Snow Challenge!

This week we made the most of the snow we have to do a STEM challenge. 

House Table groups were tasked with building the largest snow structure they could construct. Many different approaches were attempted. Some groups went for height by packing snow in a tall, narrow tower - these presented challenges as the height increased due to a lack of foundation stability and most teetered down to the side. Other groups amassed large amounts of packed snow by rolling snowballs which presented their own challenges due to the size and weight of the snowball when it came time to stack it on. Some of our budding engineers used long, slim sticks to attach their larger chunks of snow so that they would be less likely to waver as the tower got higher. This approach had some mixed results. The snowball strategy proved the most steady for structures, particularly when smaller bits of snow were packed into the crevices to solidify the structure. Our tallest structure was 77 inches tall! 

In the discussion afterwards, kids reflected and shared their thoughts on what made for effective collaboration and cooperation as well as what problems arose. They identified team communication as important to the success of the group in this endeavor so that each group member could effectively accomplish their part in the construction. Listening was another necessary tactic as there needed to be agreement on one plan around which their efforts could be consolidated. Finally, each member taking responsibility for their job in the project helped the whole group to be successful. 

A lot of fun took place as well as a lot of interpersonal skills learning. Enjoy the pictures below!