Champions Build Mini Elevators!

Today students engineered a one-foot tall elevator that could pull up to five small weights (washers). First we participated in a V.T.S. activity looking at various pulley systems.
Next we went over some key vocabulary such as "lift", "pulley system", "counter weight" and "cable".  We also watched a short video clip of the science behind the elevator:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2duEzrOS6M

Then the students were presented with the following design challenge:

• Your engineering challenge today is to build a one-foot tall Lego structure that has a pulley system that can elevate five small washer weights. Materials to use are a bag of Lego's, two feet of string, a paper clip and a ruler.

Students talked about their design ideas and did a short amount of research on their net-books before building. 

Then it was time to build, test and modify to reach "Success!"!

Most students were able to engineer a solid structure that could pull up the goal of five small weights. Our last step was writing a reflection of what they engineered, how it performed, and what they learned from this activity. 

Well done Champions!