Book/ curriculum/ website using regular legos for scientific principles??

[Peek a Boo]

Ok, we have been working on a class w/ 1st-3d/4th graders on building machines/ exploring scientific principles w/ regular legos that we have on hand. The first class was a fun "build an imaginary robot" kind of thing. The second class worked w/ wheels. This last class built a tower and experimented how many books/weight it would hold. i have a couple more ideas, but not enough to cover lots more classes, lol.

I was hoping to find an "official" book/ curriculum that we could use by now, but I'm having little luck. I checked out the lego site and googled till my eyes were crossed --Did I miss something?? is there anything that fits what we want? not using technic or dacta, not using duplos, not needing to buy any specific kits, just using the bazillion lego pieces we already have.....

I was soooo sure I had at least SEEN something like this, but so far, no luck :(

!?help?!

I'll take ideas if nobody can find a book :D

TIA!!

[Angela in TN]

I just came across this book today http://www.amazon.com/Lego-Crazy-Action-Contraptions-Inventions/dp/1570541574 and it looked really interesting to me and sounds like what your describing. HTH :)

[Peek a Boo]

hee hee-- I actually have that one --it uses lots of technic pieces that we don't have [got the book at a thrift store]. But it is pretty close to what i'm looking for.

I'll hafta start acquiring some more Technic pieces --most of our legos come from whatever we find at the thrift store, lol.

I have lego catapults planned for next week tho! I've been kicking around a simple sliding box similar to the candy machine..... The lego ice cube tray idea i saw somewhere online looks cute too.

and again --if y'all can think of any fun science principles we can demonstrate by building something out of lotsa regular legos, let me know!

[siloam]

The Lego website has a whole education division (http://www.mooreed.com.au/tabs.asp?DokumentID=135&MenuID=2&KategoriID=1&ProductLineID=13) that sells manuals that teach different principles.

Heather

[Peek a Boo]

yeah, I've been through their education site, but I haven't found something that does what i want. I can find duplo stuff w/ gears, technic stuff w/ motors, and mindstorm stuff, but nothing that deals w/ just using stuff you have on hand already.....:-/

i did find this cool orrery tho in a search....but i don't have all those parts, lol.

http://kepler.nasa.gov/ed/lego.html