Engineering

Materials/Supplies: 1 sheet of 8 1/2 by 11 paper, straws (give same number to each group/person), masking tape

Instructions: Using the materials provided, build the tallest tower you possibly can. Rules:

1. You may only use the materials given.

2. Tower must be free-standing.

3. The base must fit on the sheet of paper you were given.

Materials/Supplies: Locks & boxes or a Breakout Edu kit, computer with internet (if required to solve clues or breakout is digital), a physical or digital breakout

Instructions: Students will complete a breakout using content from a core class. Breakouts emphasize grit skills, problem solving, team building and the power of failing forward.

Breakout Resources:

Materials/Supplies: Computer with Internet Access, YouTube access

Instructions: Students will have 1 minute to complete the Minute to Win It Challenge they are assigned. Challenges are typically engineering-based and teach teamwork, collaboration and problem-solving skills.

Video Resources:

Materials/Supplies: 10 Animal Crackers, 1 8 oz Plastic Cup, String, Scissors, masking tape, 5 plastic straws.

Instructions: The zoo is being cleaned. You must place animals in a lift and suspend them above the surface for this to happen.

Rules:

• The structure must be free standing.
• Animals must be lifted off the surface of the ground, table, etc 4 inches.

Challenge create by Carla Billups, STEM Coach, Buncombe County Schools, Asheville, NC

Materials/Supplies: 12 sheets of 8 1/2 by 11 paper, masking tape, 12 straws, space divider for privacy

Instructions: Part one: two groups side by side are building a bridge at a table, separated by a divider so they cannot view what the other group is doing. Part two: groups must communicate without speaking or viewing and figure out how to connect their bridge structures, table to table. They can write, draw, but cannot speak or look at other's design. Once they think they have a solution, without moving tables, they can try to link the two bridges.

Materials/Supplies: 1 deck of cards per group, flat surface

Instructions: Students will use a 52 card deck of cards and build the tallest structure they can.

Rules:

• Structure must be free standing
• No glue or tape is allowed

Materials/Supplies: 9-12 plastic cups (official Speed Stacks), flat surface

Instructions: Students will stack cups and gradually increase speed to speed stacking levels. Allows students to practice engineering skills, speed, agility and muscle memory.

Materials/Supplies: 12 Popsicle sticks, 3 rubber bands, optional materials: plastic spoon, cotton ball, rubber ball, paper clips, Lego mini figure

Instructions: Students will use materials provided to build a catapult. Once students have constructed the catapult, they will see whose design launches objects the longest distance.

Materials/Supplies: Lego Classic Set, building surface or Lego base plate(s)

Instructions: Students will build a structure with Legos that goes along with core instruction.

Examples: Settings for stories, board games to practice core content, modes of transportation, spelling out words and letters with blocks, etc.

Materials/Supplies: Any recyclable materials you have lying around, i.e. tape, string, cups, newspaper, tubing, toys, balls of some sort depending on size of machine that you are building

Instructions: Students will use materials they are given to construct a Rube Goldberg machine (see video). This machine teaches about chain reactions and how objects in a simple machine work together to reach a goal. Teaches students resilience, failing forward, problem-solving, team work and collaboration skills.

Materials Needed: Illusioneering PDF Book (free download, materials required for each illusion

Instructions: Students divided into groups will use the illusion challenge and materials provided to perfect a "magic" illusion. Each group will present the illusion to the class and see if others can figure out the secrets to the trick.

Materials/Supplies: Marbles, craft sticks, hot glue (cool temp for students), shoe box or for a large maze refrigerator box, duct tape, paper cups.

Instructions: Students will use the provided materials to make a maze marble run.

Materials/Supplies: paper of varying weights and sizes, coins, tape, scissors

Instructions: Students will make paper airplanes and experiment with weight and design to get the best flight. Students can create, test and modify design, weight and size to see what components result in the best flight distance.

Materials/Supplies: 1 package of spaghetti, 2 sheets of styrofoam, books and wooden blocks

Instructions: Students will be experimenting with spaghetti to see how much weight it can hold. To begin with, students will test the strength when noodles are vertical. How much force does it take to break a noodle? Two noodles? Ten? Using the styrofoam, place noodles vertically together and stack objects on top. Can it hold? Does it break? Next, test the horizontal strength of noodles. use blocks to stack noodles and place different objects on to test horizontal strength.

Materials/Supplies: An empty plastic bottle. We used the small 12 oz. sized Gatorade bottles, Scissors, String, Rubber bands – two per machine, A large bead, A nail – for punching a hole in the lid of the bottle.

Instructions: Cut off the bottom of the bottle. Then cut four notches around the edge. Slide the rubber bands through the notches so that they make an X as shown below. Use a hammer and nail to poke a hole in the bottle lid. Tie a string to the connection of the two rubber bands. Run the string down through the hole in the lid, and then tie a bead to the bottom of the string. Pull back the bead and release to launch the ping pong ball!