High Ball
Your problem is to support any of these balls as high above the floor as you can, using only the materials provided.
Time:
You have 10 minutes to create a solution. You will be warned when there are 3 minutes, 2 minutes and 1 minute and when there are 30 seconds left. You may ask the judges questions and talk to each other at any time; however, time will continue.
Supplies:
One ping pong ball, one tennis ball, and one golf ball
A pair of scissors and the following materials:
2 sheets plain paper
6 mailing labels
3 plastic cups
4 paper clips
1 paper plate
1 string, 12"
3 pipe cleaners
10 straws
10 toothpicks
Set-up:
Tape a 36" x 36" square about 18" from the wall.
Rules:
You will use these materials to solve the problem. The scissors cannot be part of your solution. You will be given a ping-pong ball, tennis ball and a golf ball.
The ball will be measured from where it rests when time ends or when the teams asks for it to be measured.
There is a taped square on the floor. Your solution cannot touch anything other than the floor within the square.
You may stop and be scored before time ends; however, once you say you want to be scored, you cannot touch your solution again.
Scoring:
Your solution will be measured from the floor to the top of the ball that it supports.
If it supports the ping-pong ball, you will receive 1 point for each inch
For the tennis ball, you will receive 2 points per inch
For the golf ball, you will receive 3 points per inch.
You will also receive:
1 to 15 points for how well you work together
1 to 15 points for the creativity of your solution.
Debriefing:
Would it have been better to focus on height with a lighter ball, or use a heavier ball?
Could the balls have been altered?
Was the structure well designed for its task?
Did the team use materials effectively?
What would you do differently if you did it again?