Lesson 60 of 84 · Engineering and Design
Experiment⭐ 30 XP🛠️ Engineer ShopStarting an Investigation (Part 3)
Engineering and Design.
🎯 Your mission
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
⚡ The twist
Every solution creates a new problem. That's good — that's the next project.
Mind = Blown
🌉 The Eiffel Tower can grow 6 inches taller in summer because metal expands when hot.
Make a hypothesis first
Predict: which design will hold the most weight?
What You'll Learn
An investigation is a careful study to answer a question. What would you like to investigate?
Key Words
Tap a word to see its definition.
Materials Needed
- cardboard
- tape
- scissors
- straws
- paper clips
Safety First
- Do not mix unknown chemicals together.
- Tie back long hair before starting the experiment.
Steps
Talk about what you already know about Engineering and Design.
Design a container that keeps an ice cube from melting for as long as possible.
Compare what happened to what you predicted.
Tell the class one thing you learned today.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3Why do scientists compare things?
Where you see this in real life
Your phone, your bike, your shoes — all designed with this idea.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Build something — anything — out of stuff in your recycling bin.
For the dinner table
“What's something around the house you'd redesign — and how?”
Next Smart Experiment
We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.
Share this experiment
Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
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