Lesson Activity
Title
ID Number
Sequence and
Duration
Age Level
Essential
Question
Learning
Objectives
Other Objectives
Key Terms
Materials Needed
Lead In
Activity
Index Card Tower (35-40 minutes)
HS-E-C2
• Lead In: 5 minutes
• Activity: 20 minutes
• Closure: 10-15 minutes
High School
How does the manipulation of index card shape and size engineer a
stronger tower?
TSW design and construct a tower made of index cards.
TSW manipulate individual index cards to various shapes and
sizes with folds and cuts to maximize the strength and
efficiency of their tower.
• TSW compare their index card tower to those of their peers
and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each.
• TSW develop a working plan with their group to develop a
cooperative environment.
• TSW communicate with their group by contributing their vocal
input.
• None
Per Group
• Stopwatch
• Measuring Tape
• Sturdy wooden or plastic clipboard
• Textbooks
• Scale
Per Student
• Handout: MESA Notebook
Per Team of 2-3 Students
• Handout: Index Card Tower Design Competition
• 100 Index Cards
1. Pass out the MESA Notebook handout. (If necessary, tell
students that they will be completing this handout for each
MESA activity. Tell them you will guide them through the
handout today.)
2. Pass out Handout: Index Card Tower Design.
3. Read handout with students and have them re-tell you the
activity in their own words. Check for understanding and ask
if they have any questions.
4. Show the students the clipboard that will be used to test their
towers so they have a general understanding of how it will be
tested. Tell them that textbooks will be placed on top of the
clipboard.
5. Tell students they have 20 minutes to construct their tower
using only the index cards.
1. Begin time using stopwatch and monitor student progress.
Check to make sure they are only using the index cards. Ask
•
•
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Closure
Informal
Assessment
Formal
Assessment
Extensions
questions to guide them toward manipulation of cards using
tears and folds.
2. After 20 minutes, call time.
3. Have each team look at the towers of other teams. As a
group, hypothesize about which tower they think will be the
strongest. Discuss predictions and make references to
structural design and engineering.
4. Put the clipboard on top of each tower. Begin stacking books
until the tower collapses.
5. Find the weight of the clipboard and the textbooks. Use the
simple scoring formula at the bottom of the handout to find
out which team has the best design.
6. Clean up.
1. Tell students to take out their MESA Notebook handout.
2. Review the basic sections of the handout to familiarize
students with layout.
3. Ask students, “What was the purpose of the activity today?
What were we trying to accomplish?” Solicit answers. Tell
them that each activity should have a purpose. Generate a
general purpose on the board that the students agree on. Ex:
The purpose of this activity is to construct a tower out of
index cards. Tell students to write this in the ‘purpose’
section of their notebook.
4. Now, tell students to fill in the materials used section. “What
materials did you use to complete this activity?” Have
students complete ‘materials used’ section.
5. Point to the ‘procedure’ section and explain that this is where
a chunk of their Notebook is. The procedure section is a step
by step reflection of what the student did to accomplish the
activity. It should be in sequential order and written toward a
general audience. Tell students to be as thorough as possible.
For example, “My team got the index cards. We discussed
how we were going to make the base of the tower. We began
the base using 10 index cards. We added a second layer using
8 cards. Etc.
6. The last section is the ‘conclusion’ section. Tell students that
the advisor will be writing a conclusion question for each
activity. They will answer this question in the ‘conclusion’
section. Write the following question on the board, “How does
the manipulation of index card shape and size engineer a
stronger tower?” Tell them to use what they learned from the
activity to answer this question.
*Note: Students may complete the ‘Procedure’ and ‘Conclusion’
section of the MESA Notebook at home before the next MESA meeting
if time is an issue.
• Monitor students to check for understanding.
• Monitor students to check for participation.
•
•
•
Completed Index Card Tower.
Completed MESA Notebook (They may complete this before the
next MESA meeting).
Use activity to demonstrate Newton’s 3rd law to explain the
interactions of forces between bodies. [If the force exerted
by the books down on the tower is greater than the force
exerted by the tower up on the books, the tower will
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collapse.]
Trouble Shooting
SEI Strategies Used
•
•
•
Make sure students understand the rules for this activity.
Reset scale after each weighing of clipboard and textbooks.
Make sure all students participate in clean up.
Preparation
Adaptation of Content
Links to Background
Links to Past Learning
Strategies incorporated
Scaffolding
Modeling
Guided practice
Independent practice
Comprehensible input
Grouping Options
Whole class
Small groups
Partners
Independent
Integration of Processes
Reading
Writing
Speaking
Listening
Application
Hands-on
Meaningful
Linked to objectives
Promotes engagement
Assessment
Individual
Group
Written
Oral
Arizona Math
Standards
Addressed
Arizona Science
Standards
Addressed
•
(none)
•
S2C2: TSW design and conduct a controlled investigation and record
observations, notes, sketches, and ideas using tools such as a journal.
S1C4: TSW communicate the results of an investigation.
•
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Team Members:____________________________________
Index Card Tower Design Competition
Goal:
Your team will build a tower that carries the greatest amount of
weight using the least amount of index cards.
You will work in teams of 2-3 students and must build a tower that
is at least 11 inches tall. Your team will get 100 index cards. You
do not have to use all the cards; in fact, you want to construct a
strong tower using the least amount of cards.
The cards can be cut, folded, and twisted to achieve your tower
goals. You may not use glue, staples, fasteners, tape, or other
binding materials in your tower.
Team Materials:
100 3” x 5” Index Cards
Instructions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Read Index Card Tower Design Competition Handout.
Ask questions to make sure you understand the rules.
Get supplies.
Your team has 20 minutes to construct the tower.
When time is up, clean up your area and wait for your tower
to be tested.
Competition:
A piece of ¼” plywood will be put on top of your tower. Books will
be stacked on the plywood until the tower collapses. When the
tower collapses, your team and advisor will find the total weight of
the plywood, books, and index cards. Using the simple formula
below, your team will find the weight carried per card. The team
with the most weight per card calculation has built the strongest
tower.
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Total weight of clipboard, textbooks, and index cards =
Total number of index cards
____________________ =
weight / card
gram/card
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