This week during our outside time, students worked with their House Table groups on a STEM challenge. Using only twigs they foraged from our space, each group had to construct the tallest free-standing tower they could. There were a number of different techniques kids utilized, like stacking twigs in layers facing opposite directions (Lincoln Log style), creating a perimeter of twigs around the base to stabilize the foundation, and breaking twigs into more uniform sizes. Sometimes Mother Nature sent some help to some towers in the form of frozen ground that kept the bottom twigs in place, but other towers felt the sometimes devastating effects of wind. The final heights of the towers were in close range. The tallest 2 towers were 15 inches tall, followed by a tower of 14 inches and one of 13 inches.
Below, see pictures of each group's tower and the measuring process. Next week, kids are going to try new techniques like bundling twigs with rubber bands, to see if our improved structures could top out over our current top heights. Also included are images from today's Free Friday's adventures in the snow. Kids used make-shift sleds from recycled cardboard to take advantage of slippery hills while others found animals tracks in the snow.
Shimmertail House:
Slatebeard House:
Maia House:
Firedrake House:
Dog tracks
Squirrel tracks
Fun in the snow
No comments:
Post a Comment