Building Big Newspaper Skyscraper

Skyscraper Basics The term "skyscraper" was coined in the 1880s, shortly after the first tall buildings were constructed in the United States -- but the history of tall buildings dates back hundreds of years. Since the Middle Ages, engineers have engaged in a battle for the sky.

Before there were skyscrapers, there were towers Made of heavy stone, towers had thick, sturdy walls, but the rooms were dark and cramped – too many windows would have weakened the structure.

With steel came the first modern skyscrapers During the Industrial Revolution, engineers began experimenting with two new materials –– ironiron and steel. The 10-story Home InsurancesteelHome Insurance BuildingBuilding in Chicago was the first tall building to be supported by a steel skeleton of vertical columnscolumns and horizontal beams.beams

New structural designs made skyscrapers even lighter and stiffer As skyscrapers grew taller and taller, engineers were faced with a new enemy: wind. Today's tallest skyscrapers, which are almost 1,500 feet tall, must be 50 times stronger against wind than the typical 200-foot buildings of the 1940s.

Newspaper Skyscraper Your challenge is to build a skyscraper out of the newspaper that has been provided for you. Your skyscraper should be tall, strong enough to stand on its own and it should have structural design that will make your skyscraper unique. Materials- 3 full sheets of newspaper, scotch tape Newspaper Skyscraper Challenge sheet

Examples of Skyscrapers

Critical Thinking/Problem Solving  What kind of base would be a better option to use for supporting the skyscraper?