Jack and the BeanstalkEngineering a tower

Does anyone know what happens at the end of this fairytale?

Jack chops

down the

beanstalk!

Jack wants to return to the giant’s castle but it will take too long to grown another beanstalk.

So, he decides to build his own beanstalk tower.

Hmmmmm…

What makes a good beanstalk?

Jack noticed that beans grow…Attached to a trellis Climbing up poles

Tied to a trellis Coiling around a pole

Jack’s design:

• Flexible vine

• Coiling shape

• Supports

• Ties

• Rooted in ground

Jack is ready to design a beanstalk. He will need:

3 green pipe cleanersA styrofoam baseA small paper cupSome beans for weights

For teachers only: First, encourage students to connect their three pipe

cleaners to create one long beanstalk; Create a spring/coil with the giant pipecleaner Stick one end into the styrofoam base and place the paper

cup atop the coil; Add beans to cup and watch coil collapse Ask students “how can we support the coil”. Remind them

of the images of the beanstalk growing up poles. Provide the bamboo skewers; insert inside the coil so that

they push outwards and hold coil upright Place paper cup atop the coil (do not allow skewers to

support the cup) and add beans, again The coil should collapse somewhat Ask students “how can we stabilize the coil”. Remind them

of the images of the beanstalk tied or tethered to trellis. Provide small pieces of twisty ties or thin pipe cleaners

which they can use to tie the coil to the skewers Repeat the experiment adding beans to the cup. The

beanstalk coil should be stable now.

Sample of beanstalk design:

Anchored in styrofoam

Stabilized by tying to skewers

Supported by skewers

Jack discovered:

Foundation helps anchor the design

Framework is basis of structure

Tethering helps to stabilize the design

Now, Jack wants to use what he learned from constructing and testing his beanstalk to engineer a more stable tower.

Hmmmmm…

What makes a good tower?

What kind of tower should he build?

Jack notices that many towers have a triangular shape.

Pointy at the top

Wider at the base

Have floors

Have X supports

Jack designs a simple framework

Tripod Pyramid

The following can be done as a teacher demonstration or by the students themselves:

Using 3 pipe cleaners create a simple tripod leaving ~1 inch above where you connect them at the top.

Stand upright and set the paper cup atop the tripod.

Add beans and watch the legs splay apart.

Ask students “how can we prevent this? What did the beanstalk teach us?”

Students may suggest using a 4 legged structure; if so, repeat with a 4th pipe cleaner added

Encourage students to remember the foundation. Ask students “how can we anchor the towers legs?”

Legs can be anchored in styrofoam or by attaching them to each other with pipe cleaners. Once the tripod/quadropod is anchored at the base, test to see if it can hold any beans without splaying.

The pipe cleaner tower will not splay, but it may bend or twist. Ask students what they suggest to remedy this problem.

Stabilize the tripod/quadropod by tethering it to itself at different levels/elevations using pipecleaners.

Retest with beans.

Jack is ready to design a tower. He will need: Straws

Pipe cleaners

Popsicle sticks

Tape

Pressed foam sheet

Styrofoam saucers

How much weight can it hold?

Place a cup on top of your frame and see how many beans it can hold.

Oops! Jack discovers why a foundation or base is important.

Jack tests different bases and frames:

Jack discovers:

• Towers can twist!

• Tethering helps reinforce and support the structure.

http://www.cellphonehits.net/240x320-collapse-wallpaper/eiffel-tower-collapsing/

My tower is better than yours!

Created by S. Kezios, PhD

This presentation is part of the UNCW Engineering Explorations curriculum for lower elementary grades.

For use other than your personal classroom, please contact:

kezioss@uncw.edu