Our gifted 3rd graders recently took on a high-stakes engineering feat: the Egg Drop Challenge. Tasked with protecting a raw egg from a "perilous" fall using only a limited set of materials, these young engineers proved that constraints are often the best fuel for creativity and innovation.
The
Mission
With just a few basic supplies, students had to design a
"contraption" to absorb the impact force of a high drop. The goal was
simple: keep the egg intact upon landing.
Designing
Under Pressure
Working in teams, our students
utilized the engineering design process to:
· - Brainstorm
& Sketch: Planning unique solutions
like crumple zones, straw cages, and toilet paper roll bumpers.
· - Build: Managing limited resources to create sturdy structural frames, while also leaving a functional opening to easily place the egg.
· - Test & Reflect: Many students used a block (instead of an egg) to test their contraptions. After analyzing the fall their build took, many groups went back to the drawing board and made a few modifications.
The
Results
The playground was filled with suspense as each device took the plunge! so far, every egg has survived! And every student has succeeded in practicing critical thinking and resilience.
*I will update the blog with pictures from the afternoon classes as they come in.
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