Middle School Students Make Egg-Cellent Engineers

The mission: To design a traveling device that housed a raw egg to be dropped from an announcement tower onto the turf with the ultimate goal of having the egg survive the trip.

The materials: Each group of six was given the exact same kit of materials which included: cotton balls, rubber bands, cardboard, two feet of string, duct tape, bubble wrap, and the bag that all the supplies came in. The exercise focused on problem-solving, creative brainstorming, and working strategically as a team to determine the best way to create such a device. It also allowed new Upper Preppers and those new to Form I, to meet other students.

Students thought quickly and collaborated efficiently as they were only given approximately 30 minutes to construct their egg drop devices before they converged together on the turf to test their inventions. One by one, a representative from each group would climb the tower and release the egg. Some devices utilized the plastic bag as a parachute while others featured the cardboard as a wind block to soften the fall. And then came the plot twist. In true scientific and at times, bizarre nature, the unexpected happened. Not one egg broke. Group after group released their device and after cutting open the device to inspect it, they found each egg was perfectly preserved.

Turns out KO students are egg-cellent engineers.

The experiment will be part of a three-part sequence to be repeated midyear with fewer materials, a higher elevation and a harder surface, and then again at the end of the year with even fewer materials and an even higher drop.

 Associate Director of the Middle School Kathy Dunn said, “It will be a wonderful opportunity for the groups to reconnect with an even harder challenge.”