In eighth grade science class, we have been diving into an investigation of tubes with ropes inside that are able to be pulled in several different directions. While the activity sounds unusual, students have been engaging in discussions regarding fundamental ideas of characteristics of science, including supporting claims with evidence, science being tentative, how prior knowledge and past experience affect one’s thoughts, opinions, and ideas, imagination and creativity’s role in science, as well as collaboration and consensus in science. At the end of the week, students took the next step in the process of determining how the inside of the tube is set up to function by building models to test our ideas. If you have or know a current (or former!) eighth grade student at ADM Middle School, be sure to ask them what they think is inside the tube!