The Great Tall Structures' Challenge

From: Betty Crooks[bcrooks@cyberus.ca]
Date: Wed, June 10, 1998

         
An Invitation to Participate in
The Great Tall Structures' Challenge
         
Starting date: September 15, 1998
Deadline: December 1, 1998
  
       
This is an extension of a project we developed last year called 'The Great
Tall Structures' Contest' which was extremely popular.  Hope you will
consider participating in this challenge.  Details of project available below.
         
Vincent Massey Public School is Ottawa, Ontario, Canada is seeking
construction engineers in grades 3 to 8 to participate in a meaningful
hands-on project called "The Great Tall Structures'Challenge".
The real goal of  "The Great Tall Structures'Challenge" is to develop an
understanding of the  factors that must be considered in the designing and
constructing a structure through practical hands-on work.
'Learning by doing' is given the highest priority here. The motivation for
the students participating is the ability to construct the  tallest and
sturdiest tower using the scientific process in designing, and
constructing.
"The Great Tall Structures' Challenge"is a subject overlapping project in
which history, geography, language arts, computer science and technology
can be incorporated into this project.
         
1.  Challenge will be placed on our web site in August and detailed
information will be emailed to you the end of August.
         
2.  Students will design and construct the tallest tower using the
materials suggested.
     Materials: 50 balsa sticks, white glue, piece of cardboard for the
land that the building will sit on.
         
3.  Photos of the winning towers are to be emailed as a .jpeg or .gif if
you have a scanner or a digital camera or the photo can be mailed and
we will scan in itand place it on our site for all participants to
view the various designs and heights.
         
4.  Nominal prizes will be  awarded.  One for the tallest Canadian
structure, one for the tallest American tower, and one for the tallest
structure outside of North America.
         
5.  Detailed information is available below and will be posted the end 
of August on our web site.
         http://www.ocdsb.edu.on.ca/vmasweb/building.htm
                  
         Hope your class will participate in this practical hands-on  project.
         
Betty Crooks
         bcrooks@cyberus.ca
                  


         The Challenge 
         
The Everlasting Towering Engineering Company wishes to hire an engineering
team to build the tallest and most stable free-standing structure using the
stated materials which will support your country's or company's flag.
         
This company is asking for photos of your tallest and sturdiest models. 
Height of the tower and the company's name and address must also be
submitted. 
         
Deadline for submission is December 1, 1998.
         
         Materials 
         Lumber: 100 balsa sticks (13.97cm or 5 1/2 inches ) which can be purchased at
a craft store called  'White Rose'.
Glue gun and glue for gun
Cardboard or Bristol Board to glue the base to. Any reasonable size to fit
the base. 
Small piece of paper (maximum 3/4 inch * 1 inch) for students to draw a
flag to glue at the top.
         
         Step 1
         Each engineering team decides on a creative name for their company (and
logo if they wish). Example: The Excel Tower Building Company
         
Each student produces preliminary sketches of 3 different bases and
preliminary sketches of 3 different sides.
         
Students in each engineering group choose their best idea for a base and
for the sides.
         
Ideas to Investigate
As Design Engineers and Architects, discuss, brainstorm and conduct
research.
How will you make you structure strong? How will you make the beams strong?
( Show students a beam ( piece of balsa) -double/triple the beams, overlap
the beams ( show different ways.) Discuss weak points. 
How will you make your structure stable so that it will not lean? This is a
free-standing structure. One cannot hold the top when it is measured.
What geometric shape is the strongest and most stable? (triangle- use as
many triangular shapes as possible as this will improve the strength and
stability)
What strategies do you use to keep your body balanced?
If you were skateboarding, what strategies do you use to keep your balance?
         
         
         Part 2 - Sketches 
         Show that triangular shapes are strong and keep their shape by using 1 inch
strips of paper joined with brass fasteners to produce a rectangular shape.
Press on the vertex and it will easily go out of shape. How can this shape
be made stronger? (show using diagonals different ways)
         
Using pencils and ruler, each student draws preliminary sketches of 3
different bases and 3 different sides.
Examples of sketches of bases on the web site.
         
Examples of sketches of sides on the web site.
         
         
         Step 3 Pre-Construction
         Using the preliminary sketches of the engineers in each group, students
select one base and one side that they wish to construct for their tower. 
In the design process, students are always re-evaluating their design and
revising it, if necessary, to improve its stability and height.
         
Suggested Activities
         
Create an interesting and suitable name for your engineering company.
Create a suitable logo to accompany your company's name.
Design the flag of your country or company to place on the top of your
tower. Paper must be no larger than 3/4 inch by 1 inch.
Landscape the piece of land(cardboard) that the tower sits on.
         
         
Job Responsibilities
Each student is given a responsibility within the group. Post chart on
board.
         
Chief Engineer - keeps engineers on task
                helps in building
                supervises that each person is doing his/her job
                supervises clean up
         
Materials' manager - responsible to getting all materials including extra
glue when necessary
                retrieves and returns materials/ tower to safe location
                helps in building
                helps in clean up
Architect - supervises the design and measures height
        recommends changes to design
        helps in building
        uses glue gun safely, unplugs and places in safe place
         
         
Reporter - only person who asks teacher any questions
        discusses any concerns or problems with teacher
        designs company's or country's flag to place on the tower
        helps in building and in cleaning up
         
         
         Step 4 Post-Construction
         Predict, measure and record the height of each tower. DO NOT hold the top
of the tower if it is leaning as it is a self-supporting structure. 
         
Photos of the highest tower from each participating class will be published
on this web site. A minimal prize will be awarded the top 2 groups. 
         
To be eligible for the contest, send the following:
* a photo of your highest tower to show us your design
* the height of your tower in metric, if possible
* the name of your engineering company
* your grade 
* your complete school's address
* your email address
         
TO: Betty Crooks
Vincent Massey Public School
745 Smyth Road
Ottawa, Ontario Canada
K1G 1N9
         
or
Email a .gif or .jpeg graphic that has been scanned or taken with a digital
camera and the above information to: Elizabeth _Crooks@ocdsb.edu.on.c a
         
         Self and Peer Evaluation
         Throughout this hands-on project, students are continuously discussing,
analyzing and evaluating their product. They will develop an understanding
of factors that are involved in the construction of real structures as
balance, centre of gravity, stress, stability and strength.
         
         Evaluation of Final Product
         I use a scale rating for a mark of the finished product. I have used 20
points but you can use whatever mark you wish. Use this as a guide.  Chart
will be on web site.
         
An individual mark can be given for : 
* preliminary sketches as this is an important part of the design process (10
points)
* effort and cooperation within the group during the construction (10 points)
* a blueprint of the final product drawn to scale (10 points)
* height of final product (see above chart) 20 points 
         
TOTAL: 50 points
         
If your group uses different material for building, please submit your
designs and challenge/materials to be placed on another page for ideas for
teachers and students.
Straws are good especially with junior students.
         
Follow the above format except change the materials to:
50 straws 
masking tape
         
Send photos of winning designs to be placed on web site.  Minimal prize
will be also awarded to the 2 tallest straw towers.
         
Happy Building!!!