Egg Drop Challenge

Zabrina Walker

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Egg Drop Challenge

Apply engineering principles

In this lesson, students will use engineering principles to design a contraption that can protect an egg from breaking when dropped from a height. This challenge encourages creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork.

Audience

Contenders (ages 11-12)

Time

1 hour

Approach

Apply engineering principles

Materials

Eggs (one per group), Various materials for building (e.g., straws, tape, cardboard, bubble wrap), Scissors, Measuring tape, Plastic bags (for clean-up), Worksheet, and Discussion Guide

Step 1

Introduction

10 mins

Briefly explain the objective: to design a contraption that will prevent an egg from breaking when dropped from a height.
Discuss basic engineering principles that might help (e.g., distribution of impact, cushioning).
Divide students into small groups.

Step 2

Design Phase

10 mins

Each group brainstorms ideas and sketches their design.
Encourage groups to consider materials and how they'll use them to protect their egg.

Step 3

Building Phase

20 mins

Groups build their contraptions using the provided materials.
Circulate the room to provide guidance, ask probing questions, and encourage collaboration.

Step 4

Testing Phase

10 mins

One by one, groups drop their contraptions from a pre-determined height.
Observe and record whether the egg breaks or survives.

Step 5

Discussion & Reflection

10 mins

Gather students for a discussion on what worked and what didn't.
Use the provided Discussion Guide to facilitate a conversation on the engineering principles observed.
Encourage students to think about what they would do differently next time.

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Discussion

Egg Drop Discussion

A discussion to reflect on the engineering principles observed and the success of various designs.

What strategies did you use in your design?

Encourage students to share what specific elements they focused on (e.g., cushioning, dispersion).

Why do you think some designs were more successful than others?

Guide the discussion towards understanding the principles of impact distribution, stability, and cushioning.

What would you do differently if you were to do this challenge again?

Encourage reflection on learning from failures and continuous improvement.

How can these engineering principles be applied in real life?

Help students make connections between the activity and real-world applications (e.g., car design, packaging).

Worksheet

Egg Drop Worksheet

A worksheet to help students plan their design and reflect on the activity.

Sketch your initial design idea.

Use the space provided to draw your design and label the materials you'll use.

List the materials you used in your design.

Be specific about quantities and types of materials.

Explain how your design will protect the egg.

Describe the engineering principles you'll rely on (e.g., cushioning, shock absorption).

Reflect on the outcome. Did your egg survive? Why or why not?

Think about what worked well and what could be improved.

What changes would you make to your design based on what you learned?

Reflect on how you might modify your approach for better results in the future.