2.5 Clay Structures

New Class of Astronauts!

Intro to STEAM

2.5 Clay Structures

What's the Plan?

Learning Objectives:

• analyze some properties of clay and water
• predict how clay will react in water
• construct a clay structure following requirements and constraints
• modify a design based on the results of testing
• experiment with different shapes to create a working design

Vocabulary:

• adhere
• Archimedes' Principle
• buoyancy
• density
• buoyant force

Materials:

• clay
• marbles
• bucket with lid
• workbook
• towel
• craft supplies

Who has tried to do a handstand in the pool?

Is it easier to do a handstand in the water or on land? Why?

Buoyancy in action!

Bouyancy :

The tendency of an object to float or to rise when submerged in a fluid.

TOday's CHallenge:

Gather your materials.

Adhere :

To follow or stick to the given guidelines. Which design process are we using today?

Test out your clay!

Pick any color and without changing its shape, drop it carefully into your bucket of water.Did it float or sink?

Archimedes Principle :

When an object is submerged in water, it displaces an amount of water according to its mass. It is the principle that tells us whether something will sink or float based on its density.

What happened to the water when you put the clay in?

Density:

The amount of mass in an object per unit of volume.

Which object is more dense?

Why does ice float?

Ice is solid and heavy. Why does it float in water?

Why does ice float?

Step 1: Identify the Problem

You are tasked with creating a structure that will float in water, and hold 15 marbles.

Why are improvements important as a STEAM designer?

Bouyant Force:

The upward force exerted by a fluid on a submerged object due to differences in pressure. What happens if you tried to push a ping pong ball down in water?

Step 2: Brainstorm

Consider the following questions:

• What shapes float in water?

• What do items that float in water have in common?
• How big of a structure do I need to build to hold all 15 marbles?

How can you create a structure with bouyant force to stay afloat?

Step 3: Design

Today, as you design, you will be creating sample shapes to see how they may work. As you design shapes out of clay, you will test whether they float during the design stage. Fill up your bucket with water. Bring a towel to your workspace to dry off your clay or to clean up any spills.

Unfolded

Think of how these float.

• Air
• Shape
• Density

TO DO:

• Build your clay structure.
• Test your structure.

• If it holds 15 marbles:
• Share your design with us!

• If it did not hold 15 marbles:
• Redesign and test again.

Go Forth and Build! -Must hold 15 marbles & float.

How'd you do?

Looking Ahead!

Materials:

Lesson Preview:

Next Class:

Friday

• None

Biomimicry