They are evaluated by designing and building a balsa stick bridge that can hold the most weight. In phase two, the students learn through the use of computer tutorials the forces that are generated during earthquakes and how buildings can be designed to withstand these forces. The students then design and build balsa stick towers that are loaded with steel plates to simulate the weight of an actual high-rise building. The towers are placed on an earthquake simulator and subjected to motions which simulate the movement associated with earthquake waves. In phase three, the students study about robotics and its place in our society today.
Students learn the principles of robotics through the study of video, text, and hands-on activities.
In phase four, the students study about machines and the forces that are involved in their application. Through creative problem solving the students are allowed to invent new ways to solve old problems and subsequently broaden their understanding of the way things work. The weather module allows students to monitor weather conditions both in the past and present in order to draw conclusions about changing weather patterns. By plotting various weather data the students can draw their own conclusions about what the weather will do. The life sciences are explored in the lab through the use of electronic dissections.