Unit 4D, Magnetism and Electricity Unit Project: An Inventor's Fair Has the work of inventors like Thomas Edison or Benjamin Franklin ever intrigued you? Here is your chance to follow in their footsteps. Build your very own inventions using magnetism and electricity. Then display them at your class's Inventor's Fair.   Project Link 1 (Chapter 1, page D9) With other students, brainstorm to get ideas for a magic trick that uses magnets or electricity. Think about a trick that works because the force of a magnet can be “felt” through various materials. Make a drawing and then build a model of your magic trick. Include instructions so that others can build their own models. Internet Links Magnetism Exploratorium: Science Snacks—Snacks About Electricity http://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/iconelectricity.html Exploratorium: Science Snacks—Magnetic Lines of Force http://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/magnetic_lines.html Exploratorium: Science Snacks—Magnetic Suction http://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/magnetic_suction.html Center for Improved Engineering and Science Education IPPEX Interactive: Electricity and Magnetism http://SNAX.pppl.gov/ippex/module_4/ Magic Online The Linking Page—Hocus Pocus Magic Shop http://www.linkingpage.com/ Student Resources Magnet Tricks Project Link 2 (Chapter 2, page D39) Brainstorm with other students to get ideas for a quiz board. Invent a way to use the opening and closing of circuits in your quiz board. Decide how and where to place dry cells, wires, light bulbs, and a buzzer. Decide what kinds of questions you can ask and how you'll arrange them on the board. Be creative! Internet Links Inventors and Inventions National Geographic: Inventions With Wild and Wacky Games! http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/96/inventions/ 3M Collaborative Invention Unit: Learn What It Takes to Be an Inventor http://mustang.coled.umn.edu/inventing/inventing.html Electro-Board School Net, Canada The Electric Club: Your Own Electro–Board http://www.schoolnet.ca/general/electric-club/e/page14.html Student Resources Making a Quiz Board Making a Quiz Board (continued) Project Link 3 (Chapter 3, page D67) Design a solar-powered machine or toy. Use two solar cells and experiment with different solar-powered designs for your inventions. Think about where the device should be placed in order to receive the Sun's light. Find out about other kinds of solar-powered inventions. Internet Links Solar Energy Solstice Crest: Photovoltaic Cells http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/re-kiosk/glossary/photovoltaic.shtml Solstice Crest: Solar Physics http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/re-kiosk/solar/solar-physics/index.shtml Solar Inventions Sunwind: Solar Models http://www.web.net/~sunwind/technology/models/solar-models.html National Renewable Energy Laboratories Center for Education Programs–National Junior Solar Sprint http://www.nrel.gov/education/ Student Resources Making a Solar-Powered Machine