Growth and Gardens

Mission of the Month: July 2007
Surf and Sail

Just in time for the sizzling summer heat, CYFERnet dives into another cool Mission. Learn about waves, wind power and boat building through exciting experiments, investigations, creative activities and some healthy competition:

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Catch a Wave

Surf’s up … but why? Although many young people think that waves originate from inside the water, the water doesn’t actually move with the waves. Instead, waves are formed by “wind friction,” i.e. wind energy moving across the water’s surface. In this lesson, youth take part in a series of experiments to see how waves are formed and why some waves are bigger than others.



Sailboat Investigation

Using a variety of everyday household materials, youth attempt to design and build a “sailboat” that will travel in a straight line for at least 75 centimeters on a smooth surface. This activity is part of a wind power curriculum that is in development by University of Illinois 4-H.

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Cardboard Boat Race

Exercise your imagination and ingenuity by designing and building a kayak, pirate ship or other human-powered “boat” with just two basic items: cardboard and duct tape. If you’re up for the challenge, read the activity guide carefully, as well as the rules/tips and science facts, and create a boat that floats your team to victory!

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