CreatorBox

  We help kids learn critical science, technology engineering and math (“STEM”) skills, by sparking their natural passion for building and creating.  

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Hovercraft at Home

The hovercraft’s ability to fly over land, water, ice and snow make them not only suitable for military purposes and James Bond Movies, but also for search and rescue teams. While today they’re not the “everyday” family mode of transportation Sci-Fi writers of the 1950’s and 60’ s dreamed, that doesn't mean its not possible.

Will your little scientist or engineer be responsible for the technological advances required to place a hovercraft (green powered of course) in every town for emergencies, or in every driveway of the future?

Concepts:

Engineering

Air

Friction

Aerodynamics

Supplies You’ll Need:

Discarded CD-Rom

Strong glue – glue gun (adult helper), Gorilla Glue ® or Epoxy

9-11 inch balloons

Pop-Top lid from a water bottle

Optional : Plastic lids, cardboard from a cereal box

How to Create It:

Make sure the CD and the pop-top are completely dry.

Use your chosen method of gluing to attach the top to the center of the CD.  Make sure the center hole is free from glue and that there is a tight seal around the edges.Once the glue has dried, push the pop top down to close.

Inflate the balloon and twist the end – do NOT tie.

Keeping the end twisted , place the mouth opening over the top of the pop-top lid. When you release, the balloon should untwist and still hold air.

Pull the pop-top up and the air from the balloon should cause the CD to elevate ever so slightly on the surface.

How it Works:

The slow-moving air from the balloon is released downward against the surface below the hovercraft (CD). The air currents create an air cushion on the smooth surface. The cushion reduces the friction between the two surfaces, allowing the the CD to glide freely on the surface below.

Further exploration:

Try different surfaces...is there a change? Ask your kids what other items they would use instead of a CD such as cardboard cereal box, oatmeal or coffee can lids with circles. Maybe even an old LP. Have them try and fail for the sake of learning. And don’t forget to have them record their findings like professional scientists.

Notes:

An 11 inch balloon is a little floppy, but a 5 inch balloon doesn’t hold enough air.  A 9 or 10 inch balloon might be best.

I used a hot glue gun.  If you choose to use the same,  please make sure to supervise a younger child appropriately. 

[creatorbox]

Teach your kids that the path to success is paved with smart failures.

FAIL - For All I Learned

Are you teaching your kids to fail?

As parents and educators it’s so easy to praise, cheer and encourage success, but what happens when your little scientist or engineer fails? Will you clap just as enthusiastically? If not, you should give it a try. Why? Because there is far more failure behind EVERY design success, medical advance or technological endeavor than there are successful results. EVERY scientist will tell you that failure is part of the process...in fact it’s imperative. The term experiment implies trying, failing and trying again. Spoon-feeding our children solutions to protect them from experiencing failure, prevents them from giving their problem solving muscles a workout. More importantly, if they are taught that failing is bad, they may just stop trying all together...and NONE of us want that!

STEM education is only as good as the failure we encourage.

How can you encourage failure?

Be vulnerable and share your own failures.

Whether it’s a recipe, math problem or science experiment, embrace the process not just the outcome.

Share more stories of failed science experiments from well known scientists.

Ask “what do you think would happen if...?” and then follow through.

Most importantly, keep asking your kids (and yourself), “What’s to be learned here? And how can we apply that learning next time?”

Happy failing!

Check out this great video on failing, MJ style!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA7G7AV-LT8 

"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."  ― Michael Jordan