Task:

From the Offices of DDC,

The Dome Design Company LLC has a plot of land contracted for the construction of a hemi-spherical shaped building, more commonly known as a dome. Your challenge, as a design and construction team, is to build a model of dome that is structurally sound. To prove your dome is structurally sound you will test to see if it can support the weight of 120 grams.

Your team will be required to present an initial blueprint design to the other teams and to me, the Project Manager. After revising your blueprint design, you must choose your materials. Your team will be allowed to construct your dome from a selection of materials. Once your dome is built, you will present the finished design to the class. You will be required to explain your reasoning behind your dome design and materials selection. After the presentation, dome models will be tested and evaluated.

Present your findings to the Dome Design Company to see if your dome model will be selected for construction. Good luck and happy dome designing!

Ms. Miller

Project Manager

Materials

Think about the different ways you can use the materials provided to construct a dome structure. You may add a skin or shell out of different materials, or have the frame be the full product. On a separate piece of paper, draw a diagram of your planned dome, and in the box below, make a list of the parts you think you might need. You can adjust this later and also add more materials during construction.

Material / Amount Needed

Construction

Build your dome and make any adjustments during construction that you like, including asking for additional materials. You can also trade materials with other student teams if they have extra items you would like to incorporate.

Testing

The Project Manager will place 120 grams on top of the dome to determine if it structurally sound or not.

Evaluation

Complete the attached evaluation report.

Dome Evaluation

1. How did you choose materials?

2. How similar was your original design to the actual dome you built?

3. If you found you needed to make changes during the construction phase, describe whyyour team decided to make revisions.

4. Were any other domes interesting to you? Why?

5. Do you think that it was helpful to work as a team on this activity, or would you have preferred to work alone on it? Why?

6. If you could have used one additional material that was not provided, which would you choose and why?

7. Do you think your dome would have been able to hold 600 grams of weight? Why or why not?

8. After having tested your dome, how would you change or revise your dome to make it better?

9. How would you change your dome design if you were going to build a full-size dome?

10. How would you change your materials selection if you had to build your dome to be a greenhouse? A sports stadium? An auditorium?