Since the girls had a successful attempt last week, and are starting to get into the routine of the challenges, this one was a LOT easier to explain and get going. During the building time, both girls worked independently on different parts of the challenge.

McKenna worked on building the ‘deck’ for the bridge of the structure. She used the tinfoil, paper, envelope and the paper clips to put her piece together.

Laurianna worked on building the frame of the structure. She attached one end of each of the straws to a penny so that it would stabilize the straws. She then poked pipe cleaners into the straws to connect them together. Once she had the two main ‘arches’ built, she used the extra 2 straws to support the top of the bridge, tying them on with the string.

When McKenna had finished her top piece they carefully laid it on top of the main support. So far, so good!

Their next test {before the 7 minute building part was complete} was to see if it would support any weight, so they used the leftover penny to check.

Here’s a little look at the structure from underneath. Not the most beautiful, but when you’re using straws and tinfoil…what do you expect? :)

The big test was seeing if it would support the two cups and getting them as far apart as possible. SUCCESS!!!

Our Score:

10/10 points for having a completed boat at the end of Part One.

20/20 points for creativity in using the materials ~ they found a use for everything!

13 points for how far each cup was from the table {1 point for each inch and they were each 6.5 inches off the table}

18 points for how far apart the cups were {2 points for each inch and they were 9 inches apart}

20/20 points for teamwork. I was impressed that they each worked on their own tasks to complete the project together!

Overall Score: 81/100

We’re gearing up for the next challenge: High Flying! "Up for a Challenge?" is a weekly meme designed to get students involved in critical thinking and creative problem solving by doing an Instant Challenge. If you are interested in being a part of the Instant Challenges, you can find out more here.

1 Comments:

Very creative design. I must say I am impressed with their structure ~ from the use of the pennies (wasn't sure how they could be used!) to how they used the pipe cleaners inside the straws to form the bridge. And 9 inches apart ~ way to go girls! *Ü*

Post a Comment

Thanks so much for stopping by! If you have a question and would like a reply, feel free to ask. I do my best to reply personally to you, but please be sure that there is an email linked to your comment or your profile! :)

I am a mom to 4 children and wife to a wonderful man. We homeschool all four children, and my days are spent trying to keep up with them all…and the house…and life in general.

My passion is teaching my kids and helping other families in their homeschool journey. Working with children has always
been something I have enjoyed, and I love that the online world has provided a
way to share ideas and resources with other families all over the world. The last few years has brought speaking opportunities at blogging conferences, homeschool groups, and also homeschool conventions.