Hurricane Engineers: A Hands-On Challenge for Young Scientists

For our Grade 3 NGSS unit on Weather and Climate, I have been working hard to make the learning hands-on, inquiry-led and full of opportunities to explore the concepts of patterns and cause and effect. This unit is already a favorite because students get to investigate real-world weather concepts, so adding some engineering design work felt like a natural fit.

For the STEAM design challenge I created, students were asked to design a hurricane-proof structure that could withstand the effects of wind and rain. The constraints were it had to hold the "person" off the ground, fit in the container and stay upright. They had limited materials to work with: popsicle sticks, straws, an index card and two meters of masking tape. Their goal was to protect a LEGO mini figure inside the structure.

Students began by sketching their ideas, talking through possible solutions and predicting which designs might be the strongest. Once the planning was done, teams jumped into building. The energy in the room was incredible. Students were fully engaged and constantly problem solving together.

The big highlight was testing! We simulated four hurricane categories by using a small fan at different speeds and finished with a hair dryer and a water cup to create wind and rain. Students watched their structures take on each level and then quickly made notes on what to fix or reinforce. They loved the challenge and were eager to iterate and improve their designs.

This was a simple yet powerful design challenge that fit naturally into our Weather and Climate unit. It helped students think like engineers, apply scientific ideas and work together to create structures that were strong and stable. It is definitely one I will keep in the unit for years to come.