationships of the animals.  No prior coding experience is required for the teacher or the students.  Teachers and students will be walked through the steps of creating a cartoon demonstrating the transfer of energy in the food web.  They will learn to use sequencing, loops, variables, and opperations on those variables all while creating a fun moving cartoon.  Once students have learned the basic moves, they will be able to code further steps independently to add more interest to their cartoon.