5th Grade Resources

In this introductory lesson of the Desalination Design Challenge unit, students explore the limited availability of Earth’s fresh water through a hands-on visual demonstration using containers of varying sizes. By modeling the distribution of salt water, frozen fresh water, and accessible fresh water, students develop a concrete understanding of global water scarcity. The lesson prompts students ...

In this lesson (which builds off lesson 1), students explore how animals have evolved adaptations to conserve water and manage salt in high-salinity or arid environments. Through guided reading, discussion, and comparison of animal adaptations, students learn how nature solves water scarcity challenges without relying on energy- or resource-intensive processes. The lesson introduces biomimicry ...

In this lesson, students investigate how water filtration improves access to clean drinking water and protects public health. After reviewing real-world filtration devices used globally, students apply ideas from biomimicry and sustainability to design their own water filter using readily available materials. Through sketching, peer feedback, and design revision, students practice the engineering ...

In this hands-on engineering laboratory lesson, students build, test, and improve water filtration systems designed to remove mud and salt from water. Using readily available materials, students evaluate how effectively their prototypes separate mixtures and solutions, collect observational and quantitative data, and apply the engineering design process to revise their designs. The lesson ...

In this lesson, students explore how nature removes salt from water and apply this understanding to the design of a sustainable desalination device. Students examine biological strategies used by animals and plants to manage salt, learn about three main desalination methods (crystallization, filtration, and distillation), and review evaporation using particle models. Working in teams, students use ...

In this multi-day culminating lesson, students construct, test, and evaluate their own desalination devices using the engineering design process. Building on prior lessons about water scarcity, filtration, evaporation, and biomimicry, students collect data on device performance, assess sustainability and efficiency using defined criteria, and propose evidence-based design improvements. Through ...

In this introductory lesson of the Properties of Adhesives: A Sticky Situation unit, students are introduced to biomimicry as a strategy scientists and engineers use to design new technologies. Through word analysis and an interactive matching game, students explore how animals and plants inspire human innovations, including safer adhesives, building designs, and medical materials. The lesson ...

In this hands-on laboratory lesson, students investigate the properties of adhesives by testing different types of tape using green chemistry decision-making criteria: performance, safety, and cost. Students measure the force required to remove tape using spring scales, analyze data across multiple trials, and compare results with environmental impact and material sourcing information. By ...

In this hands-on laboratory lesson, students create and compare two different glues made from household materials to explore how chemical reactions can produce new substances with distinct properties. Students evaluate each glue using green chemistry criteria—cost, safety, and performance—and investigate how starting materials, energy use, and waste generation influence sustainability. Through ...

In this culminating lesson, students synthesize their learning from the A Sticky Situation unit by creating and presenting an advertisement for their homemade glue developed in Lesson 3. Working collaboratively, students use informational texts to analyze real-world adhesive innovations and then communicate why their glue meets green chemistry criteria—cost, safety, and performance. Through ...