Calling AT's idea men (and women!)

[So]

So, for an "engineering communications" (crap course ) project, my group has to put on a physics contest that will be within the reach of elementary school kids. Being a EE, my electrical ideas are all probably over their heads, so I'm left with "rubber band cars"

Anyone have any ideas for what kind of contest to put on? Mind you, we actually have to go do this, and teach the wee tykes something, so I'm going to have to do a fair bit of work whatever it is.

Edit: and we were told to search the internet for ideas, and you guys are the internet

 

[Garet Jax]

peanut butter on toast strapped to the back of a cat = perpetual energy

 

[cKGunslinger]

Egg drop?

 

[compnovice]

Originally posted by: Garet Jax
peanut butter on toast strapped to the back of a cat = perpetual energy

 

[So]

Originally posted by: cKGunslinger
Egg drop?

Egg drop was the example offered by the prof, so I figure I might want to stay away from that one. Sorry, forgot to mention it in the OP.

 

[JDrake]

rubber band cars

 

[cKGunslinger]

Originally posted by: So

Originally posted by: cKGunslinger
Egg drop?

Egg drop was the example offered by the prof, so I figure I might want to stay away from that one. Sorry, forgot to mention it in the OP.

Good, it's pretty worn out by now.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: JDrake
rubber band cars

Thanks a bunch.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: cKGunslinger

Originally posted by: So

Originally posted by: cKGunslinger
Egg drop?

Egg drop was the example offered by the prof, so I figure I might want to stay away from that one. Sorry, forgot to mention it in the OP.

Good, it's pretty worn out by now.

 

[dawnbug]

I remember learning about the properties of waves by watching people wiggle jump ropes.

Then from there, you could launch into sound waves or light waves, etc. I remember Magic School Bus had a good episode about sound waves, but that's probably a lot easier to do with animation than it would be in real life. Ooh, but you could watch guitar strings vibrate and hopefully there'd be a big enough difference that the kids could see that the shorter waves were associated with the higher sounds.

Just an idea.

That'd be considered physics, right?

Edit: I guess it might be kind of hard to create a contest around that. Hmm.

Edit Again: Unless you wanted them to use different strings to make their own instruments... that could work. It would be hard to judge a winner, though, but if it's something where it's more about what you get out of it than about winning, it could work. Maybe.

Good luck.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: LadyBuggy
I remember learning about the properties of waves by watching people wiggle jump ropes.

Then from there, you could launch into sound waves or light waves, etc. I remember Magic School Bus had a good episode about sound waves, but that's probably a lot easier to do with animation than it would be in real life. Ooh, but you could watch guitar strings vibrate and hopefully there'd be a big enough difference that the kids could see that the shorter waves were associated with the higher sounds.

Just an idea.

That'd be considered physics, right?

Totally. But I think it's supposed to have some sort of contest aspect. Definitely a direction to consider though. Waves + strings.

Thanks!

Hehe, missed the edit.

 

[PurdueRy]

I was able to pick up the concept of series and parallel circuits in elementary school...I did a science fair project on it. Just hook up some small bulbs to a battery

 

[potato28]

Mouse trap cars?

 

[So]

Originally posted by: PurdueRy
I was able to pick up the concept of series and parallel circuits in elementary school...I did a science fair project on it. Just hook up some small bulbs to a battery

True, but remember, some of these kids aren't the brightest bulbs in the drawer.

Still...it's going on 'the list'

 

[dawnbug]

Another idea that you could tie into a physics concept is building a bridge with spaghetti and glue. I'm not a physics expert, but you could tie that in somehow, right? We did that in middle school as groups, and then at the end, we rolled cars of increasing weights across the bridges to see how much weight they could stand up to.

 

[ArchCenturion]

I don't know if this is an experiment, but I used to love touching a 12v battery to steel wool.

 

[ArchCenturion]

Originally posted by: LadyBuggy
Another idea that you could tie into a physics concept is building a bridge with spaghetti and glue. I'm not a physics expert, but you could tie that in somehow, right? We did that in middle school as groups, and then at the end, we rolled cars of increasing weights across the bridges to see how much weight they could stand up to.

Or spagetti and marshmallows, in case they get hungry.

 

[AbsolutDealage]

Originally posted by: LadyBuggy
Another idea that you could tie into a physics concept is building a bridge with spaghetti and glue. I'm not a physics expert, but you could tie that in somehow, right? We did that in middle school as groups, and then at the end, we rolled cars of increasing weights across the bridges to see how much weight they could stand up to.

yea, spaghetti / toothpick / popsicle stick bridges might not be a bad idea... although it's been done to death as well. I'm assuming that the prof wants something unique.

 

[SOSTrooper]

Originally posted by: LadyBuggy
Another idea that you could tie into a physics concept is building a bridge with spaghetti and glue. I'm not a physics expert, but you could tie that in somehow, right? We did that in middle school as groups, and then at the end, we rolled cars of increasing weights across the bridges to see how much weight they could stand up to.

I second this idea, but instead of spaghetti, you can probably hand each kids a fixed amount of wood pieces in various sizes and have them glue together to form a bridge. And as LadyBuggy said, roll some cars or objects of increasing weigh across the bridge, or place objects of increasing weigh onto the bridge (not rolling). The last standing bridge wins.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: ArchCenturion

Originally posted by: LadyBuggy
Another idea that you could tie into a physics concept is building a bridge with spaghetti and glue. I'm not a physics expert, but you could tie that in somehow, right? We did that in middle school as groups, and then at the end, we rolled cars of increasing weights across the bridges to see how much weight they could stand up to.

Or spagetti and marshmallows, in case they get hungry.

Or spaghetti and blankets, in case they go to a MitchDonalds

Seriously though, ladybuggy, this idea is genius. It's going to the top of my list.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: AbsolutDealage

Originally posted by: LadyBuggy
Another idea that you could tie into a physics concept is building a bridge with spaghetti and glue. I'm not a physics expert, but you could tie that in somehow, right? We did that in middle school as groups, and then at the end, we rolled cars of increasing weights across the bridges to see how much weight they could stand up to.

yea, spaghetti / toothpick / popsicle stick bridges might not be a bad idea... although it's been done to death as well. I'm assuming that the prof wants something unique.

Doesn't have to be completely unique, just so that everyone isn't doing the same freakin' egg drop.

 

[AbsolutDealage]

You could always do a "physics bowl"... split up into teams of 4 or so and have a gameshow type of format.

 

[So]

I like this. Teams.

It'd be neat if I could work the scientific method in here too.

 

[dawnbug]

Originally posted by: So

Originally posted by: ArchCenturion

Originally posted by: LadyBuggy
Another idea that you could tie into a physics concept is building a bridge with spaghetti and glue. I'm not a physics expert, but you could tie that in somehow, right? We did that in middle school as groups, and then at the end, we rolled cars of increasing weights across the bridges to see how much weight they could stand up to.

Or spagetti and marshmallows, in case they get hungry.

Or spaghetti and blankets, in case they go to a MitchDonalds

Seriously though, ladybuggy, this idea is genius. It's going to the top of my list.

Thanks. I'm an elementary ed major, and I've been in modifying stuff for younger kids mode lately.

 

[AbsolutDealage]

How about this?

Or maybe this? (might be a little out of their league).