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Showing results 1 to 16 of 16
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Pulleys
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners build inexpensive pulley assemblies from pulley wheels used for sliding screen door replacement or from clothesline spreaders.
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Take It From The Top: How Does This Stack Up?
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners explore center of gravity, or balance point, of stacked blocks.
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Laser Lissajous: PVC Version
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners use a laser pointer and two small rotating mirrors to create a variety of fascinating patterns, which can be easily and dramatically projected on a wall or screen.
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Laser Lissajous: Binder Clip Version
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners use a laser pointer and two small rotating mirrors to create a variety of fascinating patterns, which can be easily and dramatically projected on a wall or screen.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/square_100/public/resource_images/smile-000-000-004-491.jpg?itok=-ZrTquf8)
Paper Bridges
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners build bridges using paper and explore how much weight each bridge design can support.
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Straws and Pins
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners build bridges and cantilevers in a series of "building out" challenges with straws and pins.
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Clay Bridges
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners make bridges using an oil-based modeling clay (plasticene). The instructions include discussion questions for both before and after bridge building.
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Clay Beams and Columns
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners make or use pre-made clay beams to scale and proportion. Specifically, they discover that when you scale up proportionally (i.e.
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Garden Poles
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners build large-scale structures and cantilevers in a series of "building out" challenges with garden poles and tape.
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Cylinders and Scale
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners investigate the relative growth of lengths, areas, and volumes as cylinders are scaled up.
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A Simple Escapement Mechanism
Source Institutions
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.
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Simple Pop-Up Mechanisms
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners construct three quick and simple mechanisms to start building a pop-up book. Learners fold, cut, and glue paper to make a bird beak, parallelogram, and V-fold.
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Paper Tape Motion Timer
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners build a recording timer made from simple materials (e.g., small dc motor, sharpie pen, craft sticks, adding machine paper tape, etc.).
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Wilberforce Pendulum
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners build a Wilberforce Pendulum, a special coupled pendulum in which energy is transferred between two modes of vibration, longitudinal ("bounce') and torsional ("twist"), on a
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Newspaper Bridges
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners build bridges out of newspaper and tape to explore how structures are designed to bear loads.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/square_100/public/resource_images/smile-000-000-004-493.jpg?itok=UDGUbujD)
Skewers and Garden Poles
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners build scaled-down structures and cantilevers in a series of "building out" challenges with bamboo skewers and tape.