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Building Tetrahedral Kites
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Working in teams of four, learners build tetrahedral kites following specific instructions and using specific materials.
Engineered Sports
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In this activity, learners explore the concept of how aerospace engineering has impacted sports, specifically exploring the design of golf balls.
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.
Pencil Balance
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In this activity, challenge learners to make a pencil stand on its tip using only two pieces of wire and two clothespins. Use this activity to demonstrate the center of gravity.
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.
Kites
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In this engineering/design activity, learners make a kite, fly it, and then work to improve the design. Learners explore how their kite design variations affect flight.
Paper Airplane Contest
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In this fun physics activity (page 9 of the pdf), learners take part in a paper airplane design challenge.
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!).
Nosedive
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This is a great activity for investigating the basics of lift and drag as they pertain to flight. Learners will discover how to avoid "taking a nosedive" by building their own paper airplane.
Which Parachute
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In this activity, learners will engineer three different parachutes to test how well each one works.
Make and Fly a Helicopter
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Learners follow the template to build and fly a paper helicopter.
High Rise
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In this design challenge activity, learners build a tower that can support a tennis ball at least 18 inches off the ground while withstanding the wind from a fan.
Ramp it Up
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In this activity, learners will build ramps and test how the laws of physics apply do different objects. Learners will explore physics and cause and effect through this activity.
Stack 'Em Up
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In this simple and fun activity, learners build a tower of cups to explore distribution of weight. Learners make predictions about their towers and test their designs.
A Simple Escapement Mechanism
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In this activity, learners build a simple mechanism that regulates the "escape" of energy released by a falling weight by portioning it into discrete amounts.
Paper Airplanes
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In this activity, learners explore the properties of paper by constructing and modifying paper airplanes.
Make a Mobile!
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In this activity, learners make mobiles to explore the concepts of balance, counterbalance, weight, and counterweight.
Parachute Parade
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In this engineering activity, learners design parachutes to give toy figures safe landings. This activity is great for practicing an important STEM skill--changing only one variable at a time.
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.
Balloon Drive
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In this challenge, learners make a helium balloon hover in one spot and then move it through an obstacle course using air currents.