Lesson 45 of 84 · Engineering and Design
Experiment⭐ 30 XP🛠️ Engineer ShopThe Scientific Method (Part 3)
Engineering and Design.
🎯 Your mission
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
⚡ The twist
The first design always fails. That's the point.
Mind = Blown
🛠️ The first computer bug was a literal moth stuck inside a machine in 1947.
Make a hypothesis first
Guess: what's the weakest part of this build?
What You'll Learn
The scientific method is a systematic approach to investigating questions. It involves making observations, forming hypotheses, conducting experiments, analyzing data, and drawing conclusions.
Key Words
- hypothesis
- variable
Materials Needed
- paper clips
- rubber bands
- string
Safety First
- Dispose of materials properly after the experiment.
- Handle glass items carefully to avoid breakage.
- Do not mix unknown chemicals together.
Steps
Read about Engineering and Design and write down three key facts.
Design and build a bridge from newspaper and tape that can hold a textbook. Test it and redesign to make it stronger.
Observe what happens and describe it in detail.
Record your observations in your science journal with measurements and descriptions.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What is a scientific model?
Where you see this in real life
Every bridge, building, and gadget you've ever used started with this.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Find something that's broken at home and try to figure out *why* it broke.
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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