paper plate
round box
sand
thin stick
small piece of clay
ruler
Put the round box upside down on the paper plate. Stick the clay in the center and use it to hold the stick straight up.
Pile dry sand as high as you can on the box. What geometric shape is your pile?
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Mark the height of the pile on the stick. Take the stick out and measure the distance to the mark: _________ cm. Do you think that your classmates will get the same or different heights?
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Is the highest point at the center of the box? ___________
What happens when you try to make the highest point at a different spot?
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Can you make the pile of sand into another shape such as a pyramid, cylinder, or cube?
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Why do you think that nature prefers this particular shape?
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If we allowed a bigger circle at the base, what do you think will happen to the height?
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