Fifth Graders Ignite Innovation and Master Engineering Principles in Fall Cardboard Canoe Race
October 29, 2026
The school’s Quarry became an open-air laboratory this fall as fifth graders in the Middle School Design and Modeling course launched boats built from nothing but cardboard and duct tape. The yearly challenge introduces students to the engineering curriculum, blending rigorous academics with hands-on, high-stakes fun.
“The cardboard canoe challenge is the students’ favorite project that introduces the complete engineering design process,” said Bryan Davis, Middle School Design Lab teacher, who led the project for the first time this year. “That means: define the problem, generate concepts, develop a solution, construct and test prototypes, evaluate the solution, and present the final outcome.”
Students must apply concepts of buoyancy, structural integrity, and hydrodynamics. The Lutken/Eason Outdoor Education Program provides canoe instruction before construction begins, giving students real-world context for their designs.
Davis describes the energy as “trepidatious,” at first. Not every student arrived eager to hit the water. Davis said many were nervous about getting wet or watching their boats sink in the Quarry.
“There was some hesitation about getting in the Quarry and whether their boats would hold up. Seeing kids who were nervous of the water actually get in, and seeing how proud they were afterward, was one of the best parts.”
The nerves went both ways.
“Teaching this for the first time had me nervous, too,” Davis said. “But I hope they all had fun and walked away with a real understanding of how engineers solve problems.”
The event drew support from across the ESD community. The Facilities team managed materials, faculty and Lower School students cheered from the shoreline, and Upper School Engineering teacher Mrs. Snook, along with engineering capstone students, retrieved Middle Schoolers and their boats. The Lutken/Eason Outdoor Education Program team, Director Davis Felder and Assistant Director Scout Woodward, helped students understand buoyancy, the parts of a canoe, and how to paddle.
“Having the Outdoor Education team on board made a huge difference,” Davis said.
Each year, the challenge reinforces core science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) principles and reflects the school’s commitment to project-based learning that prepares students for what comes next.
