Technology/Engineering Activities

We have adapted the following activities to meet the needs of our students. We hope these adaptation ideas inspire teachers to find their own creative ways to include students who are visually impaired in the science classroom. Click on the activity name to see the full activity details and to download and print the activity sheet to take to your classroom.

Identifying and Using Tools

Purpose: To introduce students to the structure and function of a variety of hand tools.

The Printing Process

Purpose: To understand how to create a print through letterpress printing.

Testing the Strength of a Column

Purpose: To discover how much load can be carried by index cards folded into various shapes, resembling columns.

Safety Crash Testing

Purpose: To design safety equipment for a vehicle that can protect a raw egg from breaking during a collision.

Running a Factory

Purpose: To understand general steps of setting up and running a small company.

Design and Problem Solving

Purpose: To understand the design process and produce a design for a product meant to solve a specific problem.

Plaster Casting

Purpose: To provide students with hands-on experience with various tools and materials used in design and construction. The student will make a mold and a duplicate for an engraved image.

Designing a Paper Airplane

Purpose: To create a paper airplane and modify it to increase flight time and distance.

Design a Boat

Purpose: With properties of matter in mind, design a boat that will hold as much weight as possible.

Building a Skyscraper out of Newspapers

Purpose: To discover how changing the shape of a material such as newspaper can create a stronger building material, then build a model of a skyscraper using the adapted material.

Building a Catapult

Purpose: To design and build a catapult that will toss a marshmallow or pompom over a distance of at least 12 inches, using the appropriate materials and tools safely.

Casting and Molding

Purpose: To replicate the process used to cast and mold molten metal, glass, and plastics, or liquid clay in industrial processes.

Extruding

Purpose: To explore the process of extrusion used to produce pipes and wires in industry.