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Cupcake Delivery
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In this design challenge, learners will create wind-powered contraptions to transport a load, such as a cupcake or another small object, and test to see if they work.

Magnetic Spinner & Compass
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Learners use shop tools and various materials to construct a magnetic spinner and a compass.

Magnetic Marble Run
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Learners explore magnetism and motion as they build a simple marble run. Learners test different arrangements of plastic and cardboard tubes, bottles, and cups on a magnetic board.

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.

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.

Getting Your Bearings
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In this activity, learners explore the concept of friction and how ball bearings reduce friction.

Chain Reaction II
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In this hands-on activity, learners use an assortment of (mainly household) items to complete Rube Goldberg-type challenges.

Kinetic Sculpture
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In this design challenge activity, learners build a tower that’s at least 12 inches high with two or more parts that move (spin, sway, or flap) in the wind.

Zip Line
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In this design challenge activity, learners build a device to carry a Ping-Pong ball from the top of a zip line to the bottom in four seconds (or less!).

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.

Tower of Coins
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In this physics activity, challenge learners to remove the bottom coin of a stack of nickels without knocking over the stack. Use this activity to demonstrate friction.
Magnus Glider
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A design challenge that takes paper airplanes into an entirely different direction: a magnus glider uses cups and and rubber bands to create a glider that uses the same forces that a curveball (from b

Give Me a Brake
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In this activity, learners explore the concept of how brakes can stop or slow mechanical motion.

Marble Run!
Source Institutions
This activity (on page 2 of the PDF under SciGirls Activity: Luge) is a full inquiry-based challenge related to motion and design optimization.

Puff Mobile
Source Institutions
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.

Screaming String Thing
Source Institutions
In this simple and fun activity, learners discover the relationship between vibration and sound by making a squeaky toy instrument out of simple household materials.

Echo Base Bobsleds
Source Institutions
The goal of this activity is to build a miniature bobsled that is either the fastest or the slowest. Learners use recycled materials to design, build, and test their bobsled on a bobsled track.

Homemade Rube Goldberg Machine
Source Institutions
In this fun and, at times, hilarious force and motion activity, learners will use household objects to build a crazy contraption and see how far they can get a tennis ball to move.

Zipline
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In this design activity, learners create a vehicle that can transport a load, like a favorite toy or as a recycled object, from the top of a zipline to the bottom using only gravity.

Airboat
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In this activity related to Newton's Laws of Motion, learners build a boat powered by a propeller in the air.