Overview / summary: I think our team did really well on this challenge. We worked well together and built one of the strongest boats in the class. Together we brainstormed and combined all of our best ideas and skills.
Total achievements: 18/20
Design Achievements:(7/7)
• Define the Problem and Brainstorm Solutions - State the problem you are designing a solution for. List at least 20 ideas you have regarding your solution.
We designed to create a boat made out of only cardboard and duct tape that could cross the pool.
-build a v bottom boat
-seal the boat with duct tape all over
-use a pointing front
-build high walls
-use a flat bottom on the inside
-make the boat a weight that can hold the pilot
-use a shape that is practical to float
-build a paddle to help the pilot
-make the boat long
-pick the lightest person to paddle the boat
-avoid getting any water inside the boat
-test the boat by building prototypes
-improve the design from prototypes
-measure all sides of the boat so it's equal
-make sure duct tape is evenly distributed
-distribute weight evenly when sitting in the boat (don't lean to the front or back)
-empty out excess water during races
-build design ideas based on other teams to improve
-consider that the bottom of the boat will go under water, put most duct tape on bottom
-build 2 paddles if necessary
-duct tape the inside of the boat
-put many layers of duct tape
-double layer the cardboard
-use fins on the boat
-build 2 full size models and use the better one
-use flat bottom on the inside
total: 26 brainstorm ideas.
• Big Brain - The individual student with the most brainstorms listed will earn a bonus achievement.
• Criteria & Constraints - List or reference the specified Criteria and Constraints you're designing for. List at least one implied criteria. List at least three implied contsraints.
Criteria
• Build a watercraft that allows you to traverse the CHS swimming pool.
• Your "boat" must float at least one student through the course of the competition.
• Protect your workspace from damage!
-implied criteria- make boat so it doesn't sink in the water
Constraints
• You may only use Cardboard and Duct Tape for this event.
• All Staples or other foreign material must be removed from your cardboard. If we trash the pool, we will not be invited back for other activities during the year (yes, we have other activities in mind for 2nd semester).
• Cardboard must meet our quality standard and be approved by the instructor (more info to follow)
• Each boat must have a minimum of a 3" tall "sidewall" (no completely flat designs).
• All exposed cardboard must be covered in duct tape (this will reduce cardboard disintigration in the pool).
• Each team will be provided one "versa table" cardboard box piece and three 60yrd rolls of duct tape. Any materials beyond this (likely need more cardboard) need to be resourced by your team.
• Sketch Ideas - Draw 3 different sketches for possible designs. Label at least 3 key features for each sketch. Describe the feature's functionality so a viewer understands why the called out feature is important.
• Prototype Ideas - Craft physical prototypes (models) of each of your three sketches. Use a notecard or post it note to call out at least one key feature on each model. Post the images to your blog and describe the key feature that you've pointed out on each.
• Select an Approach - Generate feedback (+, change, ?, !) and make a decision matrix regarding your sketches/prototypes. Specify the approach you've chosen and justify your selection.
• Surface area! - Calculate how much surface area you can cover with your given duct tape. How many sf can you cover with one roll? How many can you cover with all your rolls? What % efficiency do you think you can achieve with your overlap?
implied contraint- must only use materials provided (can't go home and build a boat out of wood or metal)
• Sketch Ideas - Draw 3 different sketches for possible designs. Label at least 3 key features for each sketch. Describe the feature's functionality so a viewer understands why the called out feature is important.
 |
-long design
-v bottom
-v front |
-v bottom
-v front
-medium height walls
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-v front and v back
-long front
-proportionate front and back |
• Prototype Ideas - Craft physical prototypes (models) of each of your three sketches. Use a notecard or post it note to call out at least one key feature on each model. Post the images to your blog and describe the key feature that you've pointed out on each.
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| This is our first prototype. We tested it, but the v bottom was too deep. |
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This is our second prototype. We reduced the v bottom to be less steep and we found this worked better and used it for our final model.
• Select an Approach - Generate feedback (+, change, ?, !) and make a decision matrix regarding your sketches/prototypes. Specify the approach you've chosen and justify your selection.
We improved our second prototype to help the design of the boat so it would float easier. With a less steep v bottom, it could hold a person better without tipping over because of weight distribution.• Surface area! - Calculate how much surface area you can cover with your given duct tape. How many sf can you cover with one roll? How many can you cover with all your rolls? What % efficiency do you think you can achieve with your overlap?
We used 3 rolls of duct tape, the amount provided. We overlapped duct tape a LOT so water wouldn't leak through the boat and sink it. |
Build Achievements:(2/3)
• Build It! - Build your watercraft. Your build must meet the standards of construction (100% covered in Duct Tape). Document it with a presentable photo.
• V-Bottom - Earn this by building a non-flat bottom
*Photos in previous posts.
Test Achievements:(5/5)
• The Fastest - Awarded to the first team to reach the far side (25yds)
We won the 25 meter race.
• The Farthest - Awarded to the team that can travel the furthest (laps)
Our boat traveled 3 laps around. (25 meters to the other side, we had 6, so 3 laps.)
• The Longest - Awarded to the team with the watercraft that floats the longest (multiple teams may be awarded this achievement if multiple boats remain afloat at the end of our competition period).
Our boat floated the entire duration we were at the pool.
• Balance Master - Awarded if you can have at least one person stand for 5 seconds in the boat (you must conduct this away from the edge of the pool so that non one falls over and hits their head)
Our pilot stood up for about 4 seconds until the boat flipped on its side. Although she did fall, the boat still managed to not sink.
• Videographer - Take video of the challenge and post to your blog.
We did take a video of the first race, however the video won't upload to the blog.
Reflection Achievements:(4/4)
• Feedback - Generate ten items of feedback for your effort (from the design/build process and/or the actual product). Make sure you include at least one item of feedaback in each of our four feedback areas (+, change, ?, !)
-we worked well as a team
-we built a durable boat
-we had a v bottom
-we calculated the dimensions to make sure the boat was precise
-we used enough duct tape to seal the boat
-we tested prototypes before building the boat
-we could have worked faster to finish our boat first
-avoided getting water inside the boat during the race
-could have built a better paddle
-figure out a way to make sure the water didn't leak into the cardboard
• How Low Did You Go? - How low in the water did your canoe sit (roughly)? Was it suprising how little your boat went down in the water? What is the unit weight of water in pounds? How much did your pilot weigh (roughly)? Use math to help explain the depth that your boat sat in the water.
Our canoe stayed in the water for the entire time we were at the pool, so roughly 45 minutes. Our pilot weighed about 110 pounds so our boat needed to weigh about 40 pounds. Our boat had a v bottom, so it sat about 6 inches in the water with the weight of our pilot.
• (Make Your Own Achievement) - Make an achievement of your own design that you can award yourself for something awesome your team did. (Example"Transformer" - although our canoe sunk, our team was able to convert it into a surfboard style design and continue competeting!)
The achievement we came up with is called Traveler- our boat traveled around the campus the most because we stored it in Mr. Aldworth's room so we had to carry across campus every day.
