Materials List: A Zombie Got My Leg Challenge:
Making Makeshift Legs

Each student needs:

Each group needs ONE of following starting materials (see Figure 1):

  • ½ or 1 package of cardboard interlocking packing pieces, such as the 1 cu ft package at Home Depot
  • 1 moving glass divider kit (cardboard interlocking divider pieces), such as the kit at Home Depot
  • ~4 pieces of PVC pipe, perhaps 6-in and 4-in lengths; provide pieces that do not fit together (different widths) to create more of a challenge
  • ~20 wooden dowel rods; perhaps ¼ in or ½ in diameter size and ~16 in long
  • ~7 wooden flat sticks; perhaps ¼ in thick x 2 to 4 in wide and ~16 in long
  • ~10 ft vinyl tubing; such as ½ in x 3/8 in size

Note: For the starting materials, provide supplies of cardboard, vinyl tubing, PVC pipe pieces, wooden dowels and wooden flat sticks. The materials list suggests some example products and specific dimensions and amounts for guidance purposes; feel free to get what makes sense for your class at local hardware stores, online and/or recycling bins.

Two photographs: On a table are a package of cardboard interlocking packing pieces, a moving glass divider kit, a coiled length of clear vinyl tubing, a handful of 16-inch wooden dowels, a handful of wooden flat sticks, two 4-inch and two 6-inch pieces of black PVC pipe. On the barter table are roll of bubble wrap, roll of white plastic packing foam, bottle of wood glue, roll of orange polypro twine, six rolls of patterned/colored duct tape, roll of silver duct tape, package of white plastic zip ties, four 8-inch and four 5-inch silver screw bolts, along with a stack of paper vouchers.
Figure 1. Example starting materials for each group (left) and barter table supplies (right).
copyright
Copyright © 2014 Andrea Lee, University of Houston.

Supplies for the barter table (see Figure 1):

  • bubble wrap; use for multiple class periods; barter for 5-ft piece; such as from a ½ in x 12 in x 75 ft roll
  • dish foam (thin plastic padding material); use for multiple class periods; barter for 4-in piece; such as from a 1/16 in x 12 in x 50 ft roll
  • zip ties; use for multiple class periods; barter for 4 zip ties; such as from a 100-pack of 8-in cable ties
  • colored/patterned duct tape, one roll per group; every group may buy one and once they run out groups must purchase use of the silver duct tape; such as 1.88 in x 10 yds neon stripes duct tape roll
  • silver duct tape; one per class period; use after all other duct tape rolls have been purchased; barter for the use of it; must be shared between groups that purchase use; such as 1 7/8 in x 55 yd duct tape
  • carriage bolts; may need 4-6 bolts per class; barter for 1 bolt; such as 8-inch or 5-inch zinc bolts
  • wood glue; 1 bottle per class period; barter for use of the glue; must be shared between groups that purchase use; such as 8 oz bottle of Gorilla wood glue
  • mason line/string (a strong, durable string); use for multiple class periods; barter for use of the string; must be shared between groups that purchase use; such as #18 x 425 ft orange polypropylene twisted mason line

Note: For the barter table materials, the above are suggested items, but feel free to provide what makes sense for your class and set your own parameters for the specific amounts of materials provided during the bartering.

To share with the entire class:

  • Voucher Questions, printed out and cut up so one question per strip; make enough for four questions per group (24 different questions provided on attachment)
  • bucket or bowl or some container to hold all the vouchers
  • (optional) saw and/or drill, if teachers needs to cut PVC pipe, wooden dowels, flat sticks
  • scissors
  • rulers or tape measures
  • iPads or computers with PowerPoint® or Keynote® software, for group presentations
https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/uoh_pirates_lesson01_activity1