Student Resources

Watch our YouTube series to learn how to safely use tools that you’ll need to build your device.

Tech Tools! Safety advice from The Tech 

• Check out our video about working as a team while sheltering in place.

• We recommend teams take advantage of Zoom, Facetime, whatsapp and other video conferencing methods to communicate with your teammates. And don’t forget about good, old-fashioned texting, emailing, and phone calls.

• We also recommend Adobe Scan, the Google Drive App, or the scan function in Apple Notes to scan photos and other documents for your engineering journal. Google docs, sheets, and slides are also great ways to collaborate with distant team members.

• Be sure to read our digital video and audio tips in order to be ready for the Virtual Showcase.

• Use this Test Trial Reflection Sheet to review your teams' next steps after a test trial.

• Tell me about:
• your brainstorming.
• the source of your ideas.
• how you worked as a team.
• how you tested your solution.
• What idea did you choose as your solution? Why?
• How does your design work? 
• What did you choose to document in your journal? Why?
• How did each of you contribute?
• How did you build your solution?
• Tell me about your failures.

Design Sheet Template [PDF]

Adviser: A person at least 18 years old who monitors safety, acts as a mentor and may provide things like transportation and snacks. Your team should only have one adviser, and he or she shouldn't give you all the answers or do the project for you.

Brainstorming: Coming up with ideas — sometimes crazy ones — to solve a problem. It's possible to brainstorm on your own, but most find it works best as a team activity.

Cacophony: A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds.

Chain reaction: A series of events in which each induces or influences the next.

Constraints: A control or limit to a design. For example, a constraint might be that your device can't weigh more than 3 pounds.

Design: The creation of a plan for the construction of your device. Sometimes used to refer to the device itself.

Device: The gizmo you and your team are designing, engineering and building for The Tech Challenge.

Dimension: A measurement such as length, width or height. If you talk about the dimensions of an object or place, you are referring to its size and proportions.

Energy: The capacity to do work; appears in many forms, all of which are either kinetic or potential.

Energy transfer: The conversion of one form of energy into another, or the movement of energy from one place to another.

Engineer: A person who designs, constructs and tests devices, materials and systems while considering constraints caused by safety, practicality, rules and cost.

Engineering analysis: Looking at a problem using scientific analytic principles and processes so you can see the properties of what you are designing. To start, break down a problem into its basic parts to look at the relationships between its pieces and things other than your device.

Engineering Design Process: A series of steps engineers follow when creating devices, products or processes. Once you get started, the steps don't have to be followed in order. For example, if your device fails, your team can always go back to brainstorming to solve the problem. 

Engineering journal: A record of all the brainstorming, research, prototyping and other work that goes into developing your team's device.

Failure: Sometimes you feel this when your device doesn't work, but a big part of engineering is finding failure points and fixing them. So running into a roadblock with your device is an opportunity to use your engineering brain to make your device even better.

Failure point: A break in a system that causes a device to work improperly or not work at all. One of the jobs of an engineer is to find failure points so they can fix them, and it's one of the reasons we test again and again.

Final design: The final plan for the construction of your device, agreed upon by the whole team. The team develops the final plan after brainstorming, prototyping and testing again and again. Sometimes this term is used instead of Final Device.

Final device: The device your team will bring to the showcase — the product of all your team's brainstorming, designing, prototyping, testing and re-testing.

Gear: A toothed wheel that engages another toothed mechanism in order to change the speed or direction of transmitted motion.

Inclined plane: A simple machine for elevating objects.

Innovator: Someone who creates something new or makes changes to something that already exists in order to meet a specific need.

Iteration: The different versions of the device you are building as it changes due to the Engineering Design Process.

Kinetic energy: Energy of motion, includes heat, sound, and light (motion of molecules). 

Lever: A simple machine consisting of a rigid bar pivoted on a fixed point and used to transmit force, as in raising or moving a weight at one end by pushing down on the other.

Living document: A document that is continually being updated. For example, your engineering journal.

Machine: An apparatus consisting of interrelated parts with separate functions, used in the performance of some kind of work: a sewing machine.

Mechanism: A system of parts working together in a machine; a piece of machinery.

Narration: The act of giving an account describing incidents or a course of events.

Nominal: Approximate; that is, there may be minor variances between the measurements stated in the rules and drawings and the actual test rig, for example.

Perseverance: Not giving up in the face of failure. Your team may experience setbacks, but you don’t have to give up. Getting past those failures can be fun and rewarding.

Potential energy: Energy of position; energy that is stored and held in readiness; includes chemical energy (e.g. fossil fuels, electric batteries, and food consumed).

Physics: The study of matter, forces and their effects. Basically, the study of everything in the universe.

Prototype: A first full-scale and usually functional form of a new type or design of a construction.

Pulley: A simple machine consisting essentially of a wheel with a grooved rim in which a pulled rope or chain can run to change the direction of the pull, for example to lift a load.

Repeatability: The ability of your device to demonstrate the same results under the same conditions, i.e., to work every time you test it.

Safety: Your No. 1 priority! Safety involves using tools correctly, wearing your hardhat and goggles when working on and testing your device, and more. While your team should appoint a safety monitor, everyone on the team is responsible for safety!

Screw: A simple machine of the inclined-plane type consisting of a spirally threaded cylindrical rod that engages with a similarly threaded hole.

Simple machines: Any of various basic mechanisms of which all machines are composed including the lever, the wheel and axle, the pulley, the inclined plane, the wedge, and the screw.

Solution: The design your team builds for The Tech Challenge.

Sound waves: A wave that transmits sound.

Specifications: Detailed descriptions of design criteria for a piece of work.

Spirit of the Challenge: The Tech Challenge generally emphasizes the importance of developing engineering solutions that would be practical in real life, otherwise known as the Spirit of the Challenge. Engineering is not just about building structures, aircraft, or rovers. Creative, expressive, entertaining things are real world. Things that bring joy and delight have real-world value. For this challenge, engineering is used to design and build devices for entertainment. Store-bought solutions are not in the Spirit of the Challenge. We want to see your team's creativity. Teams are encouraged to design and build devices using their own ideas. Use of existing plans for reference and inspiration is allowed. All plans, and the source of those plans, must be documented in the engineering journal.

Stored Energy: Stored energy is captured energy produced at one time for use at a later time.

Trigger: A built-in release mechanism that starts your stored energy device. 
Some examples are: pulling a string, pressing a button or flipping a latch.

Wedge: Something solid that is usable as an inclined plane (shaped like a V) that can be pushed between two things to separate them.

Wheel and Axle: A simple machine consisting of an axle to which a wheel is fastened so that torque applied to the wheel winds a rope or chain onto the axle, yielding a mechanical advantage equal to the ratio of the diameter of the wheel to that of the axle.

Sources: Collins Dictionary, Wikipedia, Physics4Kids.com; Ducksters; Kids ESB; Ron Kurtus' School for Champions; Britannica.com; BritannicaKids.com; KidsNet.AU, https://www.thetech.org/studentresources, Vocabulary. com, Merriam-Webster.com, and American Heritage dictionary.

These books are available either at your local library or inexpensively through Amazon.

ENGINEERING

Cook, Eric
“Prototyping (21st Century Skills Innovation Library: Makers as Innovators)”
Cherry Lake Publishing, 2015
Grades 4-8

Fontichiaro, Kristin
“Design Thinking (21st Century Skills Innovation Library: Makers as Innovators)”
Cherry Lake Publishing, 2015
Grades 4-8

Hunt, Sharon
“Engineered!: Engineering Design Work”
Kids Can Press, 2017
Grades 3-7

May, Vicki V.
“Engineering: Cool Women Who Design”
Nomad Press, 2016
Grades 3-7

May, Vicki V.
“3-D Engineering: Design and Build Your Own Prototypes”
Nomad Press, 2015
Grades 3-7

Mercer, Bobby
“Junk Drawer Engineering”
Chicago Review Press, 2017
Grades 4-6

VanCleave, Janice
“Janice VanCleave's Engineering for Every Kid: Easy Activities That Make Learning Science Fun”
Wiley, 2007
Grades 4-6

DIY

Branwyn, Gareth
“Make: Tips and Tales from the Workshop: A Handy Reference for Makers”
Maker Media Inc., 2013
Grades 7-12

Gabrielson, Curt
“Tinkering: Kids Learn by Making Stuff”
Maker Media Inc., 2015
Grades 4-6

SIMPLE MACHINES

Doudna, Kelly
“The Kids' Book of Simple Machines: Cool Projects & Activities that Make Science Fun!”
Mighty Media Kids, 2015
Grades 2-4

Long, Paul
“Build Your Own Chain Reaction Machines: How to Make Crazy Contraptions Using Everyday Stuff”
Quarry Books, 2018
Grades 4-7

Perdew, Laura
“Crazy Contraptions: Build Rube Goldberg Machines that Swoop, Spin, Stack, and Swivel”
Nomad Press, 2019
Grades 4-8

Snedden, Robert
“Mechanical Engineering and Simple Machines”
Crabtree Publishing Co., 2013
Grades 5-8

Yasuda, Anita
“Explore Simple Machines!”
Nomad Press, 2019
Grades 3-5

SOUND

Ceceri, Kathy
“Musical Inventions: DIY Instruments to Toot, Tap, Crank, Strum, Pluck, and Switch On”
Make Community, LLC, 2017
Grades 4 and up

Parker, Steve
“The Science of Sound: Projects and Experiments with Music and Sound Waves”
Dover Publications, 2013
Grades 4-7

TOOLS

Gregory, Josh
“Hammers”
Cherry Lake Publishing, 2013
Grades K-5

Gregory, Josh
“Screwdrivers”
Cherry Lake Publishing, 2013
Grades K-5

Gregory, Josh
“Drills”
Cherry Lake Publishing, 2013
Grades K-5

Marsico, Katie
“Pliers”
Cherry Lake Publishing, 2013
Grades K-5

Marsico, Katie
“Saws”
Cherry Lake Publishing, 2013
Grades K-5

VIDEOS

INFORMATIONAL VIDEOS

What is an Engineer?
The first episode of Crash Course Engineering explains what engineering is and gives a brief overview of its four main branches (civil, mechanical, eletrical and chemical) as well as a look at some of the other fields of engineering.

The Engineering Process: Crash Course Kids
This episode of Crash Course Kids talks about the Engineering Process and why we should do things in order, as well as many of the questions we should ask along the way.

Splash, Pop, Fizz: Rube Goldberg Machines
This video from TeachEngineering demonstrates multiple simple machines at work in a fun chain reaction device.

Simple Machines
This short video from Bozeman Science explains some simple principles behind simple machines.

Examples of Simple Machines used in Everyday Life
This video from MooMoo Math and Science discusses where you might see simple machines at work in your daily life.

TOOL VIDEOS 

Tech Tools: Basic Safety
Basic safety from your friends at The Tech Challenge.

Tech Tools: How to use a utility knife
Utility knives, or box cutters, are perfect for making small, precise cuts on thin material. Learn how to use this excellent tool with Abby Longcor, Senior Director of The Tech Challenge.

Tech Tools: How to use a hammer
Bet you're thinking, "A hammer?  Of course I know how to use a hammer!" But just when you think you’ve nailed it, BAM, bruised thumb. Luckily, here’s safety advice from Abby Longcor, Senior Director of The Tech Challenge.

Tech Tools: How to use a hand saw
Let’s cut through all the back and forth to get down to safety! Hand saws are simple to use, or misuse, so listen carefully to Abby Longcor, Senior Director of The Tech Challenge.

Tech Tools: How to use a power drill
Here’s a bit of advice we hope you don’t find boring. Learn how to safely use a power drill with Abby Longcor, Senior Director of The Tech Challenge

Tech Tools: Journaling

HELPFUL YOUTUBE CHANNELS

Crash Course: Engineering

Mark Rober

LONGER VIDEOS

Bill Nye the Science Guy: Simple Machines
An oldie but goodie from Season 1 of “Bill Nye the Science Guy” that looks in depth at simple machines.

Bill Nye the Science Guy: Energy
Bill Nye looks at different types of energy and energy transfer.

JUST FOR FUN

Wintergatan Sound Machine
An amazing musical instrument that uses 2000 marbles.

Unusual and Strange Musical Instruments Compilation
Have a listen and get some inspiration from some unusual musical instruments.

The Simple Machines Song
Learn about simple machines with this song from Scratch Garden.

72 Homemade Instruments in 7 Minutes
72 unique homemade instrument creations by Nicolas Bras.

6 Simple Machines in One
You've heard of the 6 simple machines, but have you ever seen them combined into one massive chain reaction machine?

Giant Hot Wheels Rube Goldberg
Take Hot Wheels to the next level with an epic Rube Goldberg machine! 

Energy Transfer Machines
From “NBC News Learn”, students show their work on a chain reaction machine. These types of machines use multiple energy transfers to accomplish simple tasks in as many steps as possible.

WEBSITES

Science Safety Handbook for California Public Schools
Produced by the California Department of Education

TeachEngineering.org
STEM curriculum for grades K-12 from the University of Colorado, Boulder

Online Engineering Dictionary
An enormous amount of information from the basics to complex explanations

Engineergirl.org
A site from the National Academy of Science that focuses on girls and engineering

Brittannica.com
A clearly written description of simple machines

Lumen-Learning.com
A more in-depth discussion of simple machines, with equations and explanations

Kids Academy
A variety of sound experiments for kids

StemEduationGuide.com
Six projects for learning about simple machines

ScienceBuddies.com
A great lesson on gears

Highlights.com
Building a basic chain reaction machine