Lesson Plans
Purdue University GK-12 Lesson Plans (2006-2007) by Discipline*
Mathematics
Scientific Method/General Science
Electricity
Earth and Environmental Science
Biology/Chemistry
Physics
Engineering
Mathematics
- Caesar Ciphers:
An Introduction to Cryptography (PDF)
This activity begins with an introductory discussion about cryptography, the science of secrets,
and includes opportunities for students to encrypt/decrypt coded messages.
By incorporating cryptography into a math class,
students are exposed to an interesting field of mathematics,
which may not ordinarily be covered.
The nature of cryptography also allows students to see that mathematics does not
necessarily require computation or number sense.
This activity also reaches a wider range of students by illustrating the
connection between math and language arts
and the study of languages.
- The Candy
Conundrum (PDF)
- 8th grade
- 7 class periods (50 minutes each)
This activity uses a common object, in this case, candy,
to teach students concepts of volume in an engineering setting.
Students are given volume equations, candy, and building materials,
and are tasked with designing a container to accommodate a given amount of candy.
Assessment is conducted in real time, allowing students to assess each other by
placing the given amount of candy in each container to determine whether each
container meets the design specifications. Extensional activities, such as using
fractions and percents to determine nutritional value, are also included.
- Earthquakes
(PDF)
- 8th grade
- 100-150 minutes
This lesson uses actual seismic data to illustrate the mathematical component
of earthquake studies through basic mathematical concepts and calculations.
The incorporation of actual, local earthquake data provides points of discussion
for students in areas of relative seismic inactivity, such as Indiana,
while maintaining scientific integrity and providing relevance to the lesson.
Although this activity was originally implemented as supplemental material to
a larger unit on earthquakes presented in Science class, it is possible for students
with little or no prior content knowledge to successfully complete the activity.
- Face
Misidentification Lesson Plan (PDF)
- 8th grade
- 16-18 class periods (50 minutes each)
This unit enhances students’ knowledge of measures of central
tendency by using the real-world examples of face
recognition/eyewitness/misidentification scenarios.
By stepping students through the scientific method and giving students
their first experience of data collection, this unit provides a solid
basis for beginning of the year activities in math and science classes.
Additionally, this unit compares data analysis performed manually and using MS Excel.
- A Financial
Lesson (PDF)
- 7th grade
- 5-8 class periods† (50 minutes each)
This is an ongoing lesson in which students develop a budget, pay bills,
and file taxes based on a fictional occupation and family/household needs.
Since finance is simply an application of mathematics, it is well-suited for
incorporation into a math curriculum and displays a relevance that students often desire.
This lesson also reinforces the notion of finite resources, as learned in science class,
by showing money as a limited resource – a concept often lost on middle school students.
- Rockets Away
with Newton’s Laws of Motion (PDF)
- 8th grade
- 20 class periods† (50 minutes each) split between Math and Science
This series of activities cover the basics of Newton’s Laws of Motion,
culminating in a capstone rocket activity. This unit was designed to work across the eighth
grade curriculum by incorporating scientific concepts in Math, English, and Social Studies classes.
Even though the activities fit into an interdisciplinary framework,
each can act as a stand-alone activity and are accessible to students with little
or no prior content knowledge, as the activities do not require sequential completion.
- Who Are
Scientists and What Do They Do? Using a Vehicle Chassis Model as a Means of Inquiry (PDF)
- 8th grade
- 7-12 class periods (50 minutes each)
This lesson is one component of a nine-week unit focusing on scientists
and the scientific enterprise. This lesson teaches students to use
the features of scientific inquiry by exploring the technological design of springs.
Students develop scientific questions regarding a vehicles’ suspension system,
collect data to develop and evaluate their explanations, compare findings with
other scientists, and communicate their explanations to an audience.
Scientific Method/General Practice
- Face
Misidentification Lesson Plan (PDF)
- 8th grade
- 16-18 class periods (50 minutes each)
This unit enhances students’ knowledge of measures of central tendency
by using the real-world examples of face recognition/eyewitness/misidentification scenarios.
By stepping students through the scientific method and giving students their first
experience of data collection, this unit provides a solid basis for beginning of the
year activities in math and science classes. Additionally, this unit compares data
analysis performed manually and using MS Excel.
- Examining Infiltration
Rates of Various Soil
Types and the Scientific Method - An Inquiry Based Project (PDF)
- 7th grade
- 5 class periods (50 minutes each)
This project is based in inquiry education and allows students to better understand
the scientific method by conducting an actual science project – examining
the rates of infiltration for various soil types. The students design their own
experiments to test their self-constructed hypotheses regarding the rate of water
infiltration into various soils. Although little introductory material on soil
infiltration is required (just an overview of the hydrologic cycle),
considerable coverage of the steps and processes of the scientific method was required.
- Science in
the News (PDF)
This unit is a year-long news exploration activity designed to allow
students to explore news media for science topics relevant to their lives and society.
Students are responsible for finding their own science-themed news article from
their choice of source, such as newspapers, magazines, and internet news ties.
After reading their chosen article, students should summarize the content in a paragraph.
Along with the summary, students are to answer the question, “Who cares?”
This encourages students to consider why their article’s topic was important enough
to gain media attention, and to whom the topic most matters.
- Travel
Mug Design Activity (PDF)
- 8th grade
- 7 class periods (50 minutes each)
This activity enhances students’ knowledge of engineering and design through
an activity centered on basic concepts of thermodynamics. Utilization of the
scientific method and a marketing scheme allows for student creativity in a
math and science activity. The activity includes specific design, build,
test, and presentation components.
Electricity
- A Solidification of Electricity Concepts
through Laboratory Exploration (PDF)
- 8th grade
- 17-22 class periods† (50 minutes each)
This unit covers traditional electricity concepts through the use of current technology
to clarify concepts through a variety of activities targeting a broad spectrum of learning styles.
Many electricity concepts are abstract and quantifiable through mathematical equations,
however, this unit illustrates the scientific properties of electricity and
that mathematics can be a tool used to predict results prior to testing.
- Electrifying
Electricity (PDF)
As an introduction to electricity and circuits, this lesson covers the basics of
electrical flow and circuit design by using common items. The use of these common
items can encourage students to explore electricity at home and help them to
understand the electrical nature of other household items.
Extension of this activity can include mathematical applications and theories in electricity,
as well as Ohm’s and Kirchhoff’s Laws.
Earth and Environmental Science
- Earthquakes
(PDF)
- 8th grade
- 100-150 minutes
This lesson uses actual seismic data to illustrate the mathematical component of
earthquake studies through basic mathematical concepts and calculations.
The incorporation of actual, local earthquake data provides points of discussion
for students in areas of relative seismic inactivity, such as Indiana,
while maintaining scientific integrity and providing relevance to the lesson.
Although this activity was originally implemented as supplemental material to a
larger unit on earthquakes presented in Science class, it is possible for students
with little or no prior content knowledge to successfully complete the activity.
- Environmental
Science Unit (PDF)
- 8th grade
- 11-13 class periods† (50 minutes each)
The goal of this unit is to enhance students’ knowledge of human impacts
of the environment and methods to limit these impacts through proper waste management.
The lessons and activities presented in this unit teach concepts related to recycling,
landfills, integrates waste management, Earth’s finite resources, and alternative energy strategies.
- Examining
Infiltration Rates of Various Soil
Types and the Scientific Method - An Inquiry Based Project (PDF)
- 7th grade
- 5 class periods (50 minutes each)
This project is based in inquiry education and allows students to better understand the scientific
method by conducting an actual science project – examining the rates of infiltration for various
soil types. The students design their own experiments to test their self-constructed hypotheses
regarding the rate of water infiltration into various soils. Although little introductory
material on soil infiltration is required (just an overview of the hydrologic cycle),
considerable coverage of the steps and processes of the scientific method was required.
- Water
Resources Engineering (PDF)
- 8th grade
- 10 class periods† (50 minutes each)
In order to emphasize the importance of water quality testing and purification
processes, as well as to focus on local water quality issues, this unit is
composed of two distinct parts: Part I focuses on water quality testing,
while Part II uses the knowledge gained in Part I to design and test a
water purification system. The two parts can be easily separated and do not
necessarily require each other for full comprehension, although the complimentary
nature of the two parts makes this unit more complete when both parts are presented.
By illustrating sources of water pollution, water treatment at various scales,
and testing/purifying water themselves, this unit provides an excellent opportunity
for students to gain experience with “real-world” processes related to water quality.
Biology/Chemistry
- Hands-on
Chemistry Unit (PDF)
- 8th grade
- 18 activities, each taking 1 – 2 class periods (50 minutes each)
This extensive unit covers the entire eighth grade chemistry curriculum and
includes extensional activities. Most of the activities are “hands-on” and
can stand alone from the rest of the exercises. This unit breaks down chemistry
into manageable sub-topics and connects concepts to the “real world.”
- Using Spectrophotometers to
Examine Photosynthetic Rates under Various Qualities of Light (PDF)
This supplemental activity reinforces students’ existing knowledge of photosynthesis
by allowing students to examine how photosynthetic rates can change under different
qualities of light. Photosynthetic rates are easily determined using an isolated
chloroplast suspension and a chemical that changes color during the reduction process,
which can be measured using a spectrophotometer. This activity provides an
opportunity to use the scientific method, as well as allowing students to become
familiar with a spectrophotometer, a standard piece of laboratory equipment.
- Water
Resources Engineering (PDF)
- 8th grade
- 10 class periods† (50 minutes each)
In order to emphasize the importance of water quality testing and purification
processes, as well as to focus on local water quality issues, this unit is
composed of two distinct parts: Part I focuses on water quality testing,
while Part II uses the knowledge gained in Part I to design and test a
water purification system. The two parts can be easily separated and
do not necessarily require each other for full comprehension, although
the complimentary nature of the two parts makes this unit more complete
when both parts are presented. By illustrating sources of water pollution,
water treatment at various scales, and testing/purifying water themselves,
this unit provides an excellent opportunity for students to gain experience
with “real-world” processes related to water quality.
Physics
- Rockets Away
with Newton’s Laws of Motion (PDF)
- 8th grade
- 20 class periods† (50 minutes each), split between Math and Science
This series of activities cover the basics of Newton’s Laws of Motion, culminating
in a capstone rocket activity. This unit was designed to work across the eighth
grade curriculum by incorporating scientific concepts in Math, English, and Social
Studies classes. Even though the activities fit into an interdisciplinary framework,
each can act as a stand-alone activity and are accessible to students with little or
no prior content knowledge, as the activities do not require sequential completion.
- Travel
Mug Design Activity (PDF)
- 8th grade
- 7 class periods (50 minutes each)
This activity enhances students’ knowledge of engineering and design through
an activity centered on basic concepts of thermodynamics. Utilization of
the scientific method and a marketing scheme allows for student creativity
in a math and science activity. The activity includes specific design, build,
test, and presentation components.
- Who Are
Scientists and What Do They Do? Using a Vehicle Chassis Model as a Means of Inquiry (PDF)
- 8th grade
- 7-12 class periods (50 minutes each)
This lesson is one component of a nine-week unit focusing on scientists and
the scientific enterprise. This lesson teaches students to use the features
of scientific inquiry by exploring the technological design of springs.
Students develop scientific questions regarding a vehicles’ suspension system,
collect data to develop and evaluate their explanations, compare findings with
other scientists, and communicate their explanations to an audience.
Engineering
- The Candy
Conundrum (PDF)
- 8th grade
- 7 class periods (50 minutes each)
This activity uses a common object, in this case, candy,
to teach students concepts of volume in an engineering setting.
Students are given volume equations, candy, and building materials,
and are tasked with designing a container to accommodate a given
amount of candy. Assessment is conducted in real time, allowing students
to assess each other by placing the given amount of candy in each container
to determine whether each container meets the design specifications.
Extensional activities, such as using fractions and percents to determine
nutritional value, are also included.
- Travel
Mug Design Activity (PDF)
- 8th grade
- 7 class periods (50 minutes each)
This activity enhances students’ knowledge of engineering and design
through an activity centered on basic concepts of thermodynamics.
Utilization of the scientific method and a marketing scheme allows
for student creativity in a math and science activity. The activity
includes specific design, build, test, and presentation components.
- Water
Resources Engineering (PDF)
- 8th grade
- 10 class periods† (50 minutes each)
In order to emphasize the importance of water quality testing and
purification processes, as well as to focus on local water quality issues,
this unit is composed of two distinct parts: Part I focuses on water quality testing,
while Part II uses the knowledge gained in Part I to design and test a water purification system.
The two parts can be easily separated and do not necessarily require each other
for full comprehension, although the complimentary nature of the two parts makes this
unit more complete when both parts are presented. By illustrating sources of water pollution,
water treatment at various scales, and testing/purifying water themselves, this unit provides
an excellent opportunity for students to gain experience with “real-world” processes related to water quality.
* Due to the interdisciplinary nature of this program, each lesson
plan may be listed under multiple categories.
† The approximate time for completion includes all components of the lesson,
which conttains multiple discrete parts that can act as “stand-alone”
activities and can be accomplished in less time.
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