Benefits
- Playful & fun
- Simple props
- Promotes creativity
- Builds problem-solving skills
- Many metaphors
Equipment
- Bag of spaghetti
- Roll of string/twine
- Masking-tape
- Marshmallows
- Measuring tape
INSTRUCTIONS
- In advance, prepare one kit containing the following items for each small group:
- 20 sticks of spaghetti
- 1 metre (3') of string
- 1 metre (3') of masking tape
- 1 x marshmallow - Gather your group and divide them into small teams of approx 4 to 8 people.
- Distribute one kit to each small group.
- Instruct the groups to use (only) the contents of the kits to build the tallest free-standing structure, and to place the marshmallow on top (highest peak of structure.)
- Explain that every group has exactly 20 minutes to complete the task.
- Groups are permitted to use as little or all of their resources and break the spaghetti, string and tape as they choose.
- The team with the tallest (free-standing) structure supporting the highest marshmallow at the end of the time, wins.
- Next, try a variation (see below.)
FREE RESOURCES