Spin Into Physics: STIIX Fidget Spinner Design Project
In the STIIX Fidget Spinner Project, students take on the role of product designers in STIIX-Ville, where the local toy store wants a new, educational gadget for their shelves. Their mission: to engineer a fully functioning fidget spinner that spins smoothly and stably, while exploring deep physics concepts like rotational inertia, force, balance, and friction.
Over ~1.5 to 2 hours of guided learning, teams use STIIX’s modular building components to prototype multiple spinner designs. They experiment with weight distribution, symmetry, and structure, learning that how mass is placed affects how the spinner behaves. With the five-part video series (Intro, Academic, How-To, Testing & Evaluation, Industry), students review the science behind their builds and compare their models to real-world toy design practices.
Testing is at the heart of this challenge: learners spin their designs, measure spin time, observe wobble or imbalance, and iterate—redesigning to maximize performance. The process replicates real engineering cycles, emphasizing that refinement comes through failure and data.
Teachers receive full curriculum support: lesson plans, worksheets, build logs, reflection prompts, and access to embedded media. The project aligns to NGSS standards, such as understanding the relationships between force, mass, and motion.
Bring structure and excitement to hands-on learning with STIIX-Ville — your digital hub for project guides, assessments, and student progress tracking.
What’s Included in the Box:
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STIIX structural building sticks & connectors
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Balance weights or modular mass pieces
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Low-friction bearing(s) for spinner axis
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String or rubber bands (optional)
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Spinner-arm components / arms
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Build-log and design-iteration worksheets
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Testing guide (how to measure spin time and performance)
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Reflection & presentation prompts
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Teacher slide deck & lesson plans
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Embedded media and instructional videos (5 total)
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Storage container for materials
