Many of modern day packaging materials can provide students with some useful modeling materials at little or no cost to your
family or the school (you typically throw these away as waste or recycling). How do we use these materials in our West Gateway to
Technology applied engineering program?
1 - 2 LITER SODA BOTTLES  WATER , CO2, AND COMPRESSED AIR BOTTLE ROCKETS & JET CARS
COFFEE CANS (METAL)  COFFEE CAN ROBOTS
COFFEE CONTAINERS (PLASTIC)  VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINES
1 – 4 LB DRINK MIX CONTAINERS (CARDBOARD)  HORIZONTAL AXIS WIND TURBINES
32 FL OZ GATORADE BOTTLES (W CAP)  SINGLE CHANNEL PULLEYS
12 FL OZ G2 BOTTLES (W CAP)  1 -3 CHANNEL PULLEYS
32 FL OZ POWERADE BOTTLES (W CAP)  1 – 4 CHANNEL PULLEYS
SCREW ON PLASTIC LIDS (ANY SIZE ) ie. peanut butter, mayonnaise, snacks, etc.  WHEELS & GEARS
MOUTHWASH CAPS  ROCKET MOTOR BELL HOUSINGS
BOWL - SHAPED CONTAINERS ie. Cool Whip, pie top, etc.  SATELLITE DISH MODELS
PLASTIC STRAWS (BENDY OR STRAIGHT)  STROCKETS, STRING/CABLE GUIDES, HYDRAULIC/PNEUMATIC TUBING,
MODEL HOUSES, ETC.
PLASTIC CONTAINERS (W LID) ANY SIZE  EGGSTONAUT CAPSULES, PAINT AND STAIN CONTAINERS
FRUIT CUP, PIZZA, SALAD CONDIMENT CONTAINERS  PAINT AND GLUE CONTAINERS
USED BATTERIES (AAA, AA, C, D, 9V)  COUNTERWEIGHTS
POPSICLE STICKS  BRIDGE AND FURNITURE MODELING
PUSHPOP INSERTS  WHEEL AND AXLE ASSEMBLIES
ROTTISERIE CHICKEN CONTAINERS  MOON/MARS ROVER BODIES
CARDBOARD TUBES/CORES ie. Paper towel, Gift wrap, TP, etc.  ROCKETS, CANNONS, ROLLER COASTERS, ETC.
PLASTIC COFFEE STIRRERS AND DRINK POUCH STRAWS  TETRAHEDRAL KITES AND STRING/CABLE GUIDES
DOLE SQUEEZABLE FRUIT CAPS  AIRCRAFT JET ENGINE MODELS
TISSUE PAPER PACKING/GIFTWRAP  KITES AND PARACHUTES
9 – 12 - 16 OZ PARTY CUPS (SMOOTH SIDED)  RUBBER BAND POWERED AIRPLANE PROPELLORS
SUPER SIZE SODA CUPS  MODEL HELICOPTER BLADES
LARGE RECTANGULAR & CIRCULAR CAKE CONTAINERS  MOON/MARS BASE GREENHOUSES AND HABITAT MODULES
WOOD, PLASTIC, AND CARBON FIBER RODS ie. tent poles, campfire sticks, etc.  CATAPULTS
PACKING STYROFOAM (LARGE RECTANGULAR)  ROCKET FINS, SPINNER KITES, MODEL FURNITURE, STRUCTURES
CORRUGATED CARDBOARD (LARGE RECTANGULAR)  PROJECT BASES, ROOFS, WALLS, FLOORS, ETC.
VEGGIE/SNACK TRAYS (MULTI COMPARTMENT)  SMALL PARTS CADDIES
Hopefully this will give you some idea of not only some of the many projects our students at West are doing, but an opportunity to
think outside of the box a bit before you throw what could be an AWESOME rocket body, moon base, or dragster wheel into the
trash can. For the environmentally concerned, we have a single stream recycling dumpster on site so you can rest assured that the
bulk of any recyclable materials that we use or do not use for projects will find their way back into the recycling stream rather than
the local landfill. Clean materials only please! Thank you for helping us do our part for the environment. Mike Wheeler – West GTT