Design Projects Database

Tower of Pulp

money clock

Project Description

For this project, students are given two full sheets of newspaper and two feet of masking tape and are asked to build the tallest possible tower.

Hand out the rules and the materials at the beginning of the class period, and give students 10 to 15 minutes to complete the towers. When the time is up, measure all towers. Towers must be freestanding, that is, not taped to the floor, and not being touched by the students at the time of measurement. The height of the tower is measured from the floor to the highest point, and is rounded to the nearest inch. Make sure to do this activity in a room with high ceilings; a good tower can exceed 8 feet, and it is important that the tower height be limited by the students and the materials, and not the room.

Encourage students to think creatively and use time wisely. Solid construction tends to be the key to success in this activity, since most students come up with very similar ideas.

Because this activity is so quick, it is particularly suited for redesign, and can be done two or even three times in the same class period. Calculate the average height on each of the trials, and see how the class improves. Try to find a material limit. Discuss what separates a good tower from a bad one; it is almost guaranteed to be construction rather than design.

Materials

Instructor Time

This activity requires little instructor time. Make sure to have enough newspaper and tape. It is useful to have the paper separated and the tape cut ahead of time, although you can cut tape for each student or group if the class is small. If the class is large, consider the logistics of getting materials to all students or groups. Be sure to have a clock, timer, or stopwatch to ensure that students do not go over the allowed time; enough tape measures for all course staff; and a small prize for the winning tower. Record the heights on a chalkboard or butcher paper, or, if the class is big, have the students fill out a card with their names in advance, and record the height and collect the card when the tower is measured. Like most in-class activities, grades based on participation only are recommended.

Variations

This project is appropriate for the following variations (most are described in the section how to make design projects more meaningful):

Project Source

Experiences in Visual Thinking (2nd Ed.) by Robert H. McKim, Stanford University.



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