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More than 80% of eggs survive the 55th Annual AWS Grade 3 Egg Drop
The 55th Annual AWS Egg Drop was held on Friday, April 12. Creative designs and excellent packaging were characteristic of the egg-encased polyhedrons. An impressive 19 out 23 eggs survived the 46-foot toss from the tower.
The annual Egg Drop challenge was initiated in 1958, the year after Sputnik, the first artificial satellite, was launched, spurring the Space Race. (See A History of the Egg Drop, below.) Grade 3 students are charged with the task of building a polyhedron for a raw chicken egg that will protect the egg when it is dropped from the tower.
A History of the Egg Drop, by Grade 3 teacher Jeanne Schneider
Long ago, in the time of space capsules designed to fall safely to Earth, NASA was in the spotlight. Students everywhere were encouraged to explore space, calculate safety, and design the best capsule for the purpose of returning safely.
The Annie Wright School third graders did just that with the help of their parents, Boeing engineers, physics enthusiasts and great problem solvers. Designing capsules with their geometry studies in mind, AWS third graders began the tradition of the Egg Drop. Their eggs were packed with care and tossed from the 46-foot-tall cloister tower.
Predictions of survival for those eggs were whispered through the community. The imaginative capsules had many fates. A parachuted one drifted to nearby Lowell School, a giant stuffed animal plopped to the ground, and a Jello jar with egg splatted with ceremony and blue goo. One at-home enthusiast even flew his airplane for the third grader. This capsule with the “secret” packing survived its toss of 300 feet.
Throughout the years, many eggs have been thrown from tower, yet it was not always so. During construction years, the Lower School Director was harnessed to the top of the Kemper Gym roof to many white knuckles. Another year he was raised to the heights in a cherry picker that swayed in the wind. AWS is proud to report no harm has come to the Directors in their lofty participation.
As the tradition grew, changes were made. Designs were integrated with science and math in the classrooms. Parents were asked to give advice only, and third graders took on the responsibility of creating a three dimensional polygon that kept their egg safe from the toss from the tower. AWS spectators in the cloister still oooh/ aaah and groan as various capsules for the annual Third Grade Egg Drop either kept their respective eggs safe or not. All spectators are encouraged to predict the survival rate of the eggs dropped, adding probability to the tradition.
