"Try it out night" for the Science and Engineering Contest

Our low key, very first, this is just a practice, “try it out night” for the Washington Science Teachers Association's 40th Annual Science and Engineering Contest went just fine. My son came home eager to enter all the categories that he had a chance to try tonight: chemistry, mousetrap drag racer, bridge building, airplane, and the egg tower.

A big thank you for the parents who guided each of the stations.

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The Flight Contest

Rules here:

http://www.wsta.net/Publish/sciengcontest/Publish/page7.html

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Chemistry Contest

Rules here:

http://www.wsta.net/Publish/sciengcontest/Publish/page6.html

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Mousetrap Drag Race

Rules here:

http://www.wsta.net/Publish/sciengcontest/Publish/page9.html

From youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR_AUA4FiCs&feature=related

Also

http://www.docfizzix.com/shop/vehicle-kits/k300df.shtml

This is the worlds fastest mousetrap powered car designed after Doc Fizzix's own record-setting racer that traveled 5 meters in less than 1.2 seconds. The Speed-Trap Racer is engineered to generate a tremendous amount of torque while maximizing the transfer of potential energy into the kinetic energy over a 5 meter distance. The Speed-Trap Racer is the clear winner for all speed contest and “king of the hill” climbing challenges.…By far, the biggest secret to this mousetrap powered car's success is the design of its ultra sticky foam wheels that are essential for keeping the Speed-Trap Racer from spinning out at the start line and providing maximum traction to the road. Plans include tips on how you can adjust the gearing of the racer so that you can "dial in" the power delivery to match traction conditions.

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The Great Egg Tower Contest

Rules here:

http://www.wsta.net/Publish/sciengcontest/Publish/page10.html

100 straws, 100 straight pins, 1 large, hard-boiled chicken egg with the shell intact. Straws may be a maximum of 8 inches (20.3 cm) long and 1/4 inch (0.63 cm) in diameter. The straight pins may be a maximum of 1-1/4 inch (3.2 cm) long. The egg must be hard-boiled and undamaged.

Anyone know where we can get the right kind of straws?

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Bridge Building Contest

Note: Chris is happy to help test bridges and bridge bits.

Rules here:http://www.wsta.net/Publish/sciengcontest/Publish/page5.html

Video: How to make a bridge out of popsicle sticks (Former Daniel Bagley Multi- Arts Teacher ) Bre Pettis goes over the basics of building bridges. As a bonus you get to watch other people stand on their own bridges and break them.

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-to-make-a-bridge-out-of-popsicle-sticks-4429/

Bridge Building Help:

http://www.iit.edu/~hsbridge/database/search.cgi/:/public/help

Selected popsicle bridge movies here: 300-600lbs!http://www.garrettsbridges.com/videos/popsicle-stick-bridge-videos

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Links to websites featuring science contests:

Design Squad

http://pbskids.org/designsquad/http://pbskids.org/designsquad/projects/rubber_band_car.htmlhttp://pbskids.org/designsquad/challenges/s2-ep2.html

http://pbskids.org/designsquad/challenges/s2-ep2.html

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Rough Science

http://www.pbs.org/weta/roughscience/series/episodes.html

Series 2: Carriacou

Episode 1 — Mapping it Out: Kate Humble and the team of five scientists take up the challenge of charting the sights and sounds of their tropical island. Starting from scratch, they have to make an accurate scale map, botanical paper and inks, and a sound-recording device. The team members have very good heads for math and plenty of versatile local plants to get them started, but impassable mangrove swamps and tropical downpours soon seem intent on scuttling their plans.

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This is what MIT robot geeks do during the winter break:

http://blogs.spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/2008/03/04/this_is_what_mit_robot_geeks_do.html