Cardboard bicycle

High school (ages 12+)
Making & Design

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/cardboard-bicycle

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary construction material?Cardboard
2. What is the development status (as of 2012)?Prototypes were the primary form, indicating ongoing research and development
3. Why would someone want to ride a cardboard bicycle?Because it costs less than metal bikes, uses renewable materials, and can help people who can’t afford regular bicycles.
4. How can a cardboard bike be strong enough to ride on?Engineers stack many layers of cardboard, fold them into sturdy shapes like triangles or honeycombs, and add extra bracing so the frame can handle the rider’s weight and bumps.

Prototype: An initial, experimental version of a product designed to test concepts and feasibility before mass production.
Renewable Resource: A natural resource that can be replenished at a rate equal to or faster than it is consumed, such as timber.
Circular Economy: An economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources, contrasting with the linear 'take-make-dispose' model.