STEAMposium

Where do I measure my height from? The height must not exceed 5 cm. This is from the X on the base to the surface of the water. (5 cm is the vertical height/thickness of the raft base)

What counts as a material? Materials used to create the structure count. Any adhesive materials such as glue or tape will not count as 1 of the 3 materials. However, string or yarn will count as 1 of the 3 materials.

What kind of adhesive can I use? Any type of adhesive can be used. However, it may not be used to cover the entire raft/boat in an effort to make it waterproof.

Can I use any plastic in my design? Plastic may not be used in the design of the raft/boat. While students can creatively design a raft/boat using plastic, the aim of the project is to identify materials other than plastics that are recycled and reusable. The science team hopes to encourage sustainability, especially with the growing concern over the increasing amount of plastics gathering in our oceans.

What needs to be included in my “designated place”? A mark to identify the location of this place, such as an “X”. Any barriers/sides added to this place must be included in the total dimensions of the raft/boat.

Can styrofoam be used in the design? Styrofoam is a reusable material, but not necessarily recyclable as it takes several lifetimes to breakdown. This material can be included in the design, but should not be the entire design to fit the criteria of 3 or more materials used.

What do I used for the “tested objects”? During STEAMposium we will have a consistent measuring tool. We encourage campuses to use whatever they have available such as gram stackers, small weights, or other objects that represent a specific amount of weight. As long as you use the same objects for every raft/boat when testing, consistency is key.

What should be in the team’s engineering notebook? Student notebooks should include blueprints, reflections, research, and anything that would show the design process of your raft/boat. This should be organized for easy viewing by others.