The BUILD BIG Contest
Design Squad Nation challenged you to choose an activity from the DSN Web site, form a team, and build your own super-big version. Then take a video of your working design and upload it to YouTube.
We were impressed by the number of amazing BIG projects we received! Every team did outstanding work. Our judges looked at every entry carefully before selecting our finalists, runners up and grand prize winner. Congratulations!
Grand Prize Winner
String Thing
by Paul, Kalin and Robert
"Together, my group and I took the Design Squad project String Thing and took it to the next level. The original String Thing is virtual game, but we brought it out and made it in REAL LIFE, BIG! The lineup is made from nine separate sections with nine strings on each section. Strings are made from rubber bands, which are attached to "sound boxes." The boxes are each handmade from plywood and serve to amplify the sound of the rubber band being strummed (like a guitar). Each string is tuned to a different note based on where markers are placed to hold the string down. It is played by a player running down the length of the boxes. In the video, our lineup is set up to play the classic piece "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by J.S. Bach, but is totally customizable afterwards (by moving the markers on the strings)."
Runner Up
Brilliant Bamboo Boat
by Katie, Sonia and Connor
"We chose the watercraft because we all like the water: Katie kayaks, Sonia sails, and Connor swims. We wanted to build a boat we could actually sit on. We chose to make it a sailboat, and we built it out of bamboo, a tarp for the sail, and zipties! It worked pretty well."
Runner Up
Electromagnetic Crane
by Lilly and MaryAnn
"We are NASSA (the neighborhood after school science association). We are kids in our neighborhood that meet after school and do science projects. Our project is a giant crane that works using an electromagnet."