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Builder's Lab / Week 02 / Tuesday
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Week 02 · Tall Tower

Tuesday

What helps a tower stand?
// The tallest tower made of paper
⏱ about 20 min

Tuesday: What Helps a Tower Stand?

Rocket stands a flat sheet of paper on its edge.

Flop! It falls right over.

Raven rolls a sheet into a tube and stands it up. It stays!

"What do you notice? Same paper, new shape," Raven says.

Nova hums. "Interesting. Shape matters. What about the bottom?"

Shape matters

A flat sheet flops over.

The same sheet rolled into a tube can stand.

Engineers change the shape to change how a thing works.

A wide base

The base is the bottom of the tower.

Engineers know a wider base helps a tower stay stable.

Stable means it stays steady and does not tip.

Try it
Stand one paper tube up. Blow on it gently.
Now tape three tubes in a wide stand. Blow again.
Which one stays up?
Safety first
Blow gently, from the side.
Keep paper edges away from eyes.
BASE CHECK
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Which tower base is more stable?
Raven rolled the paper into a tube. What did she change?
IdeaTrue or false?
A flat sheet stands up well on its edge.?
Changing the shape can change how paper works.?
Stable means steady.?
WHY THIS EXERCISEEngineers pick shapes that help a build do its job.

Make a strong tube

A tube is a great tower part.

Roll the paper around a pencil or your finger.

Slide it off and tape the edge.

A tight roll makes a thin tube. A loose roll makes a fat tube.

SHAPE AND BASE
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
A flat sheet flops over. What can you do?
One tube or three tubes taped wide. Which is more stable?
What does stable mean?
Where is the base of a tower?
ROLL A TUBE
  • Tap a card.
  • Then tap its spot.
1First
2Next
3Then
4Last
Try it
Roll one tight tube and one loose tube.
Stand each one up.
Blow gently on each from the side.
Which one stays up?
Safety first
Hold the pencil point away from you.
Blow gently, from the side.
Tube testTrue or false?
A tight roll makes a thin tube.?
A flat sheet stands better than a tube.?
Three tubes taped wide make a wider base.?
WHY THIS EXERCISEShape and base both help a tower stand.

Great investigating!

Tomorrow, you build tower version 1.

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