The Egg Drop Challenge
Students were then challenged to design a
way in which eggs can be dropped from a great
height without being broken. Only simple materials
such as newspaper, sticky tape, towels, cardboard,
plastic bags and string were made available, although
groups could improvise or use other materials.
Each group came up with a different
solution to this problem. One group surrounded its
egg with towels and cloth, so that when the egg
landed it would be sufficiently cushioned from the
ground. Another group designed a parachute like
contraption so that the egg would float to the ground.
Another group suspended their egg with string in a
box, so that the strings would act as shock absorbers
and absorb the jolt when the box landed on the
ground. One group inflated plastic bags around the
egg as a sort of air cushion. This activity caused a lot
of activity and interest. Some groups named their
eggs and added faces.
Once each group had finished their designs
it was time to test them. One member from each
group went to a high third story window; everyone
else went outside to watch the eggs land. Each egg
holder was dropped from the window onto a
specified target. Afterwards all the eggs were
examined for damage. The group who emerged with
an undamaged egg and who had been closest to the
target were declared the winners.