A+Strong+Notecard

Who ever said a note card was strong? My classroom and I were about to find out how strong a note card could truly be. Do you think 6 note cards could hold a lot of weight? What about your body weight?

In small groups, my class created structures out of 6 note cards and tape. The instructions were simple. The groups were to construct a figure to hold as much weight as possible. We had a contest to see which group's figure held the most weight. We tested it on a machine that pushes down on the figure and calculates how much weight the figure can hold.

The students had to think about area. If they had a tiny structure that was thin, the structure quickly crumbled. They realized they needed to make their structure thick but also cover a larger area at the same time.

Below are a few pictures of a 2 structures that held different amounts of weight.

This first image held 176 pounds: This second image held 335 pounds: The kids were fascinated with this process and this activity help gain their interest in math and science. It honestly surprised me that these structures could hold many people's body weight. This was a learning experience for all of us - no one ever said teachers couldn't learn too!!