Last week we completed our second building challenge for our Structure and Function science unit.  We began by reading a version of "The Three Little Pigs" and talking about the structure and function of each of their houses.  Students were then challenged to build a house strong enough to withstand the winds of the Big Bad Wolf.  For this challenge students worked in pairs and they did not get to choose their materials, but were instead given a paper bag that had either toothpicks (straw), craft sticks (sticks), or mini foam bricks (bricks).  Each pair was also given a piece of card stock for a base and modeling clay to hold materials together.  When we were finished we tested each of the houses against the Big Bad Wolf (ask your child what this was), and talked about what led to success for each group.  Some ideas students mentioned included having a good base, going with the flow about the materials the group was given (most students were hoping for bricks), using plenty of clay to hold materials together, not giving up, and perhaps most importantly, working together.