Design & Technologies
Building & Construction
Students build earthquake-resistant towers, design and test arch bridges, and construct a catapult, applying an engineering design process and refining their designs based on measured results.
Year 3–4
90 min
up to 30 students
$490 + GST
What students will do
Students compete in a cup tower challenge and earthquake test, then rebuild with paddle pop sticks, pegs and clips to investigate how reinforcement changes structural stability. They design and build arch bridges using their preferred arch geometry, reinforcing with available materials and testing which spans a gap most effectively. The session closes with a catapult design challenge: students construct a lever-based launcher from a spoon, dowel, paddle pop stick and blu-tack, measure how far a paper ball travels and discuss what design changes could improve the result.
Curriculum outcomes
Victorian Curriculum v2.0 content descriptions addressed in this session.
Apply an engineering design process to build towers and arch bridges, comparing how different shapes and reinforcement strategies affect structural performance
Select materials and joining techniques based on their physical properties and test how they affect strength and stability under load
Build and test a catapult, measure performance, and propose evidence-based improvements to the design
Often booked alongside
Physical Sciences
Force & Motion
Students measure forces with a spring balance, test friction across surfaces, feel inertia first-hand, launch reaction rockets, and explore magnetism and static electricity.
Physical Sciences
Heat & Energy
Students investigate how heat moves by observing convection currents, comparing conduction through plastic and metal using an infrared thermometer, and testing how insulators slow heat transfer.
Chemical Sciences
Natural & Processed Materials
Students sort real specimens by origin, process gelatine into bioplastic, test elasticity and shape memory in nitinol wire, and examine absorbency under digital microscopes.
Bring Building & Construction to your school
Tell us your year levels and preferred dates. We'll confirm availability and bring everything with us.
Limited dates each term — one facilitator, one school per day.