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Toxic Popcorn Design Challenge
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In this activity, learners explore the engineering design process (EDP)—the process engineers use to solve design challenges.

Build a Big Wheel
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In this activity, learners explore how engineers have developed big wheels or Ferris wheels.

Working with Watermills
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In this activity, learners explore how watermills have helped harness energy from water through the ages.

Measuring the Wind
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In this activity, learners explore how anemometers work to record wind speeds and how the equipment has undergone engineering adaptations over time.
Soda Pop Can Hero Engine
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In this demonstration/activity, water streaming through holes in the bottom of a suspended soda pop can causes the can to rotate.

Twirling in the Breeze
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In this engineering activity, learners build a device (an anemometer) to measure how fast the wind is blowing.

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

Pedal Power
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In this engineering activity, learners examine bicycle mechanics and gear ratios. Learners determine which gears will help them bike a set course in the shortest amount of time.

Tinkering with Tops
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In this activity, learners explore the history, design and motion of spinning tops. Learners work in teams of "engineers" to design and build their own tops out of everyday items.

Whirling Windmills
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In this activity, learners are challenged to design and construct a windmill to harness the power of wind.

Pendulum Time
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In this activity, learners explore how the pendulum has been a reliable way to keep time for centuries.

Blowin' in the Wind
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In this environmental engineering activity, learners build windmills using everyday items. The first challenge is to build windmills that spin when placed in front of a fan.

A Merry-Go-Round for Dirty Air
Learners build a model of a pollution control device--a cyclone. A cyclone works by whirling the polluted air in a circle and accumulating particles on the edges of the container.

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

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.

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

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.

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.