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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.

Hovercraft
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In this activity, learners make plates levitate! Learners build "hovercrafts" using simple materials to explore friction and motion.

Straw Kazoo
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In this activity, learners make some music by constructing a kazoo out of a simple plastic drinking straw. Use this activity to explore sound, vibrations, and music.

Set It Straight
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In this activity, learners build a simple tabletop seesaw to test how different variables (the position of the fulcrum, distance, weight) affect its balance under increasing weight loads.

Hoop Glider
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In this activity, learners engineer a flying glider using paper hoops and a drinking straw.

Balloon Car
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In this physics activity, challenge learners to make and race a balloon-powered car. Learners construct the body out of a paper cup, wheels out of wooden spools. and fuel tank out of a balloon.

All Wound Up
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In this activity, learners build a racecar using only a rubber band, spool, straw, and paper clip! This racer is a classic toy that zips across a flat surface.

Toy Chemistry
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In this playful, goopy activity, learners mix two liquids to create a solid (that sometimes acts like a liquid ), using basic household materials such as borax and glue.

Eye Spy
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This fun activity uses simple materials such as milk cartons and mirrors to introduce the ideas of optics and visual perception.

Action Figure
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In this project, students explore how levers work, by making a puppet with moving limbs.

Designing a Wall
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In this engineering activity (page 5 of PDF), young learners investigate how materials and design contribute to the strength of a structure, particularly walls.

Marble Ride
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In this activity, challenge learners to design a roller coaster ride for a marble using cardboard and other simple materials.

Motion Picture
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During this hands-on activity, learners are briefly exposed to moviemaking and animation, when they create their own thaumatropes.

Go Fly a Kite
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In this hands-on activity, children create their own kites that can fly indoors. Learners are exposed to basic concepts of gravity and air resistance.

Hang Time
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Learn how to make and fly a paper helicopter! This simple activity includes a template (for the copter "blades") and instructions for folding, flying, and testing designs.

Phenakistascope
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In this optics activity, learners build an animation tool to make mini movies. When you spin a phenakistascope, the pictures move so quickly that your eyes and brain can't separate the images.

Kaleid-o-mania
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In this hands-on activity, learners build their own kaleidoscopes and explore how light can reflect of off surfaces such as mirrors, to produce beautiful patterns.

Thrill Ride
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In this activity, learners will build a roller coaster for a marble to run on using everyday household materials such as paper towel or toilet paper rolls, cups, boxes, books, buckets, chairs, etc.

Puff Mobile
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In this engineering activity, challenge learners to design a car using only 3 straws, 4 Lifesavers™, 1 piece of paper, 2 paper clips, tape, and scissors.

Film Canister Rocket
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In this activity, learners construct and launch rockets using simple materials and their understanding of chemical reactions.