Can you engineer packaging that protects a raw egg from a 10-foot fall? You'll think, plan, build, and test — just like a real engineer.
Research what causes impact damage and how real packaging engineers cushion fragile cargo.
Design your own protective package. Sketch it out, label the parts, and explain your engineering choices.
Build your package with the allowed materials. Document every step of the process.
Drop it, inspect the egg, and reflect on what worked and what you'd improve next time.
Research impact forces, cushioning, and what makes packaging fail.
BCriterion BSketch your design and write step-by-step build instructions.
CCriterion CBuild your package and photograph each stage of construction.
DCriterion DDrop test it, record results, and reflect on what you'd change.
There is no single correct answer to this challenge. Strong designs come from careful planning, creative thinking, and learning from mistakes.
Real engineers test, fail, adjust, and improve. That process is the work — not just the finished package.
Before you build anything, understand the forces you're up against and how real engineers solve this exact problem.
Learn why a fast stop hurts more than a slow one, and how cushioning stretches out that stop.
Compare how different materials absorb energy — air, foam, fiber, and structure all behave differently.
Look at how shipping companies protect fragile items — corner protection, void fill, and bracing.
What happens to an egg's shell the instant it hits the ground? Why do some packages fail even with lots of material inside them? What's the difference between cushioning and bracing?
Turn your research into a real design. A good plan makes the build phase fast and focused.
Draw your design from at least two angles. Label every material and where it goes.
For each material choice, explain the engineering reason behind it — not just "it looked cool."
Write clear, numbered build steps so anyone could follow your plan and build the same thing.
Build exactly what you planned — and document it like an engineer keeping a build log.
Build the package you designed. If you change something mid-build, note why.
Take a photo at every major step — this becomes your evidence for Criterion C.
Check your material count against the limit before you call it finished.
The drop test is the moment of truth. What happens next is where the real learning is.
Drop your package from 10 feet onto a hard, flat surface. One drop, no do-overs.
Open the package and check the egg. Record: cracked, dented, or fully intact.
What worked? What failed? If you rebuilt this tomorrow, what's the one thing you'd change?
Key terms you'll need to understand and use correctly throughout this project.
Engineers often work within strict constraints. Part of the challenge is using your limited resources wisely.
You may NOT use any other materials unless your teacher specifically approves them. Part of being an engineer is working creatively within constraints — that's the challenge!
Your package must be dropped from 10 feet onto a hard surface.
The egg inside must show no cracks, dents, or leaks after the drop.
You may use no more than 15 total pieces of material in your build.
A package that survives the drop AND uses fewer materials scores higher — efficiency matters as much as protection. Aim high — your design could end up in the Hall of Fame!
How your project will be assessed against each MYP Design criterion.
Packages that protect the egg AND come in under the material limit earn a spot in the classroom Hall of Fame. Efficiency is part of great engineering.
Pick a container, pack it with padding, then drop it from higher and higher until you find its breaking point — or prove it survives more than the real 10-foot requirement.
1. Pick a container — it sets your base protection and how it behaves in a fall.
2. Add up to 15 padding pieces — the same limit as the real challenge — each one adds cushioning.
3. Watch your Estimated Protection update live as you pack.
4. Drop it from increasing heights and see how far you can push it before it cracks.
More padding means more protection, but the real challenge also caps you at 15 pieces — so efficiency matters as much as raw cushioning. The Parachute Rig trades base protection for slower descent, which pays off more the higher you drop it. Testing more than once matters: this simulation, like a real drop test, has some natural variability.