AQUiLA MAGAZINE
FRIENDSHIP GIANTS !
Think Fast ! BUILD FAST !
HARVEY ’ S MISSION
Hey there , budding architects and engineers ! Now ’ s your chance to show us what you ’ ve got ! Your challenge is to build the tallest newspaper tower you can – but there ’ s a catch ! It has to be completely stable , self-supporting and wind resistant . This particular task is usually known in the design technology world as a ‘ fast thinker ’ because the materials you use will be limited and there will be a strict time limit in which to complete the activity . Are you ready ? Put on your hard hat and let ’ s begin !
ACTIVITY SKILLS
1 hour
GET STARTED
STEP 1 :
DIFFICULTY
In 15 minutes , teams must discuss Harvey ’ s mission and suggest ideas for solving this challenge . It might help to look at some examples of giant towers – Eiffel Tower , Space Needle ( USA ), CN Tower ( Canada ) and Sky Tower ( New Zealand ). Make some quick design sketches . Add labels to show parts and how they will be fixed together .
STEP 2 :
Gather the permitted materials together ready to start . Assign tasks to members of the team . There needs to be a clear strategy .
HARVEY ’ S HANDY HINTS :
– Paper bends easily – it ’ s a flexible material . Folding paper makes it more rigid
– The tower needs to be self-supporting so think carefully about the shape and strength of the base
– Rounded surfaces will deflect wind resistance better than flat surfaces – Some joints may be stronger bound with string
YOU WILL NEED
o People ! This is a collaborative activity – set up a number of groups with 2 / 3 people in each team so that you can bounce ideas off each other
o Sheets of newspaper o Sticky tape o String o Scissors o Pencils o Metre stick / tape measure o Stopwatch / clock o Fan / hairdryer
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