Lesson 77 of 84 · Engineering and Design
Experiment⭐ 30 XP🛠️ Engineer ShopBuilding a Scientific Argument (Part 4)
Engineering and Design.
🎯 Your mission
Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.
⚡ The twist
Constraints make you more creative, not less.
Mind = Blown
🌉 The Eiffel Tower can grow 6 inches taller in summer because metal expands when hot.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you test: how many tries until it works?
What You'll Learn
Scientific arguments require a claim, evidence, and reasoning. The claim states what you believe, evidence provides data supporting it, and reasoning explains how the evidence supports the claim.
Key Words
- evidence
- model
- prototype
Materials Needed
- scissors
- straws
- paper clips
- rubber bands
Safety First
- Clean up spills immediately to prevent slipping.
- Use materials only as directed in the experiment.
- Keep small objects away from young children.
Steps
Read about Engineering and Design and write down three key facts.
Design a device that can protect an egg from a 2-meter drop. You may use paper, tape, straws, and cotton. Test it and improve your design.
Look for patterns in your observations.
Make a graph or chart showing your results.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What does a prism do to white light?
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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