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Their egg container creations weren’t launched out the door of a Black Hawk helicopter last week as was previously planned, but nonetheless there were some nervous moments as the tiny cargo plummeted to earth from the back of the football bleachers.

Jeff Saueressig’s three physics classes at Chisago Lakes High School put their knowledge of the theories of impulse and momentum to the test last week, dropping self-made containers off the football field bleachers and hoping the raw chicken egg inside didn’t break.

The students were given two weeks to complete the egg project, working alone or in pairs.

They were allowed to use any material imaginable to construct a safe traveling home for their precious cargo inside.

Saueressig assigned a points value to five different areas: 10 points for weight – the heavier containers received more points, because the probability of the egg breaking is more likely; 10 points for size – the smaller ones received more points (less room for padding); 10 points for number of materials used – all 10 received if four or less materials used; 10 points if the egg didn’t break; and 10 points for creativity.

As the students gathered around to have their final projects measured and cataloged last Tuesday, they were also given the responsibility of contributing to the grade of their fellow students.

The criteria of creativity was judged by students. Some pleaded the merits of their design and materials to the rest of the class, while others seemed to know their projects lacked the uniqueness that some of the other projects possessed.

In fourth hour, the first “10” in creativity came on a container designed using a large rock, four empty toilet tissue roles and duct tape. The container, designed by Justin Helps, withstood the 30-foot drop from the bleachers and successfully contained the egg inside.

Others used foam, packing plastic with those tiny little bubbles you can’t help but pop, cardboard boxes, metal and plastic. One student used a secret packing material designed by 3M engineers.

Perhaps the most unique design in the class came from Sonja Tosteson, who started her research by going to the grocery store.

As she wandered the aisles, Tosteson came to the assumption that putting the egg in its original container might be the best course of action, so she bought a raw chicken.

Her food-based design went further as she supplied padding for the egg by adding marshmallow fluff around the egg, inside the chicken. A plastic bag was used to transport and drop the poultry to keep things sanitary.

Unfortunately for Tosteson, the egg did not survive its fall within the chicken, but she and the other students who failed to pick up any points in this category were given another chance to redeem themselves.

When they returned to class, Saueressig told the students with squashed eggs that they have a chance to earn five of the 10 points. “You have to eulogize your egg in front of the class, but it has to be a prepared speech,” he said. “Tell us what the egg meant to the world,” Saueressig joked.

Saueressig said the project tests the students’ by trying to lessen the force applied to the egg by maximizing the amount of time it takes to stop the egg. At the same time, they get to have fun. “It allows the students to be creative in using physics to solve a real problem,” Saueressig said.

Last week’s egg drop was a bit of a disappointment for Saueressig and his students, despite the impressive survival rate of the eggs (36 of 49 survived).

Originally, a Black Hawk helicopter had been scheduled to drop the egg containers onto the field. Saueressig informed his students about the aerial test as they began working on the projects. Several didn’t believe him, but Saueressig continually confirmed it would be there.

Then, Mother Nature took over. All Black Hawk military helicopters were sent to Florida to help in the aftermath of the nation’s most recent hurrican.e Saueressig was then forced to rely on his traditional locale for the drop – the football bleachers.

He assured students that the helicopter will be rescheduled to complete the egg drop in the spring. Any students who want to bump up their grade on the project will have the opportunity to redesign or completely start over and have their grade based on the helicopter drop. “I told them this drop could be used as a test run,” Saueressig said.

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