Cooperative Creation of a Castle from the Middle Ages

Cooperative Creation of a Castle from the Middle Ages

A joint project by multiple divisions at Georges Vanier Elementary.

Students problem solved issues of structural stability and respected previous classes designs

whilst adding their own features.

Anna Crosland TL http://georgesvanierlibrary.edublogs.org

http://www.strawsandconnectors.com/products.php

Their initial design was twice as high but the students decided right away that the

walls would just fall over.

Used the seating cubes to add stability. Tried adding a cross brace.

Added vertical and horizontal bars and left a door space.

Decided added stability would allow for additional height.

Added crenellations so it would look ‘more like a castle’

Added the drawbridge.

A drawbridge needs a moat

Next group increased the width of the moat as it ‘was too easy to swim across’

Decided to add height - 4 towers to the tops of the seating cubes

One division researched and designed pennants, the next coloured them and

added to the towers.

A feudal village was added outside the castle walls.

Fourteen divisions contributed. It was a great activity for problem solving and

cooperative learning.