Engineering for the Three Little Pigs
The purpose of this activity is to demonstrate the importance of rocks, soils and minerals in engineering and how using the right material for the right job is important. The students build three different sand castles and test them for strength and resistance to weathering. Then, they discuss how the buildings are different and what engineers need to think about when using rocks, soils and minerals for construction.
The three little pigs and their housesCopyright PBS Kids, http://pbskids.org/lions/huff/, Copyright © 2000-06 WGBH Educational Foundation and Sirius Thinking, Ltd. All rights reserved.
When designing structures, engineers must understand the material properties of rocks, soils and minerals and how these properties change when mixed together. Engineers must also make sure that the rocks, soils, and minerals are strong and safe enough for the job. Other material constraints might include ease of manipulation and material expense.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Explain that combining different materials is necessary when using rocks, soils and minerals for construction.
- Explain how engineers need to consider material properties of rocks, soils and minerals when creating something new.