Based on a hypothetical situation that aliens have invaded Earth and humans must relocate to another planet, students design a shelter that can be built on another planet to insure their survival. Students research the characteristics of a planet of their choice and consider how to get to that planet from Earth, determine which five items that…

When asked to list some strong materials, people think of steel, concrete, and wood. In this activity, students learn about the force of compression and how it acts on structural components through a hands-on group problem. Using everyday products such as paper, toothpicks, and tape, students construct a structure that will support the weight of a…

In this activity, students conduct several simple lab activities to learn about the five fundamental load types that can act on structures: tension, compression, shear, bending, and torsion. In Part One, students play the role of molecules in a beam subject to various loading schemes. In Part Two, students break foam insulation blocks by applying…

After a discussion about what a parachute is and how it works, students create a parachute using different materials that they think will work best. They then test their designs, which is followed by a class discussion to highlight which paper material worked best. This activity requires a 60-minute time period for completion. (Author/SOE)

In this activity, students look at different types of fabric and their respective individual properties. Using a magnifying glass and sandpaper, students test the weave and wear quality of sample fabrics. By comparing the qualities of different fabrics, they are able to better understand why there are so many different types of fabric and…

In this activity, students investigate the accuracy of sundials and the discrepancy that lies between "real time" and "clock time". The position of the sun is tracked over the course of a relatively short period of time as students make a shadow plot, a horizontal sundial, and a diptych sundial. This activity requires…

One of the best ways to learn how something works is to take it apart, look at the pieces, and see how they are connected. In this activity, students disassemble and analyze a click pen and investigate the technology it uses. This activity requires a 30-minute time period for completion. (Author/SOE)

In this activity, students reinforce an antenna tower made from foam insulation so that it can withstand a 480 N-cm bending moment (torque) and a 280 N-cm twisting moment (torque) with minimal deflection. One class period is used to discuss the problem, run the initial bending and torsion tests, and graph the results. The second class is used for…

In this activity, students learn about composite materials, tension as a force, and how they act on structural components through the design and testing of a strip of plastic chair webbing. This activity requires a 60-minute time period for completion. (Author/NB)

Rube Goldberg is famous for his very complex machines that accomplish everyday tasks. In this activity, students design and build a Rube Goldberg machine that will accomplish a simple task in no less than 10 steps. This activity requires a 120-360 minute time period for completion. (Author/SOE)

Modeling is an important step in the engineering process. In this activity, students create a model of an object of their choice using LEGOs (plastic building blocks), giving them skills and practice in techniques used by professionals. Students sketch as they build their objects. This activity facilitates a discussion on models and their…

After reading the story "Dear Mr. Henshaw" by Beverly Cleary, students build an alarm system for something in the classroom as the main character, Leigh, does to protect his lunchbox from thieves. Students learn about alarms and use their creativity to create an alarm system to protect their lockers, desk, or classroom door. This activity uses a…

Many of today's popular sports are based around the use of a ball yet none are alike. In fact, they are all designed with specific characteristics in mind. In this activity, students investigate different balls' ability to bounce and represent the data they collect graphically. This activity uses a time frame of 100 minutes. (Author/SOE)

Depending upon the climate, the features of a house will be different to satisfy particular needs: hot, cold, windy, and/or rainy weather. In this activity, students investigate different types of roofs found on various houses in different environments throughout the world. Books and photos are used to provide information. Models of the houses are…

In this activity, students build a city out of sugar cubes, bouillon cubes, and gelatin cubes. The city is then put through simulated earthquakes to see which cube structures withstand the shaking the best. This activity requires a 50-minute time period for completion. (Author/SOE)