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Chirping Bird
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In this activity, learners build a cuica or chirping bird using straw, string, and a bottle cap. Use this activity to explore the interplay of motion and sound.

Micro Automata
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In this activity, learners build small animated toys that move.

Action Figure
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In this project, students explore how levers work, by making a puppet with moving limbs.

Cranking Bird
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In this activity, learners build a mini crank machine to make a bird "fly." This engineering activity introduces learners to automata, rotational motion, cranks and cams.

Soap Bubble Shapes
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Learners explore three-dimensional geometric frames including cubes and tetrahedrons, as they create bubble wands with pipe cleaners and drinking straws.

Bearings for Your Whirligig
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Experiment with friction and make bearings for a whirligig! This activity is a nice introduction to friction and bearings and demonstrates why bearings are useful for spinning.

Lever Cowboy
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In this activity, learners build a figure that moves and "comes to life" when they pull its string.

Sound Automata
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In this activity, learners build their own sound machines and explore the interplay of motion and sound.

Woodpecker
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In this activity, learners construct a traditional handicraft toy that illustrates a motion commonly associated with violins and earthquakes.

Circuit Bending with Play-Doh
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Break open that used musical toy and squish some Play-Doh over the circuit boards, and you will hear some weird and distorted sounds the manufacturer never intended!

Thrill Ride
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In this activity, learners will build a roller coaster for a marble to run on using everyday household materials such as paper towel or toilet paper rolls, cups, boxes, books, buckets, chairs, etc.

Magnetic Seesaw
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In this activity, learners build a seesaw powered by magnets.

Hot Air Balloon
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In this activity, learners build a hot air balloon using just a few sheets of tissue paper and a hair dryer.

Minibot
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In this activity, learners build a mini dancing robot. This engineering activity introduces learners to electricity, circuits, switches, conductivity, and motors.

All Wound Up
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In this activity, learners build a racecar using only a rubber band, spool, straw, and paper clip! This racer is a classic toy that zips across a flat surface.

Gymnast
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In this physics activity, learners build a toy with a figure that spins around like a gymnast on the high bar.

Zig Zag Bopper
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In this activity, learners build a machine made of craft sticks to multiply the levering motion of their hands and create a device that bends and extends.

Marble Game
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In this activity, learners construct a simple game to test their hand-eye coordination and steadiness of hand.

Bobbing Eyeballs
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In this activity, learners use simple materials and basic tools to construct a special toy to explore pendulums. As the head of the toy bobs one way, the eyeballs bob the other way.

Motor Bird
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In this activity, learners build a bird that flies in place with help from a motor, wire, and some straws.