One of the prerequisites for a Boy Scout to become an Eagle Scout is to do an Eagle Project. Your project should give back to the community, to improve it and the lives of others later down the line. This is also a test to see how well a Scout can properly plan and lead a project. Normally, Scouts will improve their school or church by repairing or adding something, but I wanted to do something different. I decided to make devices that would teach young students about various principles of physics in the hopes of sparking an interest in engineering and science.
Requirements
I was making these devices for 3-4th graders, so safety was an important factor. All the materials would have to be purchased with money, both personal and donated, so budget management was another issue. Although I was responsible for designing everything, other Scouts would be the ones doing all of the construction, so I had to make sure that the devices were not too complicated.
The Devices
Lever System
Teaches the principle of leverage. A typical classroom demonstration will show that a small student can lift an adult teacher when the lever is placed on the fulcrum on the appropriate spot.
Wind Tunnel
Teaches aerodynamics. Students can place items in the wind tunnel to observe how shape affects aerodynamics. The wind tunnel can accommodate up to three students simultaneously.
Archimedes Screw
Teaches Archimedes Principle. By turning the crank, students can observe how water can be transported from a lower to a higher point.
Block and Tackle System
Teaches about mechanical advantage. Students learn that by adding pulleys, the amount of force needed to lift an object is decreased.
Results
The devices were delivered to my old elementary school – Bud Rank Elementary. The primary science teacher will use these devices in classroom demonstrations. The devices are borrowed on an annual basis to use at the San Joaquin Valley Regional Destination Imagination Tournament.
