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Carousel Pump
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In this activity, learners build a carousel toy that spins when pushed down.
Electric Paddle Boat
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In this activity, learners build an electric two-paddle boat using paint paddles, plastic knives, and empty water bottles.
Build Your Own Robot Arm
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In this lesson, learners develop a robot arm using common materials. Learners explore design, construction, and teamwork, as well as materials selection and use.
Crank It Up
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In this engineering activity, learners explore simple machines and then build cardboard automata using cams.
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.
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.
Build a Big Wheel
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In this activity, learners explore how engineers have developed big wheels or Ferris wheels.
Micro Automata
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In this activity, learners build small animated toys that move.
Lever Cowboy
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In this activity, learners build a figure that moves and "comes to life" when they pull its string.
Tinkering with Tops
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In this activity, learners explore the history, design and motion of spinning tops. Learners work in teams of "engineers" to design and build their own tops out of everyday items.
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.
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.
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.
Give Me a Brake
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In this activity, learners explore the concept of how brakes can stop or slow mechanical motion.
Cranking Bird
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In this activity, learners build a mini crank machine to make a bird "fly." This engineering activity introduces learners to automata, rotational motion, cranks and cams.
FlyBy Math: Distance-Rate-Time Problems in Air Traffic Control
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In this small-group activity, learners assume the roles of pilots, air traffic controllers, and NASA scientists to solve five Air Traffic Control (ATC) problems.
Make a Mobile!
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In this activity, learners make mobiles to explore the concepts of balance, counterbalance, weight, and counterweight.
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.
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
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.