Embedded Files
For each challenge that you complete, we invite you to submit a short video of your work using the links provided. Show us your awesome engineering notebook, your design, and a test flight! Approved videos will be added to the flipgrid for you to see. For your safety, please do NOT share your full name or school in your video, but you may share your home state. Remember, when building and testing safety is number one. Ask for adult help for any tests done up high.
Day 1
Day 1
Goal: Build a Parachute with the slowest descent
Background and Connections:
Plants build parachutes to help seeds catch a breeze and drift away from the parent plant so the next generation is less likely to compete with the parent plant for space, light, water, and nutrients. (More about Seed dispersal related to forest regeneration here, if you're interested: https://youtu.be/xY4JFOSuqvY)
BIOMIMICRY is a field of study that looks to designs from nature to help address some of our design challenges. For example, check out the great parachute design from dandelions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiJI-qc-H04
What were some parameters that the scientists analyzed in this video?
How can holes in a parachute actually help? Check out this short article studying dandelion parachutes:
https://www.popsci.com/dandelion-fluff-makes-surprisingly-effective-parachute/
If you like that last article but want to go deeper, check out this article: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07032-6
Here is a video of a simple method for building a parachute. We know you will get creative! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RA9x4wlnW8
Imagine: Brainstorming time! Now that you have seen a basic parachute build, what are your ideas? Write them in your engineering notebook! This could be on paper or in a digital format. Paper is nice so you can easily sketch.
Collect information: Can you find more information on biomimicry and parachutes? Does this give you any new ideas about your parachute design? Write down what you learn, any new ideas, and the resources that you found in your engineering notebook.
Develop and Test
Test your parachute! Don’t climb up high without adult supervision and permission! When you give us your result, don’t forget to tell us the unit.
Solutions: Record data as you go.
Improve! What improvements can you make? Write down your new ideas. Build a new parachute and retest!
Day 2
Day 2
Goal:
Imagine:
Collect information:
Develop and Test Solutions:
Improve!
Day 4
Day 4
Goal:
Imagine:
Collect information:
Develop and Test Solutions:
Improve! M
Day 5
Day 5
Goal:
Imagine:
Collect information:
Develop and Test Solutions:
Improve!
Other Cool Connections
Other Cool Connections
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