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Science Launch G3 / Week 12 / Wednesday
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Week 12 · Ready for Weather Hazards

Wednesday

Build a flood wall
// Designs that keep people safe in wild weather
⏱ about 15 min

Wednesday: Build a Flood Wall

Raven builds a tiny town in a baking pan. Rocket pours water at one end. Splash! The little houses get soaked.

"Oops," Rocket says. "How do we keep the town dry?"

Raven points at the water. "What do you notice? It all rushes one way."

Nova hovers over the pan. "Try building something in its path," she says.

Your investigation

You are the engineer. Your problem is flood water reaching a house.

Criteria: the house stays as dry as possible.

Constraints: use only the materials below. You get one cup of water per test.

  • A baking pan or plastic tub with sides
  • A small block or toy to be the house
  • Modeling clay
  • Aluminum foil
  • A cup of water
  • Paper towels
Safety first
Work on a table that can get wet, or put a towel underneath.
Wipe up spills right away so no one slips.
Ask a grown-up before using a baking pan.
  1. Put the house in the middle of the pan.
  2. Test 1: pour the cup of water slowly at one end. Look at the house.
  3. Dry the pan and the house with paper towels.
  4. Build a wall of clay or foil between the water end and the house.
  5. Test 2: pour the same cup of water the same way.
  6. Compare the two tests. Then improve your wall and test again.
MAKE A PREDICTION
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Which test do you predict will keep the house drier?
Why pour the same cup of water the same way each time?
TestWall usedDid the house get wet? (yes, a little, no)
1No wall
2
3 (improved)
Engineer ideaTrue or false?
Criteria tell what a design must do.?
Constraints are limits, like which materials you may use.?
Engineers test only once and never improve.?
WHY THIS EXERCISEEngineers set criteria and constraints, then test and improve.

Compare your tests

Look at your table. Did the house stay drier with a wall?

Which material held back more water, clay or foil?

Even a good wall may let some water through. That is useful evidence too.

FLOOD WALL THINKING
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Water sneaks around the end of your wall. What could you change?
What was the one thing you changed between Test 1 and Test 2?
What do engineers do after a test? Type one word.
WHY THIS EXERCISEEngineers test, then improve the design and test again.

Great engineering! Tomorrow we see how real towns hold back floods.

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