Ways to expand:

• Read the story The Three Little Pigs and talk about what materials each pig used and how they withstood the wind from the big bad wolf. Then, compare your structure to each structure in the story.
• Build a structure that is as tall as you. Does the structure become more or less sturdy as it becomes taller?

What kids learn:

• They experiment! When kids experiment, they're learning how to learn. Failure is an important part of experimenting, so let kids try things that won’t work. It’s how they figure things out!
• Basic engineering skills. Engineers solve problems with constraints, in this case, limited materials and space. They learn to solve problems by using the engineering design process: asking questions, coming up with solutions, building, testing and improving.
• Symbolic thinking, or the ability to think about one thing representing something else. When small children begin to connect different materials that make up a structure with real life structures, they start building the connections in the brain that allow for reading and learning later.

Vocabulary:

• Wind engineering. A type engineering that combines elements of mechanical engineering, structural engineering, meteorology, and physics to study the effects of wind. Air engineers help people design structures that can better withstand tornadoes, hurricanes and other strong wind events.
• Constraint. A limitation or restriction. Materials, time and space are common constraints. Real engineers have to work around constraints all the time!
• Foundation: Support or base upon which something rests. Think about the human body. If someone’s feet create the foundation of their body, then if their feet are spread apart they have a strong foundation and will less likely fall over. However, if their feet are close together their foundation is not as strong and cannot support the top part of the body as easily.

Ways to expand:

• Add toys to the challenge. How do you need to change your device so it holds more toys?
• Create a story to go along with the materials. Use a different toy as a villain and the hero toy has to find a way to cross the ocean to escape!
• Create two different types of devices: one that attaches to the toy and one that does not attach to the toy. What are the pros and cons of each type of device?

What kids learn:

• Density is what determines whether an object sinks or floats in water. If something is less dense than water, it floats. If something is more dense than water, it sinks.
• Basic engineering skills. Engineers solve problems with constraints, in this case, limited materials and air pressure. They learn to solve problems by using the engineering design process: asking questions, coming up with solutions, building, testing and improving.
• Fine motor skills. Kids practice using the small muscles in their hands later used for writing.
• Experimentation! When kids experiment, they're learning how to learn. Failure is an important part of experimenting, so let kids try things that won’t work. It’s how they figure things out!

Vocabulary:

• Density: The weight and size of an object. A fluffy pillow might be larger, but has less density than a brick. A crayon might be smaller, but has more density than a feather.
• Buoyancy: the ability or tendency to float in water, air or some other fluid.

Ways to expand:

• Create more than one of each shape. Test each shape set to see if it changes the outcome. How do three triangular pillars compare to three circular pillars? What is the best configuration?
• Try to create multiple levels. Put more shapes on top of the book and another book on top of those pillars. How tall can you make the structure?

What kids learn:

• Basic engineering skills. Engineers solve problems with constraints, in this case, limited materials and specific shapes to test. They learn to solve problems by using the engineering design process: asking questions, coming up with solutions, building, testing and improving.
• Experimentation! When kids experiment, they're learning how to learn. Failure is an important part of experimenting, so let kids try things that won’t work. It’s how they figure things out!
• Spatial or visual thinking. Being able to imagine the positions of objects and how they interact is an important skill for learning math.

Vocabulary:

• Hypothesis. A supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation.
• Observations. The action or process of observing something or someone carefully in order to gain information.

Ways to expand:

• What happens if you put two fans into the fort? Does anything change?
• Find a few light materials like paper, a feather, balloon, or leaf. What happens when you let it go inside your air fort? Does it remain in one place?

What kids learn:

• They experiment! When kids experiment, they're learning how to learn. Failure is an important part of experimenting, so let kids try things that won’t work. It’s how they figure things out!
• Basic engineering skills. Engineers solve problems with constraints, in this case, limited materials and space. They learn to solve problems by using the engineering design process: asking questions, coming up with solutions, building, testing and improving.
• Fort-building is a great lesson in force. Kids tend to spend a lot of time figuring out how to keep their roof from slipping off one side of the fort or the other. If a roof isn’t equally supported on both sides putting even force on the sheet, it won’t stay put. Adding airflow to the fort creates new challenges.
• Spatial or visual thinking. Being able to imagine the positions of objects and how they interact is an important skill for learning math. Asking if the fort is big enough for a grownup to stand up in encourages spatial thinking.

Vocabulary:

• Force. Energy caused by a push or a pull. In this case, force is the energy caused by the pull created by gravity and other supports on the roof of your fort!
• Constraint. A limitation or restriction. Materials, time, and space are common constraints. Real engineers have to work around constraints all the time!

Ways to expand:

• Create two towers of paper plate ramps and engineer a ramp that connects the two so that the race car or ball can travel around both structures in one run.
• Test the ramp to see what happens when you send different materials down the ramp. Try a square block, a paper clip, or some water!
• The ramp is an example of a spiral. Spirals are common in nature and art. Find other examples of a spiral in your home or yard, or make art using spirals.  Do you see a spiral in the picture below?

What kids learn:

• Basic engineering skills. Engineers solve problems with constraints. They learn to solve problems by using the engineering design process: asking questions, coming up with solutions, building, testing and improving.
• Fine motor skills. Kids practice using the small muscles in their hands later used for writing.
• Experimentation! When kids experiment, they're learning how to learn. Failure is an important part of experimenting, so let kids try things that won’t work. It’s how they figure things out!

Vocabulary:

• Spiral. A special curve that starts at a point and goes around and around. Unlike a circle, the curve gets further from the center as you go around the spiral.
• Force. Energy caused by a push or a pull, in this case, the pull created by gravity!
• Constraint. A limitation or restriction. Materials, time, and space are common constraints. Real engineers have to work around constraints all the time!

Ways to expand:

• Add another level to your structure. How tall of a structure can you construct that will withstand your tabletop earthquake?
• Use less materials than your current build to create a structure that is strong enough to hold the same amount of weight and withstand the tabletop earthquake.

What kids learn:

• Basic engineering skills. Engineers solve problems with constraints. They learn to solve problems by using the engineering design process: asking questions, coming up with solutions, building, testing and improving.
• Fine motor skills. Kids practice using the small muscles in their hands later used for writing.
• Experimentation! When kids experiment, they're learning how to learn. Failure is an important part of experimenting, so let kids try things that won’t work. It’s how they figure things out!

Vocabulary:

• Seismic wave. A wave of motion that travels through the ground, usually caused by forces like earthquakes, volcanoes or explosions. Engineers, especially those who work in areas prone to earthquakes, have to design structures with seismic waves in mind.
• Constraint. A limitation or restriction. Materials, time, and space are common constraints. Real engineers have to work around constraints all the time!

Ways to expand this activity:

• Create more than one foil structure. Line them up in a path and see if you can make water through them all without having to adjust anything.
• Create a taller starting point. What happens when water travels faster? Do you have to adjust the structure?

What kids learn:

• Basic engineering skills. They learn to solve problems by using the engineering design process: asking questions, coming up with solutions, building, testing and improving.
• Engineering is utilized in a variety of fields. Engineers are needed to help create better shoes, learn materials and how they can be used in unique ways, etc.
• Fine motor skills. Kids practice using the small muscles in their hands later used for writing.
• Experimentation! When kids experiment, they're learning how to learn. Failure is an important part of experimenting, so let kids try things that won’t work. It’s how they figure things out!

Vocabulary:

• System. Parts of a structure. In this case, the system is referring to all parts of the structure that you designed.
• Constraint. A limitation or restriction. Materials, time, and space are common constraints. Real engineers have to work around constraints all the time!