fragile towers
In this opening unit, the students were presented with a challenge that was harder than it originally seemed - build the tallest tower possible using only spaghetti and marshmallows!!!!
![Picture](/uploads/4/5/3/4/45343227/6615449.png?238)
Not only did these towers have to contend with gravity, they were also going to be tested by adding weight to the top. Each tower had to have a perch on which it could balance a giant marshmallow at the top for 10 seconds without bending or collapsing.
Using the Engineering Design Process, the 4th graders individually IMAGINEd the possibilities of the design, then met together to collaborate on one design for the group's PLAN. After this, the groups CREATEd their designs according to their plans. The last step was to IMPROVE. Many groups had to make changes to their original designs after discovering how challenging it was to work with the materials.
This lesson was challenging in two main ways:
1. The groups had to design a way to take fragile materials and make them strong enough to support the weight of the entire structure as well added weight of the marshmallows. After a lot of experimenting and testing, the kids discovered that the spaghetti could be made much stronger by bundling it instead of using individual pieces.
2. It was also challenging for groups to design ways to support the weight of the tower as they made them taller and taller. Groups were encouraged to think of existing towers that they were familiar with in order to gain some ideas.
Using the Engineering Design Process, the 4th graders individually IMAGINEd the possibilities of the design, then met together to collaborate on one design for the group's PLAN. After this, the groups CREATEd their designs according to their plans. The last step was to IMPROVE. Many groups had to make changes to their original designs after discovering how challenging it was to work with the materials.
This lesson was challenging in two main ways:
1. The groups had to design a way to take fragile materials and make them strong enough to support the weight of the entire structure as well added weight of the marshmallows. After a lot of experimenting and testing, the kids discovered that the spaghetti could be made much stronger by bundling it instead of using individual pieces.
2. It was also challenging for groups to design ways to support the weight of the tower as they made them taller and taller. Groups were encouraged to think of existing towers that they were familiar with in order to gain some ideas.
In the end, each and every group was successful! Fantastic job, 4th grade!