Marshmallow Challenge
🍝 The Marshmallow Tower Challenge
🎯 Build the tallest freestanding structure—with a marshmallow on top!
🧠 What Is This Challenge All About?
You and your team will have 18 minutes to build the tallest freestanding structure possible using spaghetti, tape, and string…
But here’s the twist: The marshmallow must go on top—and stay there! 🏗️
🧰 What You Get (per team):
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20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti 🍝
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1 yard of masking tape 🎗️
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1 yard of string 🧵
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1 standard marshmallow 🍡
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1 pair of scissors ✂️ (optional)
That’s it. Use your materials wisely!
🔧 The Rules:
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You have 18 minutes to build. ⏱️
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Your structure must be freestanding (no leaning on walls, books, or people). 🏛️
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The entire marshmallow must sit on top—don’t squish it!
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You can break or cut the spaghetti, tape, or string any way you like.
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At the buzzer, the tallest structure that can stand on its own wins! 🏆
💡 Tips Before You Build:
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Test your ideas early! Don’t wait until the last second to add the marshmallow.
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Think about triangles and strong bases for support.
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Communicate with your team—divide roles and sketch a quick plan.
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Keep it simple. Fancy isn’t always stable! 😉
🧠 Challenge Time: Ready, Set… GO!
🗣️ Debrief & Reflect:
What was your strategy?
What worked—and what didn’t?
How did your team communicate under pressure?
What would you change if you had 5 more minutes?
🚀 What You’re Practicing:
Design thinking & prototyping
Creativity under constraints
Teamwork & communication
STEM problem-solving in real time
