NGSS Science & Engineering Practices
Find free, ready-to-teach resources aligned to AQDP-M8. Designed with teachers and artists, in partnership with STEM researchers.
AQDP-M8 | Science & Engineering Practices
Define a design problem that can be solved through the development of an object, tool, process or system and includes multiple criteria and constraints, including scientific knowledge that may limit possible solutions.
Created with purpose: see how resources connect to this standard.
Showing 5 of 5 units
Bioinspired Design: Looking to Biology for Better Solutions
Students will identify a problem with an existing product and investigate biological functions to inspire a product redesign. Through independent research using AI bots and scholarly sources, students will gain a new perspective on STEM, biology, and the human interface between.
Alignment summary( Target)
Lessons: 1, 3, 4
Throughout the unit, students will analyze problems with existing products and propose redesigns that better balance the needs and constraints of the users, economy, and the planet.
Included resources
5 lessons and 4 supporting media items.
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 5
Colourful Solutions: Chemical Engineering Dyes to Brighten Lives
Students will learn to think like chemical engineers as they delve into the dye technologies that allow us to express ourselves through colourful clothing. They will read and discuss complex texts, analyse concept maps and graphs, and develop an appreciation for indigenous (Māori) dye technology.
Alignment summary( Connected)
'How Aligned' not yet documented.
Included resources
3 lessons and 3 supporting media items.
Lesson 1
Supporting videos
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Supporting videos
Photon Engineers: Tinkering with Light
Embark on a journey through time and space to understand what light really is and how humans use it. From starting fires with sunlight, to sending messages to other planets, to current research in photonics, students will become more curious about light in their daily lives!
Alignment summary( Connected)
Lesson 5
In Lesson 2, students are prompted to design their own lens from a raw material, taking into account its intended usage, available materials, and manufacturing challenges. Again, in Lesson 5, students consider how they might use materials to manipulate light to solve a real world problem.
Included resources
5 lessons and 7 supporting media items.
SciJourneys: Building Resilience in Science
Help students sharpen their skills of inquiry and critical thinking and see that science is all around them! This student-centered, active learning unit helps students build resilience and growth mindsets as they approach scientific methods. Features 3 early career women in STEM!
Alignment summary( Connected)
Lesson 3
Students create questions that can be explored with available resources and make hypotheses based on what they observe.
Included resources
3 lessons and 8 supporting media items.
Lesson 3
Supporting videos
The Science of Craft: Building New Materials with Old Techniques
STEM is older and more expansive than you might imagine. Crafted materials, like knit sweaters and woven baskets, were our ancestors’ solutions to everyday problems. In this lesson, we learn the geometry and physics of traditional crafts, and explore how these technologies help us engineer new solutions for the future!
Alignment summary( Connected)
Lesson 3
Students use their knowledge of geometric tiling to define and solve three design challenges – the dome, the saddle, and the enclosed shape.
Included resources
3 lessons and 5 supporting media items.
Lesson 2
Supporting videos
