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Get It Write
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In this activity, learners explore how pens have been engineered and re-engineered over time. Learners work as a team to develop a working pen out of everyday items.

Pinball Wizard
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In this hands-on engineering project, kids use two simple machines, levers and inclined planes, to construct their own pinball machines.

Puppet Power
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In this mechanical engineering activity, learners design shadow puppets with moving parts and use them to tell stories.

Crank It Up
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In this engineering activity, learners explore simple machines and then build cardboard automata using cams.

Zoom-A-Rang
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In this activity, learners design and build a Zoom-a-rang using everyday materials. Experiment with different materials and Zoom-a-rang designs to see how they fly.

Balancing Sculptures
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In this activity, learners will use a variety of household and/or natural objects to design a sculpture that balances from a single point.

Design a Microexpression Zoetrope
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In this engineering design challenge, learners animate a facial expression and make a machine (zoetrope) that plays the animation back.
Parachute Design
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In this activity, learners design and build their own parachute using household materials with the goal of landing their passenger safely on a target.

Cupcake Delivery
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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.

Linkages
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This design challenge is an open-ended exploration of linkages, a group of parts connected by hinges, and the types of motion they can create.

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.

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.

Cardboard Automata
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Cardboard Automata are a playful way to explore simple machine elements while creating a mechanical sculpture.

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

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.

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

Zipline
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In this design activity, learners create a vehicle that can transport a load, like a favorite toy or as a recycled object, from the top of a zipline to the bottom using only gravity.

Crazy About Kites
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In this activity, learners build a kite out of paper, change it, and try to make it fly even better. With their new knowledge of kite making, students can then go on to create their own kite designs.