I've got an idea-- first it starts out with a square.

We need to saw this piece in half.

Measure twice; cut once.

We're gonna use this for the actual platform.

Here she comes!

Whoo!

Just to keep it nice and afloat, on each side could be a PVC pipe.

Maddy, why don't we start setting up the PVC pipes.

We want it tight enough so no water leaks in.

There is a smallish hole, I would say, for the turtles to come up.

Should it be circular...

It's a triangle.

...or a square?

How about we compromise and do a semicircle?

I'm going to question the necessity of a hole.

They could just jump off the sides.

My idea was that we take a board and we we do a slant at one end into the water on hinges or something.

How does hinge work?

Make sure we have the hinges in the right place.

Fine, I have the power.

I see why they call them power tools.

It's kind of almost exactly like we planned, except the ramp is much longer than we thought it would be.

Then we have a branch hanging off one side.

Maybe we shouldn't put the branch.

If we put the branch that might be a little bit too cumbersome.

I mean, we've got to build this today.

I don't think it would be that hard just to nail on a branch.

Me and Annie argue a lot, mostly about very, very dumb things.

[laughs] Dumb!

I think that would be a really good idea to have a branch out.

Yeah, I don't think we need another like, add-on to that.

I had the hardest time getting past this sticking a branch on.

I was like, no, we do not need a branch, Kate.

Stop it!

(Annie) I think we should put that as another possibility because...

I think we should just do it because we should... Can I just finish my talk?

Can I just finish this first, and then you can talk?

It kind of dissolved, then it kind of morphed into whoever can talk the loudest talks first.

We're gonna test all 3 variables, which were logs, branches, and stones, and see which ones they like best.

It's pretty frustrating listening to my friends arguing about something so small as a branch or a rock.

The brainstorming session was one of our hardest sessions yet because we've all got these different ideas and these different images in our head of what a basking platform should be.

We weren't seeing it from anybody else's point of view.

We were like, nope!

But then Annie was like peacemaker of the century.

I've got a compromise.

Let's just build with these first and then when we can see, we can add on stuff.

Eventually they came to a conclusion and it turned out looking great, our platform.

Yeah!

Whoo!

Do this thing.

Everybody back up, back up, back up.

What about that one?

It's like, 50 pounds.

Thank you, Maddy!

Are they tightening?

I felt like I could do anything in the world that day.

Are we ready for the ceremony?

Da-da-da!

Turtle Island.

[cheers & applause] I think though, like these 2... Yeah, I think the logs are gonna be the most successful.

I think this will because this is sort of hanging over the water, which I think they'll like.