Sara Harp Minter Elementary got hands-on, taking the Keva Plank Challenge and using Tinkercad Sim Lab to perfect their designs virtually.
The Keva Plank Challenge tasks students with building structures to keep a ping pong ball moving as long as possible while using 130 blocks or fewer. Computer Science teacher Richard Dierkes worked with 4th and 5th graders to bring their initial designs to life virtually in Tinkercad Sim Lab. A pre-made digital file mimicked the students’ real-world setup so they could digitally test and refine their designs. Then, they built the structures on mini-whiteboards with physical Keva blocks to compare real-world outcomes.
The dual-modality approach allowed them to explore the engineering design process, practice problem-solving with constraints, and understand key STEM concepts like potential and kinetic energy, friction, and iteration.
“I hope students took away the understanding that engineering is a creative, thoughtful process—not just about building things, but about testing, improving, and thinking critically,” said Dierkes. “It requires stamina, as well, to iterate toward the best solution.”
Through the activity, they learned that digital modeling tools allow real-world problems to be explored safely and efficiently before physical construction begins. They experienced the value of prototyping, learned to adapt to design constraints, and understood how energy and physics concepts apply to everyday materials.
“I am a big fan of seeing value in the stuff we already have,” said Dierkes. “Most of all, I hope they gained confidence in their ability to tackle open-ended challenges, work collaboratively, not give up, and think like engineers.”
Posted 4/17/2025
