Straw Towers to the Moon
Students learn about civil engineers and work through each step of the engineering design process in two mini-activities that prepare them for a culminating challenge to design and build the tallest straw tower possible, given limited time and resources. First they examine the profiles of the tallest 20 towers in the world. Then in the first mini-activity (one-straw tall tower), student pairs each design a way to keep one straw upright with the least amount of tape and fewest additional straws. In the second mini-activity (no "fishing pole"), the pairs determine the most number of straws possible to construct a vertical straw tower before it bends at 45 degrees—resembling a fishing pole shape. Students learn that the taller a structure, the more tendency it has to topple over. In the culminating challenge (tallest straw tower), student pairs apply what they have learned and follow the steps of the engineering design process to create the tallest possible model tower within time, material and building constraints, mirroring the real-world engineering experience of designing solutions within constraints. Three worksheets are provided, for each of two levels, grades K-2 and grades 3-5. The activity scales up to school-wide, district or regional competition scale.
A student makes a straw tower within time and material constraints.Copyright 2015 RESOURCE GK-12 Program, College of Engineering, University of California Davis
Engineers apply science and mathematics concepts to solve problems that improve the built world, including the design of buildings, bridges, and other structures. As civil engineers design structures, they work through a seven step cyclical process called the engineering design process to ensure that the structures are well-tested and designed within given constraints (such as a budget, limited construction materials, and deadlines) and meet the specifications (such as size, weight, length, strength and environmental considerations). During this activity, student teams act as civil engineers to design and build model straw towers, taking into consideration limited materials, time, and rules as they brainstorm, design, build, and improve their structures.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- List two engineering limits/constraints faced during the activity.
- Draw/describe two or three examples of structures designed by civil engineers.