This week we looked at the work of the engineer Gustave Eiffel. We discussed who had visited or been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. We looked at its construction and marvelled at this feat of engineering that was constructed in the 1800’s without the aid of modern technology or up to the minute CAD technology. The pupils were really curious as to how people get to the top and were amazed to discover that there are lifts running up the inside of the framework. We discussed how the base of the tower was shaped for the best stability.
Following that, the pupils split into two teams and were tasked with designing and building their own tower. One team had spaghetti and marshmallows and one team had cocktail sticks and midget gems. They worked really co-operatively to make a stable structure and all of them participated enthusiastically in the task under the watchful eye of the STEM ambassadors.
It was really hard to judge an overall winner as the ‘spaghetti’ team had the tallest tower and the ‘cocktail stick’ team had the most stable, so stickers were given to all and they got to eat the left-over marshmallows and midget gems!
Jack said ‘triangles and pyramids are always strong and are nearly unbreakable’. This appeared to be true as they demonstrated throwing the pyramid part of their structure around the hall and it held together really well.
