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Marshmallow Challenge

Resource: Tom Wujec

The challenge

Create the tallest freestanding structure with the supplies provided

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The winning team is the one that has the tallest structure measured from the table top surface to the top of the marshmallow. That means the structure cannot be suspended from a higher structure, like a chair or ceiling.

Supplies

20 sticks of spaghetti

1 yard of tape

1 yard of string

1 pair of scissors

1 whole marshmallow

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Challenge Rules

• The entire mallow must be on top, no pieces!
• Your group doesn’t have to use everything
• You can break the spaghetti, cut the tape and string as you wish.
• At the end of 18 minutes the structure must stand on its own
• Everyone needs to understand the rules before beginning.

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Results of the challenge

Business students tend to do poorly because they spend too much time strategizing and not enough time left to practice!

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Kindergarteners do the best because they keep trying and start right away with building, constantly redesigning.

Lesson

Some of us come in to school with assumptions of how we’re going to do in school, or specific classes.

It’s important to test out those assumptions often, don’t spend too much time strategizing about how to conquer a class/school, just start practicing and allow yourself the time to rebuild yourself as a student!