Egg Drop Challenge

It’s eggtraordinary!

Egg drop challenge is the classic physics and engineering project. It’s fun and provides an opportunity to learn and exercise a range of different skills. The video below shows this years challenge for the 8th grade class at Woodlawn School. But you don’t have to wait for your class to do an egg drop challenge! You can do the STEAMfest Egg Drop Challenge!

STEAMfest Egg Drop Challenge

The mission:

Create a capsule to protect your “Eggstronaut” as they try to make a landing.

The process:

Gather materials – Examples include, but are not limited to, straws, tissue paper, tape, rubber bands, etc. Whatever you have available in your home. And, don’t forget that you’ll need an egg!
Design and build your capsule – You might want to start with a drawing. Think about how your capsule will protect the fragile Eggstronaut. Are you going to use padding, triangle to deflect the force, a parachute to slow decent?
Decorate your Eggstronaut – Use makers, paint, stickers … whatever you have available. Give your Eggstronaut some personality!
Prepare for launch – Seal your Eggstronaut safely inside the capsule.
Do the Drop – Find a high place to drop the capsule. Be safe … no trees or roof tops without adult supervision. Do not drop from very tall buildings as this could be dangerous to people on the ground below. If you don’t have a high place to drop from, then just throw you capsule straight up as high as possible.
Watch the landing closely – You might want to record video on your phone. Observer how your capsule fall and lands.
Check your Eggstronaut – Did it survive uncracked? Or did it end up a bit scrambled?
Redesign and try again – If your Eggstronaut did not survive then make some design changes to your capsule and try again.
Report results in your journal.

Journal Questions

Describe your capsule design or upload a picture.
Did your Eggstronaut survive the landing? From how high did you drop (or throw)?
If you were to try again what changes or improvements would you make?

Earn badges and qualify for prize drawing by registering and answering journal questions. It's fun and easy!