Embedded Files
Mr. Waldau's 3-6 Website 2024
LCD Monitor Reverse engineering
Students take old monitors and discover multiple layers of glass, LCD, transistors, power modules to gain understanding how light transforms into images.
Compressed air rocket design
Music Video
Roller Coaster Physics
Students design a roller coaster with foam tubing and marbles. They learn about friction, momentum, kinetic energy, potential energy and Newton's three laws of motion through work and play. In teams of 3-4 construct a coaster out of boxes, duct tape, or whatever materials you can get your hands on. Who can design the longest, most action-packed coaster for Sphero? Who can gain the most kinetic energy without flying off the track? Who can drive or propel Sphero to the highest elevation gaining the most potential energy? Who can master the loop? Your coaster must be free standing, you may not assist Sphero with your hands at any point in your coaster, and Sphero can't touch the ground. Good luck Makers!
Computer Guts
Teacher models disassembling a computer and projects slides that describe each computer part. They work individually or in small groups to remove each part, explain its use and reassemble the components.
Plastic up-cycle innovation
Focusing on plastic bottles, students must come up with functioning products from the recycled pieces. Bird Feeders, Toys, Baskets and anything that could be deemed as useful.
Stop Motion Animation
For the uninitiated, stop motion animation is a film making technique that makes inanimate objects appear to move on their own. Think Gumby or Wallace and Gromit.
PVC playground Pipe Organ
With guidance, students design an plan for their pipe organ with determining factors that include: hertz, tube length, scale notes, calculating curves, and dry fitting the pipes to see if they work. They will also create a slap stick with sticks and clay.
Ping Pong Ball launcher with PVC
Students use a blower and PVC piping to create a ball launcher.
Design a Parkour course
Parkour, also referred to as Free-running, is a training discipline that focuses on developing the body and mind through movement, challenge and exploration. It combines running, jumping, climbing and rolling movements to enable a practitioner to overcome any obstacle in his or her path.
Floating Ping Pong Ball
Use a 1 liter bottle, cut the top to the parabolic shape. Drill a hole in the lid the same diameter as a straw. Blow air through the straw to levitate a ping pong ball.
Custom Aircraft
Identify the four forces affecting flight.
Describe the evolution of flight design through history. Explain why engineers build models before a final product. Give examples of how aircraft models can be modified to improve flight.
Propeller car
Engineers create a propeller car using their own propellers from plastic cartons, electric motor and battery.
Goldfish Pulley
A three-wheel recycled cardboard pulley system
Towers of Tiny Glasses
What is the tallest structure you can make in 20 minutes using 48 tiny glasses? Students get into groups of three to four, providing each with 48 cups (if you can, use a different color for each group) and a ruler. I will instruct students to work together to build a structure that’s both tall and stable. We will analyze why one might work better than another.
Make a solar panel that can charge a phone.
Solar energy is gaining more popularity all the time. In this activity students will connect solar cells to a sheet of plexiglass. They will gain an understanding of how they are connected while coming up with practical uses.
Paint Like Norman Rockwell
Students are introduced to the Artist's work and take pictures or life in an animated form. We than project those images using a projector to sketch the picture. We then paint the picture matching the colors. Students will mix colors and add their own personal style.
Hydroponics and Aquaponics systems
The edible learning lab. This is a program to walk kids through the food production progress though hydroponics. There are several set up systems to choose from. With this experience, students design and build a hydroponic tower that is efficient at getting plants nutrients.
There is no need for batteries with Hydra-light lanterns because they run on saltwater. These lanterns use an energy cell instead. The charged particles in the saltwater conduct electricity across the cell.
Magformers
Geometric magnetic building idea for children. Building blocks contain neodymium magnets and have a patented “always attracting” contact point. Create complex or simple structures or vehicles using specific kits.
OWI Robots
Sells educational kits and class packs that range from solar walking robot to a robotic arm to a salt water fuel cell vehicle. Kits contain step by step directions with no solder assembly.
Makey Makey
an invention kit for the 21st century. Turn everyday objects into touch-pads and combine them with the internet. It’s a simple Invention Kit for Beginners and Experts doing art, engineering, and everything in between.
littleBits
These are electronic building blocks that connect using magnets. These blocks allow you to create inventions large and small. Each bit is color coded and has a distinct function. Great for developing critical thinking and fostering teamwork.
Rube Goldberg
A Rube Goldberg machine is a deliberately complex contraption in which a series of devices that perform simple tasks are linked together to produce a domino effect in which activating one device triggers the next device in the sequence. The expression is named after American cartoonist and inventor, Rube Goldberg.
Design an Escape room?
Students break out into groups. With guidance, they discover ideas from various sources and look up riddles for other groups to solve their escape room.
Wind Turbine, Mechanical Components, Energy Distribution, Sizes, Types, Foundations and Supporting structures.
Pallet Projects with Popsicle sticks
Students come up with plans on how to create something useful with reclaimed pallets.
Forest ecology/ grassland open space
Students use phones or tablets to identify plants in open space areas to see if they are useful.
Forensic science
With the use of kits and web applications, students use CSI kits to solve a crime.
Convert a bike to electric
Students explore the problems of fossil fuels and seek out alternative modes of transportation. We then take a normal bicycle and look at how we can convert it to electric.
Glow in the Dark Gelatin
gelatin (one packet) - Lime or yellow work best tonic water (2 cups) saucepan spoon liquid measuring cup glass cup or jar black-light.
Glow in the Dark Flower
Materials List
clear vase
white flowers
highlighters
box cutter or saw
water
scissors
paper towel - (optional)
black light/uv light -
Glowing Oobleck
Materials List cornstarch tonic water - containing quinine spoon small container black light
lava lamp
Students use vegetable oil, food coloring, water and other ingredients to create a working lava lamp.
Diving with shark VR Lab
How to Make Hydraulic Powered Claw Machine from Cardboard
Make amazing working hydraulic powered claw machine from cardboard at home. You need cardboard, Popsicle sticks, syringes, pipes and of course toys.
Make a model of a Da Vinci Machine
Rockets need to be aerodynamic and weighted correctly to by able to fly. We create a rocket with dowel rods and rubber bands and compete for distance.
Make a Non Stop Heron's Fountain
With the suction of siphon action, we will create a fountain that seems to continually flows.
Create a Transverse Wave Machine
Students create a wave machine to demonstrate the transfer of energy.
Build an Earthquake Machine and Test a Tower.
Use Kenects, marshmallows and toothpicks, Popsicle sticks and another medium to build a tower. Test your earthquake tower by building and earthquake platform.
Using a soda or water bottle, electric motor, battery and a whole lot of creativity, you will create a car and compete against your classmates.
Students learn about the Bio-dome in Tuscon and how earth is basically the largest bio-dome. We will follow the engineering process of building a bio-dome with 2-liter bottles.
Automated Air CanonStudents create learn vocabulary such as vortex and toroidal vocabulary when building a giant air cannon that creates vapor rings with a fog machine.
Hydraulic Arm with claw.
Using syringes students create a mechanical arm with vinyl tubing, cardboard, wood or plastic that can swivel, extend and open/close a claw.
Design a water filter
Students are asked to design methods to filter water using ordinary materials, while also considering their designs' material and cost efficiencies. They learn about the importance of water and its role in our everyday lives. They come to understand what must occur each day so that they can have clean water.
Solar Ovens
Students will be able to
Describe how passive solar energy can be used in our everyday lives and homes.
Discuss the mathematical relationship among reflection, transmission, and absorption: incident solar radiation (I) must equal reflected (R) plus transmitted (T) plus absorbed (A) radiation (I = R + T + A)
Predict the relative transmission, reflection, and absorption properties for various materials.
Construct a solar cooker that fully cooks a food of the students’ choice.
Bio-engineering developing a prosthetic for animals
Students use the engineering process to create a new limb for their chosen animal by using a CAD program or other modeling media.
Electric Generator
Students create their own dynamo or electric generator using magnets, tinker toys, k'nex or sticks, copper wire and a few other material. We will light up and explain the flow of energy as we light up an LED.
Design a hydraulic jack.
We will use plastic syringes to make simple machines move. Students can pick what type of simple machine but for the example we will use a lift with energy being transferred through a mechanical advantage.
Building a bridge challenge.
Students must follow the design process to create a bridge at least 12 inches long that can hold a given weight.
Bridge to Nowhere
This lesson demonstrates how to build a span. We split young engineers into groups and challenge them to make as long a span as possible, starting from the edge of a desk and extending outward.
Students may use as many washers and stir sticks as they want, but they alone must design and implement solutions.
Build a Catapult or Trebuchet
Students will research the history of catapults than design their own. They will be able to explain the type of energy (potential) and follow the engineering process of plan, design, build, try and redesign. We can launch foam golf balls.
Build a Hot Air Balloon
We take a look at the hot air balloon market and the physics of hot air balloons. Students than create a hot air balloon with tissue paper or other material. We will use blow dryers to create the hot air and launch them with strings attached to retrieve them. We will need tissue paper, glue scissors, strings, blow dryer and extension cord.
Make a solar cell from a flat CD
We will use a 20 gauge open copper wire and three diodes over a CD to generate an electric charge on a voltmeter.
Geekslife Arduino/Elegoo Projects
A low cost, high-performance computer that was developed for computer science education. It plugs into a computer monitor and uses a standard
keyboard. It enables people to program in languages such as Scratch or Python.
Marshmallow Challenge
Teams must use the provided materials to build the tallest possible freestanding structure (students often tape lengths of spaghetti together to create super-tall “legs”), and top it with a marshmallow. Time limit: 18 minutes. The key to success is to consider how the tower will support the marshmallow at the beginning of the process.
Students reflect on games they have played and design a game that can be played with cardboard or junk products to make an arcade. There are plenty of ideas online as well.
Let's make a commercial
Student will have to work in teams to come up with a commercial either selling a product or giving information.
Hard Drive reconstructed.
We will really dive into the parts of the hard drive; what it's made of, how it story data, binary code, etc.
Physics Studio Google App
Students discover a multitude of science and engineering concepts through game play and virtual instructables. They learn basic information and use a conglomerate of lessons that turns into a practical theory application.
virtual science labs
Energy Lab For something we use everyday, energy is a pretty mysterious concept. This Lab investigates what energy is, how it can be converted into useful forms, and why some sources are running low. In our Research Challenge, you'll use scientific data to design renewable energy systems for cities across the U.S.—and compete with others to see who's designs can produce the most power.
Be a News Anchor with Green Screen
We take a look at modern news and dissect the placement and ideas they use to broadcast the news. Students use Adobe Premiere Pro to edit and add video details to report on a topic.
Cubelets
Robot blocks that are connected together using magnets. No coding experience is needed. Snap the robot blocks together and the magnetic faces do the rest. Every unique arrangement creates a new robot with different behaviors.
Circuit Stickers
Build circuits without soldering. Circuit stickers are reusable LED stickers that allow you to create paper circuits with any material that is conductive such as copper tape or electric paint. There are a variety of sensors and add-ons available.
Sphero
An app-controlled robotic ball that can be programmed. The SPRK Lightning Lab app empowers anyone to program their robot. The visual block-based building interface makes learning the basics of programming easy and fun.
Squishy Circuits
Create circuits safely and easily by using conductive and insulating play dough. Fun way to teach the basics of electrical circuits. Bring creations to life by adding LEDs, buzzers and motors. The dough can be made using everyday ingredients.
LEGOs
Great for all ages especially those students in preschool, elementary and middle school. Lego blocks can be integrated in a variety of subjects and are great hands-on learning tools. Lego Education has curriculum for all grades. Perfect for engineering units.
Build a model house using various mediums
Students are introduced to how a house is constructed from laying out a sewer to the extensions on the roof. Then they create a model house showing how everything goes together, including plumbing and electrical.
Assemble a car engine or turbo engine
Students use a model kit to build a car engine and will be able to discuss the combustion process.
Design a model greenhouse with a rechargeable battery, solar, and wind power.
Build a computer with KANO computer kits
Career readiness extension to find out what students would need to get for an education etc.
Students look at other counties education process and how some countries have a plan for students when they reach a certain age that allows them to become more familiar with a specific profession. They take a personality test to see what work they might be good for and what it would take for them to make that goal.
Make a comeback can
A little project I saw on McGyver. Use a tin can with a weight and rubber band to create some simple physics. The can rolls away then comes right back.
Make a vacuum attachment that will collect legos, screws, or any other pieces you want to collect without going in your parents vacuum.
Make an automatic bell siphon
This is a handy little instrument used for an aquaponics system.
Movie Special Effects
Students create a layout for a movie. They record all their clips, find music and special effect video clips to be used in Premier Pro video editing.
Aluminum Boats Competition
Students get into groups to design a boat made from one rectangular aluminum sheet. They will learn about water displacement and they group who has the boat with the most pennies without sinking, wins.
o[\
Students can use Minecraft.Edu or Minecraft classic to work as a team to recreate the school or build a structure.
Use a syringe and tubing to create a crane that can do just about anything you create it to do.
Using string, straws and cardboard, you will create an extension of your hand that mimics your hand so that when you close a finger, your robot closes a finger. We can later make this mechanical with the Ardruino and servos or hydroponic with syringes.
Build a Bridge and Make it Hydraulic
This is an extension to the build a bridge project. Make that bridge a drawbridge with hydraulics from a syringe.
Electric Motors and Levitating train.
Using an AA batter, copper wire and some earth magnets, we will create a few versions of motors and a levitating train.
Improve Your School.
Walk around the school and start making a list of things that can be improved. Choose an idea and do some research to gain understanding of factors that might impact the improvement efforts.
Build a Structure to Resist Liquefaction
Students in teams, design and build structures from different materials that represent a tower. It must be able to withstand an earthquake and a water logged sand bed.
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