Think, Make, Try: Everyday Engineering
Billy Goats Gruff Design Challenge
The Billy Goats keep waking up an angry troll who lives under the bridge they cross daily! How can we design a solution that keeps them safe and keeps the troll asleep?
Billy Goats Gruff Design Challenge
The Billy Goats keep waking up an angry troll who lives under the bridge they cross daily! How can we design a solution that keeps them safe and keeps the troll asleep? Often, there are multiple solutions to one problem. Watch the video to learn about the problem that faces the Billy Goats Gruff. Then, use the Four Section Planning Page to sketch some of your ideas for solutions. Using your sketches as inspiration, build a prototype of your design and test it out.
Materials Required:
See Materials Scavenger Hunt Document or gather household items for building, such as:
- Bottles or cans
- Paper
- Cardboard or cardboard boxes
- Corks
- String
- Tape
- Books
- Pens
- Natural materials
- Sticks
- Foil
- Egg cartons
- Glue
- Rubber bands
- Something to represent a bridge
- Small, stuffed animals, toys, or other small items to test your design solution.
Tips for Adults
- As students begin to select materials to build their prototype encourage them to try out ones they are unsure about. They can test the material in the water to see if it floats before deciding whether or not to incorporate it into their design.
- Take the time to think and make a plan before diving into an activity, but it’s an important skill to practice. Planning is part of a suite of skills that helps children’s brains be ready to learn.
- If children make mistakes or if their design doesn’t work, encourage them to learn from the failed attempt and to continue improving and adjusting their design. Ask questions like: What could we change so it will work better next time?
Test out your design. What worked? What didn’t? What would you change for next time? Make changes, and test your prototype again!