THE EGG LAUNCH
I use this activity at the end of a decision-making workshop that I deliver to grade 5-11 students. The idea is to see how many of the decision-making steps they actually use in this process. I introduce it only as a “fun” activity to end the workshop – I do not connect it to the workshop content (decision-making) until after the activity is completed. Students rarely make the connection between the workshop content and the activity until it is brought to their attention.
Age group: IPL and grades 5 – 11, Adult Ed.
Time required: 1 hour
Group activity: Group should be divided into teams of 4-5 students
Items required per group :
1 egg (a must for all groups)
2 styrofoam cups
5 popsicle sticks
1 metre of string
1 metre of masking tape
10 cotton balls
1 clear plastic bag (vegetable bags in grocery stores)
5 straws
5 elastic bands
Each group chooses 6 of the items from the above 8 to construct a launch capsule (protective shelter) for their egg. The capsule will be dropped from a second story window (or balcony, etc.) – your goal is that the egg neither break, nor crack when dropped.
The items you choose are all that you get – no use of other items in the making of your capsule!
* You can make this activity more challenging by saying, “no parachutes allowed"
Activity Follow-up Questions
How did you come to your final decision (with regard to how the capsule would be constructed?)?
Did everybody in the group participate? Explain…
What were some of the “helpful” behaviours that you experienced in your group (without mentioning any names)?
What were some of the “hindering” behaviours that you experienced in your group (without mentioning any names)?
Did anyone feel frustrated?
What was the most difficult part of accomplishing this task?
Did any of you use and follow the steps in the decision-making process? Discuss.
Do you think that by following the steps in the decision-making process, your outcome could have been different?
Patty Arnold - Riverside School Board