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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.

Straining Out the Dirt
Learners take on the role of environmental engineers as they design water filters.

Making With Microbes
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In this design challenge, learners will use microbes to design and grow a custom biomaterial at home and make something creative with it.

Toxic Popcorn Design Challenge
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In this activity, learners explore the engineering design process (EDP)—the process engineers use to solve design challenges.

Shipping for Survival
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In this activity, learners explore how packaging engineers develop customized shipping and packaging containers to meet the needs of many different industries.

Zero-Energy Housing
In this activity, learners investigate passive solar building design with a focus solely on heating.

Balsa Towers
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Learners work in groups to design and build a tower out of balsa wood. As a motivator, they can compete to build a tower with the highest strength-to-weight ratio.

Cooling Off
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In this activity, learners are introduced to challenges of maintaining temperatures while living in space.

Engineer A Bird Feeder
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In this activity, learners of all ages will design a functional bird feeder using familiar, every day materials.

Convenient Carrier
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In this design challenge activity, learners invent a convenient way for someone using crutches or a wheelchair to carry small personal items.

Confetti Launcher
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Hooray! In this design challenge activity, learners invent a device that launches a spoonful of confetti into the air. Learners are encouraged to create the biggest cloud of confetti possible.

Ramps 2: Ramp Builder
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In this inquiry-based learning activity, learners design, build, and test their own ramps. They are introduced to a variety of materials and explore putting them together.

Building A Storm Drain
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In this design challenge, learners design a storm drain cover that catches litter to protect waterways to learn about how local actions can have system-level effects.

Building Bridges
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In this activity, learners explore the engineering design process and the basic mechanics behind building bridges as they build one themselves using gumdrops and toothpicks.

Smooth Operator
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In this activity, learners explore surgical instrument design. Teams of learners construct surgical instruments from everyday materials.

Stomp Rockets
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In this activity, learners will build a stomp-powered launcher to blast off paper rockets they design. Materials can be found at a local hardware store or you may already have them at home.

Sail Car Design
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This activity (on page 3 of the PDF under GPS: Sailboat Design Activity) is a full inquiry investigation into design optimization.

Bookshelf
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In this activity, learners use simple tools to build a bookshelf with a built-in bookend.

Design a Parachute
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After a discussion about what a parachute is and how it works, learners create parachutes using different materials that they think will work best.
Parachute Design
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In this activity, learners design and build their own parachute using household materials with the goal of landing their passenger safely on a target.