Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 64)

Build a Sound-Tracking Search and Rescue Robot

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

HELP! Locating survivors trapped under rubble is a difficult and dangerous task. After a natural disaster, like an earthquake, rescuers must act quickly to save as many lives as possible. They can use robots with different types of sensors to help find survivors. In this project you will build a sound-tracking robot that can use two microphones to drive toward a sound source. Designing the robot's algorithm will be up to you. Read more

Build & Test a Search-and-Rescue Robot

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever heard of the NASA Mars rovers Spirit, Opportunity, Curiosity, and Perseverance? How about the "bomb squad" robots that police and the military use? These are places that are hard for us to reach (Mars), or dangerous for us to be near (explosives). Because the human operators are usually far away from the robot, driving one is different from driving a car. Operators rely on information sent back from the robot, including pictures and video. In this project, you will build your own… Read more

Build an Arduino Strobe Light for the Stroboscopic Effect

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

The Science Buddies project Build a Levitating Water Fountain with the Stroboscopic Effect shows you how to illuminate a dripping stream of water with a strobe light to make it look like the drops are hovering in mid-air. If you have not already, read the background section of that project and watch the following two videos. Make sure you understand frequency, period, and duty cycle before you proceed with this project. The project has you use a strobe light app on your phone. The advantage… Read more

Build Your Own Radon Detector

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Electronic devices can be designed to detect dangerous fumes or other hazards, such as smoke or carbon monoxide. In this electronics project, you will build another potentially life-saving detector—a radon detector. Radon gas is radioactive and can pose a hazard to your health if you live in an area where it leaks from the ground. In this electronics science project, you will learn how to collect radon with an ordinary dusting cloth mounted on the intake of a fan, and then measure its… Read more

Build Your Own RC Drone

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Important Safety Information About Drones Drones are a lot of fun to fly, but they can be dangerous if not used responsibly. Local, state, and federal regulations about recreational use of drones may vary based on your location or change over time. For example, you may be required to register your drone, or be prohibited from flying it in certain locations (like near an airport or over a crowd of people). Before you do a science project with a drone, ask an adult to help you find out… Read more

Building Junkbots—Robots from Recycled Materials

Lesson Plan Grade: 6th-8th

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Junkbots are easy-to-build robots that you can make using a simple circuit and some recyclable materials. In this lesson, your students will learn about engineering design as they compete to build the fastest robot. No previous robotics experience is required! Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

MS-ETS1-4. Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.

Can You Hide in Plain Sight?

STEM Activity

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If you could choose to be an animal, would you rather be a predator or prey? For prey animals, survival in the wild means a daily struggle to escape potential predators. Predators, on the other hand, have to work very hard to make a catch. Some prey animals have evolved clever strategies to protect or defend themselves against predators. One common strategy is camouflage. Camouflage allows animals to blend into their surroundings so predators can't see them. Will this strategy increase an… Read more

Can You See Through Me?

Lesson Plan Grade: 1st

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In this lesson, students explore firsthand what transparent, translucent, and opaque mean, and how they are related to light. They will place a variety of materials in front of an illuminated object and predict if and how well they will be able to see the object through the material sheet. In doing that, students will realize that different materials allow different amounts of light to pass through. Remote learning: This lesson plan can be conducted remotely. The Engage section of the… Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

1-PS4-3. Plan and conduct investigations to determine the effect of placing objects made with different materials in the path of a beam of light.

Cold Pack Chemistry: Exploring Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions

Lesson Plan Grade: 6th-8th

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How do "instant" cold packs get cold when they are stored at room temperature, unlike a regular ice pack which must be stored in the freezer? In this lesson plan, students will explore several endothermic and exothermic reactions, and use their observations to choose the chemical reaction that best fits the design constraints for their own chemical cold pack. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

MS-PS1-6. Undertake a design project to construct, test, and modify a device that either releases or absorbs thermal energy by chemical processes.
MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.

Comparing Different Types of Irrigation Systems

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

With heat waves impacting the world globally, many gardeners, farmers, and scientists are turning to passive irrigation systems that reduce fossil fuel emissions while keeping plants well-watered and alive in the sweltering heat. In this science experiment, you will compare and contrast the effectiveness of passive irrigation systems compared to traditional surface irrigation systems and their impact on overall plant growth. Read more

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