STIIX Tower Project: Engineering Skyscrapers and Skyward Dreams
In the STIIX Tower Project, learners become architects and civil engineers in STIIX-Ville, responding to a citywide boom with a mission: build tower structures that balance height and strength without collapsing. This hands-on challenge immerses students in core engineering principles like load distribution, compression, tension, and structural balance.
Students follow a guided engineering design cycle through five scaffolded video modules (Intro, Academic, How-To Build, Testing & Evaluation, Career Spotlight) from STIIX-Ville’s curriculum. Throughout, they analyze real-world architectural trade-offs: taller isn’t always better if stability suffers.
Next, they sketch tower designs, considering base width, support bracing, and how to distribute material to maximize height while minimizing failure risk. Using STIIX’s modular sticks and connectors, teams build prototypes, raise their towers, and subject them to load-testing scenarios (e.g., adding weight, simulating wind or vibrations).
In the testing phase, students collect data on how much weight their structure can hold, measure deflection, and note failure points. They redesign based on this feedback—changing bracing, adjusting geometry, or re-spreading stress through the structure. These iterative cycles help learners understand that strong design often comes from refining, reinforcing, and rethinking.
Teachers are supported with full lesson plans, build-log templates, evaluation guides, and reflection prompts. This project aligns with NGSS practices around designing structures and understanding forces, making it a powerful unit in STEM, engineering, or design-and-make classes.
Bring structure and excitement to hands-on learning with STIIX-Ville — your digital hub for project guides, assessments, and student progress tracking.
What’s Included in the Box:
- STIIX structural building sticks & connectors
- Baseplate or foundation panel pieces
- Cross-brace / truss-style support components
- Weight modules (for load testing)
- Build-log / design sketch worksheets
- Testing guide (load, balance, failure analysis)
- Reflection & redesign prompts
- Teacher slide deck & detailed lesson plan
- Instructional video series (5 modules: Intro, Academic, How-To, Testing, Engineer Spotlight)
