For this assignment we had to create a tower made up of 10 pieces of newspaper and 50 cm of tape. The goal was to create the tallest tower, that could hold a golf ball at the top.

For this assignment we had to create a container that would protect a raw egg from a 18 meter drop. Each group was provided with an egg, one piece of newspaper, one foot of tape, and one square of cardboard. We could also select 2 of the following materials: one sheet of paper, 1 more foot of tape, 3 straws, and 4 popsicle sticks. My partner and I chose the straws and popsicle sticks.

Curricular response

Through engaging in practical activities (such as the egg drop experiment and golf ball tower challenge), I was able to expand my knowledge and better comprehend the scientific method. I had very little to no experience of the scientific method prior to conducting these tests. I was aware of formulating a hypothesis and testing it, but I was not entirely knowledgeable about the five steps (recognizing a problem, creating a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis, perform the experiment, and make a conclusion). Im now completely aware.

Core competency self assessment and creative thinking

I am most proud of the golf ball tower challenge. My partner and I ended up very successful with this lab. Our structure had a nice, sturdy base, and it ended up being 5’7. A challenge we faced was having a weak and flimsy structure. We fixed this by added an extra piece of support made up of rolled up paper, and adding tape to the weak spots. I had no problem understanding the scientific method while doing these labs. Participating in a hands on activity (egg drop experiment and golf ball tower challenge) broadened my knowledge and helped me to fully understand. I demonstrated that I can create new things by participating in two experiments that I have never done before. I demonstrated that I can build on the ideas of others by working with and listening to my partner, while also incorporating both of our ideas. When trying new things, I expect setbacks and failure. and use them to develop my ideas. An example of this from the scientific method labs would be redoing our egg drop container. After creating a container, my partner and I realized that it would not be strong enough, or have enough cushioning to withstand an 18 meter drop. We then attempted to make a stronger container.