Students learn about biomimicry and how engineers imitate nature in the design of innovative new products. They demonstrate their knowledge by practicing brainstorming and designing a new product based on what they know about animals and nature.

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Filed under: Class Activities, Grades 6-8, Grades K-5, Grades K-5, Lesson Plans | Comments Off on Biomimicry: Natural Designs

Tags: Biomimicry, Design

Students learn about applied forces as they create pop-up-books through the art of paper engineering. They also learn the basic steps of the engineering design process.

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Filed under: Grades 6-8, Grades K-5, Lesson Plans | 2 Comments »

Tags: Design

Students use modeling clay to make a boat that will float in a tub of water. The object is to build a boat that will hold as much weight as possible without sinking. In the process of designing and testing their boats, students discover some of the basic principles of boat design and gain first-hand experience with concepts such as buoyancy and density.

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Filed under: Class Activities, Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12 | Comments Off on Activity: Float a Clay Boat

Tags: Class Activities, Design, Engineering Design, Engineering Design Process, Water

Students build a model car then move it with their breath. They learn that air pushing against an object can make it move, and consider how engineers use this principle in the design of cars, boats, and other structures.

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Filed under: Class Activities, Grades 6-8, Grades K-5 | Comments Off on Activity: Build an Air-Powered Car

Tags: Automotive engineering, Grades 2-6, Wind Technology