Third Graders Engineer Houses to Withstand Windstorms

Third graders had a science lesson all about strong winds and big storms! For their main project, called "Design a Windproof House," they got to be engineers. First, they built little houses out of paper. Working together in pairs, they used special supplies (like toothpicks, tape, and paperclips) to make their houses strong and sturdy. They came up with lots of creative ideas and worked as a team to see which ideas were best. Then came the big test: a fan blew air at the houses to see if the structures could withstand the big blow! This activity was a wonderful way for them to understand more deeply the impact that storms can have on communities, while practicing the skills of working together, sharing ideas, and being creative.