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Sled Kite
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In this activity, learners build a sled kite that models a type of airfoil called a parawing.
Construction and Destruction
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In this three/four-day lesson, learners calculate perimeters and areas and draw the castle plan to scale.
Jumpy Dolls
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In this activity, learners are challenged to design and construct a jointed figure that moves in a motion (something like jumping jacks) when a string is pulled.
Exploring Structures
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This event guide features three related explorations in which learners investigate the following science concepts: how you design and build a structure helps determine how strong it will be; different
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.
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.
LEGO® Chemical Reactions
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This activity uses LEGO® bricks to represent atoms bonding into molecules and crystals. The lesson plan is for a 2.5 hour workshop (or four 45-minute classes).
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.
Achieving Orbit
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In this Engineering Design Challenge activity, learners will use balloons to investigate how a multi-stage rocket, like that used in the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) mission, can propel a sat
LEGO Orrery
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Use this model to demonstrate the goal of NASA's Kepler Mission: to find extrasolar planets through the transit method.
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.
Shake and Make: Charge Recognition
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In this activity (page 10), learners explore how molecules self-assemble according to forces of attraction and repulsion.
Wind Tube
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In this activity, learners explore moving air and the physics of lift and drag by constructing homemade wind tunnels.
Rocket Wind Tunnel
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In this activity, learners evaluate the potential performance of air rockets placed inside a wind tunnel.
Geometry Construction: Polyhedral Playthings
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In this activity, learners create 3D geometric shapes using straws and pipe cleaners.
Luminescence
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In this two-part activity about luminescence, learners explore the chemistry that happens inside glow sticks and other light producing reactions.
Racing with the Sun: Creating a Solar Car
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Learners use engineering design principles to construct and test a fully solar-powered car. Solar car kits usually include a photovoltaic cell and motor; some include a chassis as well.
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.
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.
Digger
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In this activity, learners build their own construction cranes using tongue depressors and pushpins.