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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
Spaghetti Structure Book Stack
OBJECTIVE:
Participants will create structures out of masking tape and spaghetti
and compete to see who can stack the most books on top of their structure.
MATERIALS:
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Dried Spaghetti (1 box per group)
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Masking Tape (5 ft per group)
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Ruler (1 per group)
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Books (3-8)
ELABORATION:
This competition involves knowledge of structural integrity, force distribution, and basic mechanic/physical intuition. A wide contact area with the surface will be able to better distribute weight. The use of triangles/pyramids will also be stronger.
An example solution that would be strong would be sets of small pyramids.
PROCEDURE
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
Supply participants with a box of spaghetti, a roll of tape, and a ruler.
Participants will have 30 minutes to build a structure that is at least 15 cm tall.
After the time is done, stack books on each group’s / student’s building and see whose can hold the most!
Magnetic Fuzzy Buddies
OBJECTIVE:
Kids can add a little sparkle to their friends!
MATERIALS:
-
10mm LED lights (5mm LED lights work too- they’re smaller but also last longer)
-
Lithium CR2032 3V Coin Cell Battery
-
Strong Magnets (Strong Ceramic Magnets or Neodymium Magnets- please refer to Safety Warning below)
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Electrical Tape
-
Scissors
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Pom-poms
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Google eyes
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Glue (Liquid or hot glue)
PROCEDURE
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5
Start by pinching the leads of your LED over a coin cell battery. If it doesn’t light up, flip the battery over so the leads are touching the correct sides.
Cut a small piece of electrical tape and wrap it securely around the LED leads and battery. (The leads of the LED can be poky, so be sure to tape them down.)
Add a strong magnet on top of the taped battery. Tape it securely in place.
Tape a pom-pom onto the side of the taped battery without the magnet.
Glue googly eyes onto the pom-pom.
Light-Up Drawing
Light-Up Drawing
OBJECTIVE:
Participants can add a little glow to their drawings by lighting a small LED
and placing it in their drawing.
MATERIALS:
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Paper (Any size but 5” by 3” recommended)
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Coloring materials (eg. Colored pencils, crayons)
-
Electrical tape
-
Scissors
-
10mm LED lights (5mm LED lights work too- they’re smaller but also last longer)
-
Lithium CR2032 3V Coin Cell Battery
PROCEDURE
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5
Draw a little doodle on your paper and color as desired.
Cut a small hole where you want your LED to go.
Pinch the leads of your LED over a coin cell battery. If it doesn’t light up, flip the battery over so the leads are touching the correct sides.
Cut a small piece of electrical tape and wrap it securely around the LED leads and battery. (The leads of the LED can be poky, so be sure to tape them down.)
Put the LED light through the hole and tape the battery to the back of the paper.