Wednesday
Wednesday: Build Lab: Straws and Slices
Six sets of straws wait on the Blueprint Table, each in a labeled cup. A block of clay sits on a tray beside them.
"Build Lab in two parts," Raven says. "First, test every straw set. Then we slice."
Rocket lifts a loop of string over the clay. "I slice first!"
"Straws first," Raven says. "What do you notice if you predict before you build?"
"I find out if the rule is right," Rocket says, and picks up 6, 8 and 10.
Nova hovers above the clay block, her light drawing a line straight down one side. "When you do slice, cut straight," she says.
"Flat across, then straight up and down," Raven says. "Look at the face each time."
Nova hums. "A box and a pyramid. Four cuts. Four faces to name."
Your mission
Part one: predict, then test six straw sets. Part two: shape a clay box and a clay pyramid, slice each two ways, and name the cut faces.
- Drinking straws, a ruler and scissors.
- Six paper cups or sticky notes to label the straw sets.
- Modeling clay or play dough, a tray, and a loop of string about 30 cm long.
- Your Blueprint Book and a pencil.
Slice clay with a loop of string pulled tight, never a metal blade. Clay stays on the tray.
Clay is not food. Nothing goes in a mouth. Wash hands when you finish.
- Cut straws for each set in the crew's table. Predict "closes" or "does not close" for each.
- Lay each set on the table and push the ends together. Write what happened beside your prediction.
- Shape a clay box about 6 cm long, 4 cm wide and 3 cm tall. Pull the string straight across, flat. Look at the cut face.
- Press the halves back together. Slice again, straight up and down. Look again.
- Shape a clay pyramid with a square base. Slice it flat, then straight down through the top point. Name both faces.
The crew's straw table
The crew's own six straw sets from the Blueprint Table, predicted with the rule and then built.
| Set (cm) | Two short straws add to | Longest | Closes? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6, 8, 10 | 14 | 10 | yes |
| 4, 5, 12 | 9 | 12 | no |
| 7, 7, 7 | 14 | 7 | yes |
| 3, 4, 7 | 7 | 7 | no |
| 5, 9, 9 | 14 | 9 | yes |
| 2, 9, 12 | 11 | 12 | no |
Three of the six sets closed. Every one matched the rule, so the prediction was never wrong.
The crew's slice log
| Solid | Cut | Face shape |
|---|---|---|
| box | flat | rectangle |
| box | upright | rectangle |
| pyramid | flat | square |
| pyramid | upright through the top | triangle |
A flat cut through the box shows a rectangle, the same shape as the top. An upright cut shows a rectangle too, the shape of a side.
A flat cut through the pyramid shows a square, smaller than the base. A cut straight down through the top shows a triangle.
- Read the question.
- Tap your answer.
| What the lab shows | True or false? |
|---|---|
| 5 + 9 > 9 | ? |
| 2 + 9 > 12 | ? |
| A flat cut through a box shows a rectangle. | ? |
| A flat cut through a pyramid shows a triangle. | ? |
Six sets tested, four faces named. Tomorrow the crew reads the full Blueprint Book data.