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In this activity, learners design and build a simple wind vane —one of the oldest kinds of weather tools— and use it to show wind direction.

In this engineering activity, learners will get acquainted with the basics of wind energy and power production by fabricating and testing various blade designs for table-top windmills constructed from

Learners trace, cut out and fly a boomerang, outdoors or in a large indoor space.

Is a square stronger than a triangle? Use tongue depressors to build simple shapes. Then apply a little weight to them and see what happens!

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.

Create airplanes from straws and geometric shapes. Test them out to see how far they can fly, or how accurately they can be aimed.

This is an activity about motion, power, air and Newton’s Third Law of Motion, which states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

In this activity (page 2 of PDF), learners play with a lens and a piece of paper to focus an image on the paper. Learners look at different things, and see how the lenses affect the image.

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.

In this activity, learners build a sled kite that models a type of airfoil called a parawing.

In this activity, learners make water rockets to explore Newton's Third Law of Motion. Learners make the rockets out of plastic bottles and use a bicycle pump to pump them with air.

In this design-based lesson, learners study flood dynamics as they modify a riverbed with blockages or levees to simulate real-world scenarios.

In this demonstration, learners compare the relative sizes and masses of scale models of the planets as represented by fruits and other foods.

Learners use engineering design principles to construct and test a fully solar-powered car. Solar car kits usually include a photovoltaic cell and motor; some include a chassis as well.

In this three/four-day lesson, learners calculate perimeters and areas and draw the castle plan to scale.

In this design-based activity, learners explore environments, ecosystems, energy flow and organism interactions by creating a model biodome. Learners become engineers who create model ecosystems.

In this activity, learners evaluate the potential performance of air rockets placed inside a wind tunnel.

This activity (on page 2 of the PDF under SciGirls Activity: Lift Off) is a full inquiry investigation into the engineering challenges of sending scientific sensors into space.

In this activity, learners build large-scale structures and cantilevers in a series of "building out" challenges with garden poles and tape.

This activity (on page 2 of the PDF SciGirls Activity: Milk Carton Boat) is a full inquiry investigation into boat hull design.