In Mr. Tom Marrone’s UES STEAM class, fourth-grade students are putting their engineering skills to the test with the Air Vehicle Challenge! Using just paper, tape, and paper clips, students are challenged to design and build a vehicle that will stay in the air as long as possible when dropped. The class with the longest average drop time will take home the coveted Marrone Cup!

Throughout the challenge, students are following the engineering design process, beginning with sketching their ideas before building, testing, and modifying their vehicles to improve performance. Each round offers an opportunity to experiment, learn from results, and discover how small design changes can make a difference.

Beyond the engineering itself, students are also reflecting on the skills that make successful teams. Following the challenge, they evaluate their group’s communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity, recognizing the importance of working together to solve problems.