Amateur Architects: After school Reflection: Highlander

Amateur Architects

Amateur Architects was an after school program during session 3 for grades 5 through 8. Students explored basic and creative building projects using various reusable and recycled materials. They were given opportunities to use skills such as trial and error, problem solving, physics, and teamwork while completing all of their challenges. 

Below is a breakdown of the activities completed during Amateur Architects.

Week 1: Cup Stacking and Building with Cards

Materials Used: Dixie Cups and cards and fasteners 

Students were challenged to see who could build the tallest towers out of cards and cups. They experimented with different ways to build towers that would not fall as they got taller.

Week 2: Parachutes and Catapults

Parachute Materials Used: coffee filters, pipe cleaners, shoelaces, yarn, jewelry boxes, foam shapes

Catapults Materials Used: jewelry boxes, spoons, rubber bands, bottle caps, cardboard tubes, popsicle sticks 

Students were challenged to make parachutes that would fall straight down from the height of a chair. They were also challenged to build catapults that could fling a small foam circle.

Week 3: Marble Rollercoasters

Materials Used: Marble, foam insulation cut in half for the tracks, masking tape, cardboard tubes, shoe lace string, two folding chairs 

Students were given the challenge to build a rollercoaster in the hallway. Once they created their first rollercoaster they were then given the challenge to add loops, hills, and corkscrews

Week 4: Marshmallows and Toothpicks

Materials Used: Marshmallows, Toothpicks and paper plates

Students were given the directions that they were going to be given marshmallows and toothpicks and then they had to build the biggest tower they could with the materials provided. Students were given ten minutes to sketch out their ideas in their group of how they were going to build their tower before they were given their materials.

Week 5: Newspaper Bridges

Materials Used: newspaper and masking tape

After a five minute group planning time students were given the direction to build a bridge strong enough to hold at least four textbooks between two desks.

Week 6 and 7: Popsicle Bridges

Materials Used: popsicle sticks (large size), hot glue gun, newspaper

After being given fifteen minutes of group planning students were told that they were to build a bridge at least 12 inches long that could hold as much weight as possible. We then tested the bridges to see how many textbooks the bridge could hold between two desks before snapping or falling.