K - 2 Enrichment Class with Mrs. Decker
January Lesson: Structural Design
This month’s challenge was to design an igloo or some other type of structure that would provide shelter for their Snow Yeti. The focus was on design, with an emphasis on solid foundations, proper support, and how various shapes and angles affect the strength and sturdiness of a build. We discussed the design of a dome-shaped structure and how an igloo might be a very practical choice for their Yeti. We talked about how various types of builds might hold up to nature: winds, rain, storms, earthquakes, etc. The students then got to decide which type of structure they wanted to design and build, but with the limited building materials of marshmallows, cotton balls, toothpicks and popsicle sticks! It was quite a challenge, but very entertaining, and a little bit sticky!
