Reach for the Sky!

What are the engineering concepts behind the tallest building in the world? How was the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai designed to achieve its height and current status as the world’s tallest building? Seventh Grade students at St. Louis School had the opportunity to investigate these concepts under the guidance of Mt. St. Joseph High School (MSJ) students and Mrs. Beth Czyryka, a SLS parent and MSJ Chemistry teacher. The students were challenged to plan and design a structure that would simultaneously be as tall as possible, stand freely and hold a tennis ball for 30 seconds. The students were organized into teams, and each team received five manila folders and a meter of duct tape to complete the challenge. At the conclusion of the challenge it was clear that the successful structures resembled the designs of tall buildings in the real world. We want to thank Mt. St. Joseph High School and Mrs. Czyryka in particular for her continued support of the SLS Science and STEM program.