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Carousel Pump
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In this activity, learners build a carousel toy that spins when pushed down.
Robot Hands
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This activity (on page 2) explores how sensing is part of robotics. Learners try tying their shoes with different constraints.
Catapult
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In this activity, learners construct their own small catapults using simple materials. Learners follow visual instructions to build their launching device.
Playing with Parachutes
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In this activity, learners explore how parachutes are used to slow down moving objects. Learners work in teams of "engineers" to design and build their own parachutes out of everyday items.
Parabola Basketball
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In this activity, learners build mini-basketball courts and explore the laws of physics. Learners discover that everything you throw or shoot on earth travels in a parabola.
Egg Drop
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Perform this classic inertia demonstration to illustrate the transfer of potential energy to kinetic energy.
Build a Big Wheel
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In this activity, learners explore how engineers have developed big wheels or Ferris wheels.
Newton's Cradle
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Build your own version of the classic physics toy using simple materials.
Hot Air Balloon
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In this activity, learners build a hot air balloon using just a few sheets of tissue paper and a hair dryer.
Speedboat
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In this activity, learners build a speedboat using paint paddles, a propeller, and film canister. Learners attach a simple circuit and motor to the boat to power the propellers.
On Target
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In this design challenge activity, learners modify a cup so it can carry a marble down a zip line and also drop it onto a target.
Handheld Water Bottle Rocket & Launcher
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In this activity, learners build handheld rockets and launchers out of PVC pipes and plastic bottles. Use this activity to demonstrate acceleration, air pressure, and Newton's Laws of Motion.
Egg Bungee
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Learners attach an egg to a rubber-band bungee cord and drop the egg.
Catapult
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In this activity, learners build mini catapults using paint paddles and a spoon. Use this activity to introduce learners to forces and projectile motion.
Potato Straw
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In this physics demonstration, learners are challenged to insert a straw the furthest into a potato.
Pitch, Roll and Yaw: The Three Axes of Rotation
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In this activity (page 87 of the PDF), learners move their bodies to better understand the three axes of rotation: pitch, roll and yaw.
Motorized Balancing Toy
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In this activity, learners build a toy that flies in circles. This activity introduces learners to center of mass, torque, and rotational motion.
Building a Magic Carpet
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In this activity (page 89 of the PDF), learners compare and contrast pitch and roll motions by using a Magic Carpet maze similar to one that was used for Neurolab investigations about microgravity.
Cylindrical Wing
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In this design and physics challenge, learners construct a cylindrical wing, fly it, make modifications, and determine how the changes affect flight patterns.
Building a 3-D Space Maze: Escher Staircase
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In this activity (page 95 of the PDF), learners create Escher Staircase models similar to those that were used by Neurolab's Spatial Orientation Team to investigate the processing of information about