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The Shape of Floatation
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In this activity (on page 2 of the PDF under GPS: Sailboat Design Activity), learners will discover how the shape of an object, not just its weight, determines whether it floats or sinks.
Soup Can Derby
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In this activity (on page 2 of PDF under GPS: Roller Coaster Design Activity), learners will use food cans of many different properties (sizes, shapes, and weights) and set two cans on their sides at
The Carbon Cycle and its Role in Climate Change: Activity 3
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In this activity, learners explore the human influences on the carbon cycle and examine how fossil fuels release carbon.
Hand Spin Helicopter
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In this activity, learners build helicopters and launchers using wooden dowels and scrap paper. Use this activity to explore rotational motion and kinetic and potential energy.
Balloon Hovercraft
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In this activity (on page 2 of the PDF under GPS: Luge Activity), learners will construct a model hovercraft out of an empty spool and a piece of cardboard.
Bottle Cars
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In this activity, learners explore motion, energy, and electricity by constructing bottle cars that run on motors.
Newton Car
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In this activity, learners work in teams to investigate the relationship between mass, acceleration, and force as described in Newton's second law of motion.
Rubber Band Racer
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In this activity, learners construct speedy vehicles made out of paper plates and powered by twisted rubber bands.
Evolution in Plane Sight
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In this activity, learners model directed evolution by making paper fly. Learners construct and fly paper airplanes.
Paddle Boat
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In this activity, learners build an old-fashioned paddle boat out of simple materials.
Getting There!: Navigation and Trajectory
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In this two-part activity, learners map a navigation plan to get from Earth to Mars and back. In activity one, learners represent the orbital paths of Earth through dance and dramatic movement.
The Parachuting Egg
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In this activity, learners work in groups to design a parachute out of household items that keeps an egg secure when dropped from a certain height.
Build a Bridge
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In this activity, learners use recycled materials to build a bridge that holds as many potatoes as possible. They investigate weight, height, strength, and measurement as they seek design solutions.
Sky Glider Challenge
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In this design challenge activity, learners use two helium-filled balloons to build a blimp that can travel in a straight path across the room.
Build a Borneo Glider
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In this inquiry-based activity, learners investigate the basic forces of flight as they construct their own paper glider that represents a rainforest creature from Borneo (large, tropical island in So
Rocket Wind Tunnel
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In this activity, learners evaluate the potential performance of air rockets placed inside a wind tunnel.
Design a Safer Bicycle Helmet
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In this activity, learners design a bicycle helmet. Participants will explore the design of bicycle helmets to gain an appreciation for the role that helmet layers play protecting the head.
Simple Submarine
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Using simple, inexpensive items, learners build and test submarine models.
Airplane Wing Investigation
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This activity (located on page 3 of the PDF under GPS: Balloon Fiesta Activity) is a full inquiry investigation into Bernoulli’s principle and airplane wings.
Blimp Jet Challenge
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In this design challenge activity, learners add a jet-propulsion system (i.e. a balloon) to a blimp so it flies straight and far under its own power.