Plan
- Do you want to do this Adventure indoors, outdoors or at camp? Where will you have sand and dirt to use?
- Doing the Adventure outside on pavement, grass, or a tarp will make cleanup easier.
- Some of your buildings may need extra time to dry. When will you have your build phase? Your test phase?
- What kinds of materials are used to make buildings?
- What kinds of things do engineers have to think about when designing buildings?
- Why do you think engineers use different materials for different projects?
- What materials will you use to make your buildings?
- Do you want to do this Adventure alone or in pairs?
Do
Activity #1: Build it!
- Mix glue, sand, dirt, gravel and water to make different building materials.
- Make two houses out of each material.
- Set any buildings using glue aside to dry.
Activity #2: Test it!
- Before you start your tests, make sure any buildings using glue are completely dry.
- Which building holds up best under rain? What happens to the building under the rain?
- Which building holds up best against wind?
- Which building is the strongest? What if something drops on it?
Review
- What do you know now that you did not know before?
- How did you work together to build your houses?
- Which house was the best? How do you know it was the best?
- What shapes were the strongest?
- How could you use what you learned at camp?
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Remember to submit your activities on our Scouts for Sustainability Take Action Map
Materials
For each builder/pair of builders:
- 6-8 bathroom-sized paper cups (“Dixie” cups)
- 1 small bowl for mixing ingredients
- White glue
- Water
- Plastic spoons (about teaspoon-sized)
For everyone:
- Access to sand, dirt and gravel
- Markers or crayons
- Watering can
- Hair dryer
- Books and bricks to test the strength of the houses
- 1 can of non-stick cooking spray
- Safety glasses
Keep it Simple
- Try building three houses out of the materials that the three little pigs used! Build one house using straw (or hay), one using sticks and one using stones! Is there a way that you can make a sturdy house using straw?
Take it Further
- What else could you build using weird materials? Try building a bridge out of spaghetti or a chair out of paper!
