Seventh Graders Tackle Paper Ball Run Engineering Challenge

Teams of seventh grade science students recently took on the Paper Ball Run Engineering Challenge, which encourages all kinds of skill development such as: collaboration, problem-solving, time management, and critical thinking. Students were tasked with designing a “ball run” using paper and tape to facilitate a ping pong ball’s descent. The team of Ali Moya ’27 and Emmie Huynh ’27 (pictured at right) registered the highest score with their ball taking 38.8 seconds to reach the ground after entrance onto their ball run.

Seventh grade science students take on one engineering challenge per month throughout the school year. “Students become young engineers and utilize the engineering design process,” said Grade 7 Science Teacher Deborah Carter-Bruvik. ”Most importantly, they begin to see that the iteration step is vital in success. We learn the most from our mistakes and it is okay not to succeed the first time. As students make changes to their structure they see that we meet with success when we are willing to try again and again.”