May 5: Paper Tower
Assigned Teachers: TBD
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Team Formation: Teams of 3 kids (mixed ages)
Step 1: Introduction (5 minutes)
Introduce the topic: "Competition for the Tallest Tower Made of Paper."
Explain the objective: to design and build the tallest tower using only paper/glue/sellotape.
Introduce the additional challenge: Each tower must support a small packet of milk at the top
You will need:
Materials:
Paper / Newspaper
Paper glue /cellotape (only to connect paper but not to strengthen the connection, no duct tape etc. see video link)
Step 2: Visualization and Observation (10 minutes)
Show examples of different types of towers (e.g., pyramids, skyscrapers).
Discuss the importance of planning and visualizing their tower designs.
Encourage students to observe the properties of paper and how it can be manipulated to create different shapes and structures.
Show the video of building a paper tower (see link below)
Step 3: Making and Problem-Solving (40 minutes)
Provide each team with a variety of paper materials (e.g., construction paper, cardstock, tissue paper).
Allow teams to start building their towers, emphasizing teamwork and communication.
Circulate among the teams to provide guidance and assistance as needed.
Encourage problem-solving when towers encounter stability issues or other challenges.
Step 4: Community Building (10 minutes)
As the towers are being constructed, facilitate a sense of community and collaboration among the teams.
Encourage teams to share their progress with each other and offer help or advice if needed.
Foster a supportive and inclusive atmosphere where creativity is celebrated.
Step 5: Conclusion and Reflection (10 minutes)
Stop construction and announce the end of the building phase.
Have each team present their towers, explaining their design choices and strategies.
Conduct the competition: Each team's tower must support a small packet of milk at the top for 15 seconds without the tower collapsing.
Award the: 1. tallest tower, 2. most creative design, and 3. best teamwork.
Reflect on the experience: What did they learn about teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity? What would they do differently next time?
Information for Volunteers
Instead of a can of food, we can use a small packet of milk