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Newton's Cradle
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Build your own version of the classic physics toy using simple materials.
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.
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.
Bottle Cars
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In this activity, learners explore motion, energy, and electricity by constructing bottle cars that run on motors.
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.
Motor Bird
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In this activity, learners build a bird that flies in place with help from a motor, wire, and some straws.
Paddle Boat
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In this activity, learners build an old-fashioned paddle boat out of simple materials.
Visualizing How the Vestibular System Works
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In this activity (page 59 of the PDF), learners spin and observe false eyelashes in jars of water (prepared at least 1 day ahead of time) to investigate the effects of different types of motion on the
Glider
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In this activity, learners construct a paper glider to experiment with aerodynamic forces.
Speedboat
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In this activity, learners build a speedboat using paint paddles, a propeller, and film canister. Learners attach a simple circuit and motor to the boat to power the propellers.
Marble Drop Game
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Build your own version of a favorite carnival game, in which a marble races down a maze consisting of rows of nails.
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.
Seas in Motion
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In this outdoor, beach activity, learners use tennis balls, water balloons and other simple devices to investigate the movement of waves and currents off a sandy beach.
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.
Stomp Rocket
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In this activity, learners build rockets and shoot them into the air by stomping on the plastic bottle launchers.
Woodpecker
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In this activity, learners construct a traditional handicraft toy that illustrates a motion commonly associated with violins and earthquakes.
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.
Sound Automata
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In this activity, learners build their own sound machines and explore the interplay of motion and sound.