The introduction to the module.
A compelling introductory activity (Activity 1), or interest grabber, that invites students to hypothesize about cause and effect.
4 to 5 hands-on, exploratory activities (or staging activities) to acquaint students with particular aspects and properties of the material under study.
1 or 2 design projects to prompt students to apply what they have learned by creating a functional prototype product from the materials at hand.
Both the TE and PE feature photographs and diagrams that illustrate the concepts discussed in the text and experienced in the classroom.
A Connection to the previous activity that reminds students of the main point of the previous activity.
The Concepts behind box that summarizes the key concept students will learn about in the activity.
The Think about these questions box that essentially presents the learning objectives for the activity.
The Predictions section which prepares students to analyze and explain what they see.
The Procedure and Observations section which describes the steps involved in doing the activity.
The Interpretations section where students look for patterns among the data they collect.
The Reflections section where students compare the results with original prediction and reflect on how their understanding of key concepts has changed.
The Putting It All Together section which prompts students to summarize what they have learned in their own words and to reconsider the questions they asked at the beginning of the activity.
The Design Connection section which encourages students to begin thinking about how to connect concepts learned to design issues.
The Design Challenge which allows students to apply what they have learned in the activities to meet a real-world design problem.
Helpful background information that connects the activity concepts to the real world.
Thought-provoking quotations from scientists and other notable figures.
An article that expands on the activity concepts and explicitly prompts students to relate their experience to information in the article.