Designing Experiments

This educational video uses a bowling analogy to explain the engineering design process, specifically focusing on how to test solutions through trials. The host, Sabrina, breaks down complex concepts like variables, constants, criteria, and outcomes into manageable parts by demonstrating how an engineer would approach the problem of getting a strike at a bowling alley. The video explores key scientific inquiry themes including the importance of isolating variables to ensure fair testing, defining success criteria before testing begins, and the necessity of keeping other factors constant. It demonstrates the iterative nature of testing, showing how engineers perform multiple trials, analyze the results against their established criteria, and adjust their approach based on data. For educators, this resource provides a clear, visual model for teaching the experimental method and engineering design. It is particularly useful for introducing students to the vocabulary of experimentation (isolate, constant, trial) and showing why changing only one variable at a time is crucial for scientific validity. The bowling metaphor makes abstract procedural steps concrete and relatable for elementary and middle school students.

This engaging science video introduces elementary students to the concept of energy, specifically focusing on wind energy as an "invisible" force that can do work. Through a mix of colorful animation and live-action demonstrations, the video explains what energy is—defined as the ability to do work or make something happen—and categorizes different types including light, heat, electrical, water, and wind energy. The narrative is driven by a friendly egg character named Roly and a human science teacher who conducts experiments to make abstract concepts concrete. The core of the video takes place in a "Wind Lab Research Center," where the host uses a standard household fan to simulate wind. He conducts two primary experiments: first, testing how wind affects objects of different masses (a hammer, dollar bill, pen, water bottle, and plastic egg) to demonstrate force; and second, constructing a homemade wind turbine using plastic spoons to show how wind energy can be harnessed to lift a weight. The video concludes with an animated sequence explaining the real-world application of these concepts, showing how large wind turbines generate electricity that travels through power lines to our homes. For educators, this video is an excellent resource for STEM lessons regarding force, motion, and renewable energy. It provides a perfect template for classroom experiments that demonstrate the relationship between mass and force. The clear, step-by-step explanation of how wind turbines convert kinetic energy into electricity makes complex infrastructure relatable to young learners. The "spoon turbine" project serves as a practical engineering challenge that can be easily replicated in a classroom setting.

This video explores the engineering design process, specifically focusing on how engineers identify and resolve "failure points" to create safe and effective solutions. Hosted by Sabrina Cruz, the episode uses engaging animations and real-world examples to explain that failure isn't a negative outcome in engineering, but a necessary step in testing limits. It breaks down how engineers create plans, build models, and conduct trials by isolating variables to find exactly where a design stops working. Key themes include the definition of a "failure point," the importance of strategic planning over random guessing, and the scientific method's role in engineering through isolating variables. The video illustrates these concepts through a relatable example of testing a model bridge's weight capacity and a historical reference to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse. It emphasizes iteration—using failure data to redesign and improve the solution. For educators, this resource is an excellent tool to introduce the "Test and Improve" phase of the engineering cycle. It helps destigmatize failure, framing it as critical data collection. Teachers can use the bridge testing demonstration to launch hands-on STEM challenges where students must intentionally test their designs to the breaking point to understand their limits. It also bridges science and engineering by showing how controlled experiments (trials) are used to validate design choices.

In this engaging episode of Crash Course Kids, host Sabrina Cruz uses the analogy of a mobile video game to explain the fundamental engineering concepts of variables and outcomes. The video breaks down the scientific method of testing solutions, specifically focusing on why it is critical to isolate variables during an experiment to understand cause and effect. Through a "Catbot" slingshot game, viewers see a practical demonstration of how changing launch angle versus pull strength affects the result.

This educational video introduces students to the critical concept of variables within the engineering design process. Using the relatable framework of asking "What If" questions, the host explains how engineers identify and manipulate different factors to test the success of their solutions. The video distinguishes between variables that can be controlled (like the weight or design of a prototype) and those that cannot (like gravity or wind), providing a clear foundation for scientific testing. The content reviews the standard engineering process—from defining a problem to building a prototype—before focusing specifically on how variables influence outcomes. Through animated examples involving bouncing balls and a hang glider attempting to cross a gorge, the video demonstrates practical applications of these abstract concepts. It emphasizes that identifying variables allows engineers to predict potential failures and refine their designs before real-world implementation. For educators, this video serves as an excellent bridge between general problem-solving and specific scientific methodology. It simplifies the often-confusing topic of variables (independent, dependent, and constants) by framing them as "conditions we can change" versus "conditions we can't." This makes it highly useful for preparing students for science fair projects, STEM challenges, or any unit focusing on experimental design and the scientific method.

In this engaging episode of Crash Course Kids, host Sabrina Cruz introduces students to the engineering design process through a relatable real-world problem: she dropped her phone down a storm drain. Instead of panicking, she uses this scenario to demonstrate how engineers define problems, brainstorm solutions, and design technologies to overcome challenges. The video breaks down complex concepts like isolating variables and conducting trials into accessible, bite-sized explanations.

Join Anthony and his robot pal Squeaks to explore the fascinating engineering behind NASA's Ingenuity helicopter, the first machine designed to fly on Mars. This engaging video breaks down the science of flight, comparing how helicopters work on Earth versus the unique challenges posed by the thin Martian atmosphere. Viewers learn how scientists solved these problems using specific design features like lightweight materials and extra-long, fast-spinning blades. The video transitions from theory to practice by guiding students through a hands-on STEM activity: building their own paper helicopter models. It demonstrates the importance of scientific modeling and introduces the engineering design process, encouraging viewers to test, observe, and iterate on their designs—just like real NASA engineers. This resource is an excellent tool for introducing elementary students to concepts of aerodynamics, planetary science, and engineering. It seamlessly connects complex space exploration topics with a simple, accessible classroom craft, making it perfect for lessons on the scientific method, variables, and the perseverance required in problem-solving.

In this engaging episode of Crash Course Kids, host Sabrina Cruz dives deeper into the engineering design process by exploring how to test multiple solutions to a single problem. Picking up from a previous experiment involving a carnival ring toss game, the video demonstrates that engineers often need to find alternative methods to achieve a goal when resources or conditions change. The narrative guides viewers through setting up fair tests by identifying criteria and variables, illustrating how changing one variable at a time is crucial for scientific validity. The core themes of the video are the scientific method, fair testing, and data organization. It explicitly defines and demonstrates the relationship between independent variables (the thing you change), controlled variables (the things you keep the same), and the desired outcome. The video also emphasizes the importance of using data tables to track results across different trials, teaching students that organization is a key part of the engineering process. This video is an excellent resource for upper elementary science classrooms introducing the concepts of variables and experimental design. By using the relatable and visual example of a ring toss game, it makes abstract concepts like "isolating variables" concrete and understandable. Teachers can use this to introduce a hands-on experiment, model how to create data tables, or reinforce the rule of only changing one variable at a time during investigations.

This educational video from Crash Course Kids explores the critical engineering concepts of testing solutions through variables and criteria. Using relatable analogies like a slingshot mobile game and bowling, the host explains how engineers verify if their solutions actually work. The narrative demystifies the abstract concept of a "fair test" by demonstrating why changing multiple factors at once makes it impossible to know what caused a specific result. The video breaks down two main scientific method components: "criteria" (the rules for success) and "isolating variables" (changing only one thing at a time). It walks viewers through an investigation where human error acts as an uncontrolled variable, leading to the engineering solution of using a ramp to ensure consistency. Visual aids include animated diagrams, definitions of key terms, and character-driven scenarios that make these technical concepts accessible. Teachers can use this video to introduce or reinforce the scientific method and engineering design process. It is particularly useful for explaining the difference between independent and controlled variables—often a stumbling block for students. The clear examples provide a perfect launchpad for classroom experiments where students must design their own fair tests, emphasizing the importance of consistency and measurable success criteria.

This engaging educational video from SciShow Kids introduces young learners to the physics concept of "drag" (air resistance) through the lens of how parachutes work. Hosted by Jessi and her robot friend Squeaks, the video explains that air is made of tiny particles that push back against moving objects, creating a force that slows them down. It uses clear animations and relatable examples, like the feeling of wind on a swing, to make this invisible force concrete for students. The second half of the video transitions into a practical STEM activity where viewers are guided step-by-step to build their own miniature parachutes using household items like coffee filters, string, and cups. The host demonstrates the scientific method by conducting controlled drop tests: first dropping the cup without a parachute, then with one, and finally testing the parachute's load-bearing limit with a heavy toy. The experiment concludes with a "failure" when the heavy toy falls too fast, providing a perfect setup for discussing engineering iteration and variable testing. This resource is highly valuable for elementary science classrooms as it seamlessly blends conceptual physics with hands-on engineering. It encourages inquiry-based learning by modeling prediction, observation, and the importance of refining designs when they don't work as expected. Teachers can use this video to launch units on forces and motion, properties of matter, or the engineering design process.

This video from Crash Course Kids guides students through the engineering design process, specifically focusing on how to plan and conduct effective trials. Using a relatable carnival ring toss analogy, the host explains how engineers don't just guess—they methodically test solutions to ensure they meet specific outcomes. The video reviews foundational concepts from previous episodes, such as defining criteria and identifying variables, before combining them into a comprehensive testing strategy. The content breaks down the trial design process into four clear steps: deciding on criteria for success, identifying all possible variables, isolating a single variable to test, and identifying failure points. Through animated demonstrations, viewers see what happens when variables are controlled versus when they are not, and how failure points help engineers understand the limits of their solutions. For educators, this resource is an excellent tool for demystifying the scientific method and experimental design. It provides a concrete, step-by-step framework that students can apply to their own hands-on science experiments. The clear distinction between ‘controlling variables’ and ‘isolating variables’ is particularly useful for helping students understand fair testing protocols in upper elementary science projects.

This educational video from Crash Course Kids explores the critical role of failure within the engineering design process. Hosted by Sabrina, the video reframes the concept of failure not as a negative outcome, but as a necessary step in finding successful solutions. It introduces the specific engineering term "failure point"—the limit at which a solution stops working—and explains how identifying these points early saves time, money, and lives. Key themes include the iterative nature of the design process, the importance of testing variables, and structural engineering. The video uses accessible analogies, such as a bowling ramp experiment and a wooden bridge crossing, to illustrate abstract concepts. It also features a historical case study of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (Galloping Gertie) to demonstrate real-world consequences of unidentified failure points. For educators, this video is an excellent resource for STEM curriculums, specifically for introducing the engineering mindset. It helps dismantle student anxiety around making mistakes by normalizing failure as data collection. It serves as a perfect launchpad for lessons on bridge building, stress testing materials, or social-emotional learning discussions about resilience and perseverance in academic pursuits.