In this unit, students will learn that:
- Earth's atmosphere exerts pressure that decreases with distance from the Earth's surface
- soil is formed by the weathering of rock and the decomposition of plant and animal remains
- minerals are natural, hard (solid) elements with a crystal form
- mining is the process of extracting minerals and coal from a mine
- a mine is an excavation in the earth
- a mine is a large pit dug by humans to obtain minerals (e.g., silver, gold, diamonds) and coal underground
- coal is not a mineral (minerals are made of inorganic substances and coal is organic because it is made of dead plant matter)
- mining is a dangerous job because of the risks of falling rocks and other dangers associated with working in small spaces underground and handling large rocks and equipment
- mining engineers help develop technology to help miners safely extract and process minerals and other natural resources
Total: 4 to 6 hours of instruction
Design SySTEM is the nation's leading digital elementary engineering curriculum.
FULL CURRICULUM FEATURES
- Digital STEM curriculum for Grades 2-5
- Scripted lessons covering 12 fields of engineering
- Standards-aligned: NGSS, Common Core ELA, Math Extensions
- Project-Based Learning: Real-world challenges sourced from industry leaders
- Low-Cost: Prototypes using recyclables and basic school supplies
- Frameworks: Engineering Design Process, Career Exposure, "Four C's" (Critical thinking, Communication, Collaboration, Creativity)
- Adoption: Public Schools, Private Schools, After-Schools, Summer Schools, International Schools
FULL CURRICULUM UNITS
* These are recommended grade levels based on the language and concepts used in the lesson plans. Many teachers differentiate instruction for upper and lower grades when using the full curriculum.
(Recommended for Grades 4-5)*:
- Astronautical Engineering
- Environmental Engineering
- Mining Engineering
- Petroleum Engineering
- Robotics Engineering
- Software Engineering
(Recommended for Grades 2-3)*:
- Acoustical Engineering
- Agricultural Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Marine Engineering
- Structural Engineering