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Gravity in Action
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Explore the effects of gravity on a slowly falling object: a parachute you make out of plastic bags, string and stones.
Carousel Pump
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In this activity, learners build a carousel toy that spins when pushed down.
Electrical Fleas
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In this activity about electricity, learners explore how static electricity can make electric "fleas" jump up and down. Learners use a piece of wool cloth or fur to charge a sheet of acrylic plastic.
Physics Tug of War
Learners set up books with rubber bands stretched between the books. When two identical books are stretched apart and released, they move back toward each other an equal distance.
Rocket Launchers
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In this activity, learners work with an adult to build a rocket and launcher out of a plastic 2-liter bottle, flexible plastic hose, plastic tubing, toilet paper tube, and duct tape.
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.
Heavy Lifting: Design Squad
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In this engineering challenge, learners design and build a crane out of cardboard to see how heavy a load it can lift.
Watch It Fly
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Learners observe projectile motion by launching wooden balls off of a table top. They set up a rubber-band launcher so that each ball experiences a consistent amount of force.
Newton's Laws Demonstrations
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In this collection of demonstrations, learners explore Newton's Laws of Motion.
Building Tetrahedral Kites
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Working in teams of four, learners build tetrahedral kites following specific instructions and using specific materials.
Fan Cart
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If a sailboat is stranded because there is no wind, is it possible to set up a fan on deck and blow wind into the sail to make the boat move?
Pulleys
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In this activity, learners build inexpensive pulley assemblies from pulley wheels used for sliding screen door replacement or from clothesline spreaders.
Free-Fall Bottles & Tubes
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In this physics activity, learners conduct two experiments to explore free-falling.
Bicycle-Wheel Gyro
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In this activity, a spinning bicycle wheel resists efforts to tilt it and point the axle in a new direction.
Zig Zag Bopper
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In this activity, learners build a machine made of craft sticks to multiply the levering motion of their hands and create a device that bends and extends.
Marble Game
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In this activity, learners construct a simple game to test their hand-eye coordination and steadiness of hand.
Pencil Drop
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In this demonstration, learners observe as a bottle is placed on a table with wooden hoop balanced on top and a pencil balanced on top of the hoop.
In the News
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In this fun and imaginative writing assignment (page nine of the pdf), students will flex the creative side of their brains to learn more about the laws of motion and the scientific process.
Hovercraft
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In this activity, learners make plates levitate! Learners build "hovercrafts" using simple materials to explore friction and motion.
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.