Last Tuesday, the girls returned to the Discovery Science and Technology Centre, eager to
tackle their latest challenge: constructing a tall building that could support a pound weight
(about 450 grams). The excitement was palpable as they prepared to delve into tower
construction techniques.
The session began with a balancing experiment. In pairs, the girls took turns balancing a
ruler on their fingers, laughter erupting as they struggled to keep it steady. When a blob of
blue tack was added at various points along the ruler, the task became even trickier. It
looked like a seesaw as they moved the blue tack closer to the end, causing the ruler to
wobble dramatically.
Next, they cut out different shapes and attempted to balance them on a pencil. Most of the
girls successfully balanced the duck and heart shapes on the flat end, though the challenge
intensified when they tried to balance the same shapes on the pencil tip. Some girls
thought creatively, using innovative solutions that exceeded expectations. The thrill of
achieving balance filled the room with cheers and laughter.
With newfound knowledge of cantilever shapes, the girls received various timber pieces and
set to work building the tallest odd-shaped structures they could muster. Giggles filled the
room as their creations swayed precariously. “It’s like the Tower of Pisa!” one girl
exclaimed, as her structure leaned alarmingly, but somehow stayed upright.
The grand finale involved using just paper, straws, and masking tape to construct towering
structures that could support a pound weight without collapsing. The girls cheered each
other on, their innovative ideas shining through as they built impressive creations ranging
from 19 cm to 30 cm tall, proving that teamwork and creativity could elevate both their
spirits and their structures!
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