Week Twenty- Seven -- Tools

Using tools from your toolbox, make a bridge that is 20 inches wide and 5 inches high. You may use one other item.

And, of course, you may use a ruler to measure but not in construction.

Good luck!

Now That's a Kid Who Can Think!

This picture came from Make. You can read the story here.

Week Twenty-Six -- Tremendous Trampolines

We got some great solutions this week! You all should be very proud of your ingenuity!

Mark did a magnificent job with his trampoline! He used a glass mason jar, an old sock, and rubberbands. You can see his video here.




Ellen did an excellent job! Ellen used a 1/2 cup measuring cup, covered it with a cut balloon, put felt and elastic on it and then had her little bear jumping on it.



Boo and Zee made a video of their solution! They did an amazing job using a balloon, a cup, and a 2 liter bottle. You can see their video here.

Snufkin and Moomintroll joined us again this week and did a superb job. Both were inspired by their old fashioned metal sprung beds and made rubber band bases before adding stretched fabric covers. Moomintroll used a parcel tape roll for his base, then added elastic bands and a handkerchief. Snufkin used a wooden box, tied round some string and then added rubber bands and a little scarf she wove herself for her doll. Both trampolines were very bouncy! Great work.

Week Twenty-Six -- Trampoline

Use any materials you would like to make a trampoline that is 6 inches or smaller in diameter. Test it. Will a ball bounce on it?

It is National Engineering Week

To find out more, click here. If you know of other resources, please share them with our readers by adding a comment below. Have a great week!

When you get a chance, check out the books, games, and contests that have been added to the right hand column.

As always, feedback is appreciated.

Beating Hearts --Week Twenty-five Solutions

According to Zee this was the hardest challenge ever but he did a magnificent job. You can read more about it here.

Week Twenty- Five -- Valentines Challenge

Make a heart using the following materials:

plastic tubing
straws
balloons
tape
markers
turkey baster(s)

Good luck! If your heart beats, videotape it and send the video with your pics.

Week Twenty Four -- Floating Fish

Zee did a magnificent job with this challenge! You can read about it here. Apparently, he also learned that pickles help stimulate creative thinking!





Molly, Brayden, Lore, Hailey, & Paige also took on the challenge this weekend.
The pieces of trash they chose were a plastic fake razor, a cork, pinecone, broken basket handle, and whipped topping container bottom. They did an absolutely awesome job and had lots of fun floating it in their school kitchen's sink.





Sebastian fetched two packets of tin foil, one 8-oz. tin can, a 16-oz. plastic bottle, and a cereal box from the trash bin. The bottle was his choice for the body, the box was cut into fins, the foil served as scales, and the can became the back end of the fish. He did a fantastic job!




H and T had 5 minutes to create their fish. From the recycling bin, they gathered a glass bottle and a jar, a plastic top, and two spaghetti boxes. The used one glass jar, two spaghetti boxes, the plastic top and some tape. It took 3 minutes. Marvelous job!




Another marvelous floating fish was submitted by Luke who used a milk jug and cereal boxes.



Vincent used a cat litter container and soda cans. Tremendous work Vincent!



Jonathan used a cereal box and water bottles. Spectacular!



Gerrick also made a fantastic floating fish. You can read about it here.




Tolly did a magnificent job with his fish. Read more about it here.




Calvin also did a tremendous job. He used a large styrofoam block, three lids (a mouth and two fins) and the elastic band, which he strapped onto the back of his fish to make a tail.




Beth did a beautiful job with her fish. She used a foil candy wrapper, a small box, a piece of advertising, a piece of aluminum foil and a soda can which turned out to make a great body. Way to go!

Week Twenty Four -- Trash

Tell your kids to pick 5 items out of the trash can. Don't tell them why until they have done so.

Then give them scissors, tape, and string and tell them to make a fish that will float. Test it and send in pics.

Here are some things created from trash -- there are lots of neat things out there, just google trash art!

Slippery Silverware -- Solutions

Lucy did a magnificent job with her silverware tower. It is very tall and, from the pictures, looks sturdy! Way to go Lucy!



Jake got his slippery silverware to tower 22 inches off the table. Magnificent!



Zee did a fantastic job with his tower too! To read more about it, click here.



T and H also did a wonderful job. Their tower was 12 inches high and 12 inches wide. There were lots of iterations of it. Here are a few pics.




Sebastian used all 24 utensils in his 10.5" structure. Magnificent!



An entire kindergarten class undertook this challenge and here's what they came up with. Amazing!