Tower Facilitator Guide
Tallest Tower Challenge
Club Challenge Staff Facilitation Field Guide • 70-Minute Mission
Staff Field Manual
Total Time 70 Min (20m Hunt / 50m Build)
Group Structure Teams of 3–5 Participants
Supply List 100% Scavenged Everyday Items
Primary Goal Tallest Free-Standing Structure
1. Introduction & Challenge Directives (5 Minutes)
Launch Script
“Today you're engineers. Your job is to build the tallest tower you possibly can using materials you find around Club Challenge.”
Core Rules to State Clearly:
• 20 minutes to gather supplies; zero gathering once build time begins.
• 50 minutes to design and construct the tower.
• Free-standing only: No holding, no taping to walls, ceilings, or furniture.
• Must stay standing unassisted long enough for staff measurement.
Pre-Launch Inquiry Questions (Don't give answers!):
• “What makes a tower stable? Should you build wide or narrow?”
• “What materials might be useful for the foundation base?”
• “What materials could add height without adding heavy weight?”
• “Will you build one tall unit or connect separate modular sections?”
2. Material Gathering Phase (20 Minutes)
Hunt Management
Scavenger Ideation & Safety:
Encourage looking beyond obvious items: cardboard boxes, cups, plastic bottles, paper tubes, craft sticks, yarn, rubber bands, clips, paper plates.
• Rule: Only use materials staff approve as safe and available.
Staff In-Hunt Coaching Questions:
- • “What are you thinking? Why did you choose that item?”
- • “Do you think that will support weight or make it top-heavy?”
- • “What could you use for connectors or platforms?”
Time Warnings: Call out at 10m & 5m left. At 20 Min: “SUPPLY TIME IS OVER! Bring materials to your area!”
3. Quick Team Strategy & Role Setup (5 Minutes)
Pre-Build Huddle
4 Strategic Discussions:
• 1. Base: What will we use for our foundation?
• 2. Elevation: How will we make the tower tall?
• 3. Balance: How will we keep it from falling?
• 4. Execution: Who is responsible for what?
Recommended Crew Roles:
Builder: Assembly Material Mgr: Supplies Idea Person: Design Stability: Wobble check Timekeeper: Pacing Communicator: Harmony
Building & Debrief Execution
Time Checks • Socratic Facilitation • Measurement • Debrief
Field Protocol
4. 50-Minute Building Challenge & Official Time Checks
Start The Clock!
| Remaining | Verbatim Facilitator Callout |
|---|
| 40 Min Left | “You have 40 minutes left. Is your plan working?” |
| 30 Min Left | “30 minutes! Start thinking about stability, not just height.” |
| 20 Min Left | “20 minutes! Check your tower. What needs to change?” |
| 10 Min Left | “10 minutes! Final adjustments!” |
| 5 Min Left | “FIVE MINUTES! No more major redesigns unless you're willing to risk it!” |
| 1 Min Left | “ONE MINUTE! Finish what you're doing!” |
| 0 Min Left | “TIME! Everyone must step away from their tower.” |
⚡ Staff Rule: NEVER Fix Towers for Teams
When towers lean or collapse, avoid providing answers. Guide their troubleshooting using these exact questions:
- • “What happened? Why do you think it fell?”
- • “What could you change? What part is causing the problem?”
- • “What could make the bottom stronger?”
- • “Is there another way to connect those pieces?”
Let teams test, fail, dismantle, and rebuild independently!
5. Official Tower Test & Measurement Protocol
Adjudication
• Free-standing: Nobody may touch, hold, or hover hands on the tower.
• Zero support: Cannot lean against walls, chairs, tables, or people.
• Measurement: Staff measures vertically from table/floor to highest point.
• Fall rule: If a tower falls before measurement, it does not count.
• Official Record: Announce and log each team's final standing height.
🏆 Winner: The tallest successfully standing tower wins!
6. The Important Part: Group Debrief
Don't just ask “Who won?”
-
• “What was your original plan? Did it work? Why or why not?”
-
• “What was the hardest part? What made your tower stable?”
-
• “What caused problems? Did you have to change your plan?”
-
• “Did someone on your team have an idea that made it better?”
-
• “What would you do differently if you could start again?”
-
• “Would you choose different materials? Was communication vital?”
Problem Solving
Communication
Teamwork
Decision Making
Flexibility
Planning
Creativity
Leadership
Staff Concluding Teaching Point (Read Aloud):
“Today there wasn't one perfect way to build a tower. You had to look at what you had, make a plan, try it, see what happened, and change your plan when something didn't work. That's problem solving. We use those same skills at work, at home, in the community, and when working with others.”
Optional Final Question: “If we gave you another 50 minutes and the same materials, what would you change?”
