Educator Resources

    STEM Lesson Plans

    Ready-to-use, standards-aligned lesson plans for K–12 STEM classrooms. Each plan includes learning objectives, materials lists, step-by-step 5E lesson phases, assessment strategies, and alignment to NGSS, CCSS-M, CSTA, or NCAS.

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    K–12
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    Showing 13 lesson plans

    ScienceGrades K-2Beginner

    Forces & Motion Detectives

    Students become "motion detectives" — observing, predicting, and testing how different forces affect the movement of everyday objects. Through hands-on exploration with ramps and toy vehicles, they build foundational understanding of pushes, pulls, and friction aligned to NGSS K-PS2.

    • Identify pushes and pulls as types of forces
    • Predict how changing the strength of a push or pull affects motion
    45 min Pairs or
    View Plan
    K-PS2-1K-PS2-2
    ScienceGrades 3-5Intermediate

    Ecosystem Food Web Builders

    Students construct food webs for three biomes (forest, ocean, desert), trace energy flow from producers to apex predators, and investigate what happens when one species is removed. This lesson develops systems thinking and ecological literacy aligned to NGSS 5-LS2.

    • Distinguish between producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and decomposers
    • Construct a food web showing energy flow in a chosen biome
    60 min Small groups
    View Plan
    5-LS2-15-LS2-2
    EngineeringGrades 3-5Intermediate

    Bridge Engineering Challenge

    Students apply the engineering design process to design and build a bridge using limited materials that can hold the most weight. They test, identify failure points, and iteratively improve their designs — experiencing real structural engineering concepts like load distribution, tension, and compression aligned to NGSS ETS1.

    • Apply the engineering design process: define, ideate, prototype, test, iterate
    • Identify compression and tension as forces in a structure
    75 min Teams of
    View Plan
    3-5-ETS1-13-5-ETS1-2
    MathematicsGrades K-2Beginner

    Counting Patterns in Space

    Students embark on a space mission where they count stars, planets, and astronauts using skip-counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s. Visual patterns, movement, and manipulatives make abstract number sense concrete and engaging — aligned to CCSS K.CC and 1.NBT.

    • Count objects up to 100 by ones, twos, fives, and tens
    • Recognize and extend skip-counting patterns on a number line
    35 min Whole class
    View Plan
    K.CC.A.1K.CC.B.5
    Computer ScienceGrades 3-5Beginner

    Algorithm Art with Loops

    Students write their first loop programs using block-based coding to create repeating geometric art patterns. They discover how loops reduce code repetition, predict the output of loop programs, and debug broken loop sequences — aligned to CSTA 1B-AP-10 and 1B-AP-11.

    • Explain what a loop is and why programmers use them
    • Write a loop that repeats a sequence of steps a specific number of times
    50 min Individual or
    View Plan
    1B-AP-101B-AP-11
    Visual ArtsGrades 3-5Beginner

    Color Theory Studio

    Students investigate color relationships using the color wheel, mix primary colors to discover secondary and tertiary colors, and create an original artwork that demonstrates color theory knowledge — aligned to NCAS VA:Cr1.1, VA:Cr2.1, and VA:Re7.1.

    • Identify and name primary, secondary, and tertiary colors on the color wheel
    • Mix primary colors to create secondary colors and predict the result
    55 min Individual
    View Plan
    VA:Cr1.1VA:Cr2.1
    ScienceGrades 6-8Intermediate

    Climate Data Detectives

    Students analyze real climate datasets (NASA GISS surface temperature records), construct graphs, identify trends, and evaluate claims about climate change using evidence from data — developing scientific argumentation skills aligned to NGSS MS-ESS3-5 and CCSS Mathematical Practices.

    • Analyze line graphs of global average temperature anomalies from 1880 to present
    • Identify and describe a trend in climate data using quantitative evidence
    60 min Partners or
    View Plan
    MS-ESS3-5MS-ESS2-66.SP.B.46.SP.B.5
    Computer ScienceGrades 6-8Intermediate

    Robot Pathfinding Algorithms

    Students explore pathfinding algorithms through an unplugged grid activity, implement a simplified shortest-path algorithm in block or text-based code, and connect their work to real-world robotics and GPS navigation — aligned to CSTA 2-AP-10, 2-AP-11, and 2-DA-07.

    • Explain what an algorithm is and evaluate algorithms based on efficiency
    • Trace through a pathfinding algorithm on a grid and predict its output
    60 min Pairs
    View Plan
    2-AP-102-AP-11
    ScienceGrades 9-12Advanced

    Gene Expression & Protein Synthesis

    Students investigate the central dogma of molecular biology — how information flows from DNA to RNA to protein — through an interactive modeling activity, codon table analysis, and a mutation case study. They connect their molecular understanding to real-world applications like genetic disorders and mRNA vaccines, aligned to NGSS HS-LS1-1 and HS-LS3-1.

    • Explain the two stages of gene expression: transcription (DNA → mRNA) and translation (mRNA → protein)
    • Use a codon table to decode a mRNA sequence and determine the resulting amino acid chain
    75 min Partners or
    View Plan
    HS-LS1-1HS-LS3-1
    EngineeringGrades 9-12Advanced

    Sustainable City Design Challenge

    Student teams act as urban engineers tasked with designing a 1-km² sustainable city district. They must balance competing constraints — energy, water, transportation, housing density, and green space — while minimizing carbon footprint. Teams use systems thinking, quantitative trade-off analysis, and iterative design to produce a justified proposal — aligned to NGSS HS-ETS1-1 through HS-ETS1-4.

    • Apply systems thinking to identify interdependencies among infrastructure components (energy, water, transport, housing)
    • Quantitatively analyze trade-offs between competing engineering constraints using a weighted decision matrix
    90 min Teams of
    View Plan
    HS-ETS1-1HS-ETS1-2
    MathematicsGrades 9-12Advanced

    Optimization with Calculus

    Students apply derivatives to find optimal solutions in three real-world contexts: maximizing the area of a fenced enclosure, minimizing material cost for a cylindrical can, and finding the fastest evacuation route. They develop a systematic optimization procedure, interpret critical points geometrically, and justify whether each critical point is a maximum or minimum — aligned to CCSS-M HSF-IF and HSF-BF, and AP Calculus AB/BC standards.

    • Set up an objective function and constraint equation for a real-world optimization problem
    • Apply the derivative to find critical points, and use the First or Second Derivative Test to classify them
    65 min Partners or
    View Plan
    HSF-IF.C.7HSF-BF.A.1
    Computer ScienceGrades 9-12Advanced

    Introduction to Machine Learning

    Students explore the fundamental concepts behind machine learning — supervised learning, training data, model accuracy, and overfitting — through a hands-on spam classifier activity, visual exploration of a neural network playground, and a structured discussion of algorithmic bias and ethics. They connect ML concepts to real-world applications like recommendation engines, facial recognition, and medical diagnosis — aligned to CSTA 3A-AP-13, 3A-DA-09, and 3A-IC-24.

    • Distinguish between supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement learning with real-world examples
    • Train a simple classification model and evaluate it using accuracy, precision, and recall
    70 min Partners
    View Plan
    3A-AP-133A-AP-14
    Visual ArtsGrades 9-12Intermediate

    Visual Identity & Brand Design

    Students act as brand designers developing a complete visual identity system for a fictional social enterprise. They apply principles of color theory, typography, hierarchy, and logo design to create a cohesive brand guide — then present their work using professional critique language. This project integrates design thinking with visual art foundations — aligned to NCAS VA:Cr1.1, VA:Cr2.3, VA:Re9.1, and VA:Cn10.1.

    • Apply principles of color theory, typography, and visual hierarchy to design a cohesive brand identity
    • Develop a logo using shape, negative space, and symbolic meaning — and justify design decisions in writing
    80 min Individual with
    View Plan
    VA:Cr1.1.IIaVA:Cr2.3.IIa

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