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Builder's Lab / Week 01 / Wednesday
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Week 01 · Think Like an Engineer

Wednesday

Build a cup tower
// Ask, imagine, plan, create, test, improve
⏱ about 20 min

Wednesday: Build a Cup Tower

Rocket lines up ten paper cups in a row.

"Our challenge: the tallest tower from ten cups," Rocket says.

"It must stand for ten seconds," Raven adds.

Nova sets her timer. "I will count the seconds for you."

Rocket stacks fast, one cup right on top of another.

The challenge

  • Goal: build the tallest tower you can.
  • Rule: use only ten paper cups.
  • Rule: it must stand by itself for ten seconds.

You need

  • 10 paper cups
  • A ruler
  • A timer
  • A flat table or floor
Safety first
Build on a low table or the floor.
Do not stand on chairs to reach the top.
Keep cups away from faces.

Build version 1

  1. Imagine two ways to stack the cups.
  2. Pick one and draw it.
  3. Build your tower.
  4. Count to ten while it stands.
  5. Measure how tall it is with a ruler.
Draw your version 1 tower.
VersionHow tall (inches)Stood 10 seconds?
Version 1
WHICH STEP IS IT?
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
You stack the cups. Which step is that?
You measure your tower with a ruler. Which step is that?
SAFE BUILDING
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
The top is too high to reach. What should you do?

Measure like an engineer

Stand the ruler up next to the tower.

Put the end of the ruler on the table.

Read the number at the top of the top cup.

Write that number in your table.

CHECK THE RULES
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Where does the ruler start when you measure?
A tower stands for six seconds. Does it meet the rule?
Which one is a rule of the challenge?
Challenge ruleTrue or false?
You may use twelve cups.?
The tower must stand by itself.?
A grown-up may hold the tower up.?
You count to ten while it stands.?
WHY THIS EXERCISERules make the challenge fair for every builder.

You built version 1. Great work!

Tomorrow, we look at what happened.

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