Fourth graders were tasked with creating the tallest straw tower they could out of limited materials that could hold a large marble on top for 15 seconds. They used the Engineering Design Process to do this work. They imagined ideas, drew out plans, discussed their ideas in teams, and eventually decided on a final plan. Then the build was on! Some teams went for height sacrificing stability while others made theirs so stable that it was quite short. After the first trial, we discussed what went wrong and how it could be changed to work better. A second trial was begun. This time around most towers were successful. I was amazed how they handled their mistakes with tenacity and drive to try again. They are getting used to the idea that sometimes you fail before things work. I'm glad that they are learning design principles, but I'm most happy for them to learn to try again after being disappointed. I think that this lesson will serve them well even if they don't end up being an engineer. I am again reminded why I love this work.
The building process:
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| Some of the final projects |
The big test!
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