Mahopac Middle School technology teacher Luke Douglas recently put his sixth graders’ engineering knowledge into action with a hands-on challenge that required creativity and problem-solving. Using only paper and tape, students were tasked with designing and building a freestanding structure strong enough to hold one or more heavy textbooks.
After sketching ideas, constructing prototypes and refining their designs, students put their paper structures to the ultimate test. One by one, textbooks were stacked on top until each stand reached its limit. Most students succeeded in building structures that held at least one textbook, while some impressed their classmates by supporting multiple books before their creations finally buckled under the weight.
“This challenge gives students a real opportunity to experience the engineering design process,” Douglas said. “They have to plan, problem-solve, test and improve their designs, just like real engineers. Watching them think critically and get excited when their structures hold more weight than they expected is very rewarding.”
By combining ingenuity and trial and error, Mahopac’s young engineers are already learning that persistence and thoughtful design can turn even the simplest materials into something strong.
