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Builder's Lab / Week 01 / Thursday
4/6
Week 01 · Think Like an Engineer

Thursday

Why did it fall?
// Ask, imagine, plan, create, test, improve
⏱ about 20 min

Thursday: Why Did It Fall?

Crash! Rocket's cup tower tips over at seven cups.

Rocket laughs. "Oops! We can improve it."

Raven looks closely. "What do you notice? Every cup sits on one small bottom."

Nova scans the cups. "I found a pattern. Look at how they touch."

Look at version 1

Rocket put each cup right on top of the next.

The tower was thin and wobbly.

It fell before ten seconds.

VersionCups usedStood 10 seconds?
Rocket version 17No

Change one thing

Raven has an idea. Make the bottom row wider.

Put four cups on the bottom, then three, then two, then one.

That is one change: the shape of the stack.

READ THE TABLE
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Did Rocket's version 1 stand for ten seconds?
WHICH CHANGE IS FAIR?
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Which plan changes only one thing?
Raven also wants a new table. Is that fair?
Try it
Look at your own version 1.
Pick one thing to change.
Draw your new plan.
Draw your version 2 plan.
THINK IT THROUGH
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Why did Rocket's tower tip over?
Which bottom helps a tower stand?
Raven makes the bottom row wider. How many things change?
RAVEN'S NEW TOWER
  • Start at the bottom.
  • Tap a card, then tap its spot.
1Bottom row
2Second row
3Third row
4Top
IdeaTrue or false?
Mistakes help engineers learn.?
A fallen tower means you should stop.?
Engineers look closely to find why a build fell.?
WHY THIS EXERCISEEvery fall gives a clue for the next version.

Mistakes help engineers learn. You found a fix!

Tomorrow, we test version 2.

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