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Learners explore the concepts of equilibrium and center of mass by seeing how non-symmetrical objects balance.

Learners build a simple hovercraft using air from a balloon to levitate a craft made from a compact disc (CD).

Learners construct a rocket from a balloon propelled along a guide string.

Learners build simple catapults and use them to launch cotton balls.

Learners build structures from spaghetti and marshmallows to determine which structures are able to handle the greatest load.

Learners build and investigate pendulums of different lengths. They discover that the longer the string of the pendulum, the longer the time it takes to swing.

Learners work in teams to design and build solar water heating devices that mimic those used in residences to capture energy in the form of solar radiation and convert it to thermal energy.

Learners engage in close observation of falling objects. They determine it is the amount of air resistance, not the weight of an object, which determines how quickly an object falls.

Learners examine collisions between two skateboards carrying different masses. They learn about conservation of momentum in collisions.

In this activity, learners investigate passive solar building design with a focus solely on heating.

Learners build at least two different spinners (tops) to investigate how mass distribution, size, and shape affect the length of time the spinner spins.

In this activity, learners determine whether thermal energy can be used for work.

In this engineering design challenge, learners make a bird and then control its flight with attached strings.

In this activity, learners use Jell-O to explore lenses. Learners cut Jell-O into convex and concave lens shapes and examine how light exits each lens in a darkened room.

In this activity, learners will build a stomp-powered launcher to blast off paper rockets they design. Materials can be found at a local hardware store or you may already have them at home.

In this engineering design challenge, learners animate a facial expression and make a machine (zoetrope) that plays the animation back.

Based of the The Tech Challenge 2015, learners will engage in two mini-design challenges related to seismic engineering.

In this activity (pages 42-49), learners discover the methods and challenges of building nanoscale structures with macroscale equipment.

In this activity, learners design and build their own parachute using household materials with the goal of landing their passenger safely on a target.

In this design challenge, learners will create wind-powered contraptions to transport a load, such as a cupcake or another small object, and test to see if they work.