Tell students that they will build a structure large enough for at least one student to get into (and might fit more). Their structure, however, will only be made from newspaper and tape, and must stand up on its own.
Students work in groups of two, three or four.
Rod preparation
Show students how to make newspaper rods:
Roll a sheet of newspaper tightly around a plastic/wooden rod. (Photo 1.) Use three small pieces of masking tape to secure the ends and centre of the newspaper so that it forms a rod. Remove the plastic/wooden rod from inside the newspaper roll.
The newspaper can be rolled along its length, or rolling diagonally makes longer rods. Make sure the rod is not rolled up inside (keep moving it to keep one end sticking out).
For making larger structures, optionally make a supply of rods as a class before the building day. Students add to a common bin of rods. For large structures, the class needs about 50 rods for each group of four students.
Students may figure out how to join their rods, or show them:
Flatten the ends of two newspaper rods. Hold the flat faces tightly together and bind them tightly with masking tape, to make a strong and flexible joint (see photo 2)
Two students working on a joint together will allow the strongest joints to be made, as some hand strength and coordination is needed.
Often during the Big Build, additional rods will be added to the joint. The end of these additional rods should also be flattened and added to the stack of flat rod-ends, then taped tightly.
As more weight is added to their structure, weak joints will not support the load. Strong individual joints will ensure success of their larger structure as they build it.
Highlight strong shapes that can be used for the Big Build
Depending on whether students are already familiar with the superior strength of a triangle in structures, review or introduce this concept.
Ask students to build a triangle from three newspaper rods, assembling the joints as demonstrated above. See photo 3. Ask them to feel how strong the triangle is. If there is weakness, point out the most likely source: a joint that is not flat and bound tightly with tape. Check and assist in the students’ work to ensure strong, flat joints.
Big Build!
Once students are confident in joining rods together and in building strong triangles, let the Big Build begin!
Allow a morning (or longer) for students to work on their structures. Assist where needed, but make sure the students are designing and building their own structures as much as possible. Groups can borrow ideas from each other. Once the frame is in place, students may want to add a skin of a single sheet of newspaper.
