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Build Your Own Wind Turbine
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Learners construct an electricity-generating wind turbine out of a plastic bottle.

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?

Building a Basic Series Circuit
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This activity was designed for blind learners, but all types of learners can use it to build and examine a basic electrical circuit.

Laser Lissajous: PVC Version
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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.

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.

Creepy Crawlers
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Trick your family and friends with this creepy crawler that moves up and down. In this activity, learners construct a circuit and motor device that will move a homemade spider in a spooky way.

Stripped-down Motor
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In this activity, you'll make an electric motor--a simple version of the electric motors found in toys, tools, and appliances everywhere.

Bottle Cars
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In this activity, learners explore motion, energy, and electricity by constructing bottle cars that run on motors.

Paper Tape Motion Timer
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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.).

Wind Power: Creating a Wind Generator
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This lesson challenges groups of learners to design and construct a wind generator with the most electrical output.

Motorized Balancing Toy
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In this activity, learners build a toy that flies in circles. This activity introduces learners to center of mass, torque, and rotational 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.

Racing with the Sun: Creating a Solar Car
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Learners use engineering design principles to construct and test a fully solar-powered car. Solar car kits usually include a photovoltaic cell and motor; some include a chassis as well.

Mechanical Madness
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In this online Flash game, learners test their engineering know-how, moving a collection of mechanical parts onto a board to make complete a system of parts that will move a ball from start to finish.

Cable Car
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In this activity, learners string a line across the room and build cable cars that can move from on end to the other.

Hovercraft
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In this activity, learners build a hovercraft using a paper plate, cup, and simple motor.

Shake Table
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This activity guide includes instructions on how to build a "Shake Table" by mounting an eccentric mass (off center) on the shaft of a small dc motor.

How Do We Convert Electrical Energy into Mechanical Energy?
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In this activity, learners make an electromagnet motor to demonstrate the most basic method of changing electrical energy into mechanical energy.

Motor Effect
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In this activity about electricity and magnetism, learners examine what happens when a magnet exerts a force on a current-carrying wire.

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.