Earth Day Resources
Kids love exploring the world around them, and Earth Day offers a great way to introduce them to environmental science and engineering. The following sampler includes activities, lessons, and resources that promote green engineering and science learning.
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This simple catapult activity for students in grades 4 – 8 teaches them how energy is transferred when a plastic spoon is pulled back, then released, rocketing its payload — a single marshmallow.
Students in grades 4 to 8 or higher learn the basics of electricity and sound by designing and building a working telegraph system using batteries, wire, and other simple parts. They then use their telegraphs – one of history’s most important inventions – to send and receive messages.
Middle school students address misconceptions and learn about thermal energy transfer while investigating the insulating properties of various materials. They then follow the engineering design process to create, test, and redesign a structure (igloo) to keep an ice cube (penguin) from melting. 
High school students design a permanent guest village within the Saguaro National Park in Arizona after studying the desert ecology. Their designs must provide a true desert experience for visitors while emphasizing sustainable design, protecting the natural environment, and conserving energy and resources.
A lot of engineering goes into making today’s gravity-defying rides both exciting and safe. Read about some roller coaster designers and the skills they bring to creating the world’s most thrilling wooden, steel, and virtual-reality experiences.
In this activity, small groups of students in grades 3 to 8 learn about forces, energy, and efficiency by measuring a bicycle’s gear ratios, calculating tire revolutions, and testing who can ride a course the swiftest based on that information.
Couldn’t make it to ASEE’s Engineering Day at the 2017 National Science Teachers Association regional conferences or annual STEM Forum? Check out these hands-on highlights – and join us at the NSTA STEM Forum in Philadelphia July 11-13, 2018!
Introduce a girl to engineering. Live stream the Future City finals from Washington, D.C. Make slime and other cool stuff. National Engineers Week kicks off Feb. 19 – 25, 2017 and this year’s theme – Dream Big – takes its title from a spectacular IMAX movie about engineering that premieres at big-screen theaters around the country. How will you celebrate?
