A classic engineering challenge with a creative twist: build the tallest tower with a mini supply kit.
Concept:
Encourage engineering thinking and structural experimentation by buildingtall with limited materials.Time: 10 minutes
Materials (per pair or small group)
- 6 straws
- 1 foot of tape
- 2 index cards
- 4 paper clips
Instructions
- The Challenge: Build the tallest free-standing tower possible using only your given materials. No attaching it to the table!
- Design & Build (7-8 minutes): Plan and construct your tower. Think about how to balance height and stability.
- Test & Measure (1 minute): Once the time is up, measure your tower from base to tip.
- Reflect (1 minute): What design choices helped or hurt your structure? If you had more time or materials, what would you try?