EYE LEGO Engineering Design Challenge: DROP TEST

Challenge: Combine exactly 20 LEGO bricks together so that when dropped from a defined height they do not break apart. 

Engineering Goals: 

• Figure out what configuration of pieces withstands the drop the best. Students should discover that larger, flatter builds withstand the drop the easiest. This is because the force is distributed over a larger area making the overall force at each point in the design less.

Leader Instructions/Tips:  

• Make sure to give students the chance to iterate their design multiple times.
• Once a student is successful, raise the drop line and see how the design holds up.
• Each time a student creates a new design, ask them what they changed and why. 
• To avoid having LEGOs all over the floor, drop designs into a large plastic bin. This way when pieces shatter they remain in a container.