Lego Team Challenge!

Starting last Friday, and finishing today, the class took on a challenge to build the tallest and sturdiest structure using nothing but Legos, teamwork, and their engineering know-how.   

After getting into teams, they assigned each member a role. Only one person on each team could get the Legos out of the bin, and that person could not build.  The rest were builders. We quickly learned that getting the right materials for the job is a kind of important... :) 

Forming a game plan...

 

 Discussing a strategy...

 Building begins...

 Picking the right pieces...

 Testing the structure for sturdiness...

 Rethinking plans...

Winner: Sturdiest Base 

 ...and the only one to use outriggers!

 Winner: Tallest Structure

Winner: Most Creative Structure

 And because Legos are so much fun....

 MY STRUCTURE!  I am waiting for my appeal to go through...

Not Your Mother's Scavenger Hunt...

      And so begins the next adventure in third grade, Inventions that Changed the World!  Today we kicked off our entry point with a scavenger hunt that would make the people at Microsoft cheer with joy.  Using iPads, QR codes, websites, clues, and teamwork, each homeroom got into groups of three or four and traveled around the Lower School learning about 6 different inventors and their most famous inventions.  Needless to say, the children (and teachers) are ready and raring to dive into our next unit!  Here are some pictures from the day, enjoy!

But first, two quotes:

The best way to predict the future is to invent it. - Alan Kay

To invent, all you need is a good imagination and a pile of junk. - Thomas Edison