Building Towers with Toothpicks and Marshmallows

2nd grade

Math Concept:
Standard:
Measurement & Data
2.MD
Measure and estimate
lengths in standard
units.
2. Measure the length of
an object twice, using
length units of different
lengths for the two
measurements; describe
how the two
measurements relate to
the size of the unit
chosen.

1.)
Integrated
Thematic Topic:

Technology Concept:
Standards:

Learning through house

hold objects
2.)
Essential
Questions:
How can we take items
we find around the house
and turn them into a fun
learning experience, a
learning experience that
will help us in our
everyday endeavors such
as measuring, and
designing?

#1: Creativity and

Innovation
#2 Communication and
Collaboration
#4 Critical Thinking,
problem solving and
decision making
Task:
-Brainstorm how to build
your tower to with stand
a hurricane for 5
seconds.

Task:
3.)
Essential
-Identify what two units
Academic Terms:
of measurement they can Measurements
use to measure their
Inches
towers and why.
Feet
-Measure the tower they
Brainstorm
build and record on a
Hurricane
sheet of paper with the
Structure
appropriate
measurements.
4.)
Learning
Objectives/Outco
mes
Students will measure
how tall their tower is in
inches and feet after
eight minuets.
(Math)
Students will place their
towers on a tray, which
will simulate a five

-Create and design tower

you may also come up
with a name for your
marshmallow tower.

second hurricane.
(Science)

Science Concept:
Standards:
KeyIdea2:Manyofthephenomena
thatweobserveonEarthinvolve
interactionsamongcomponentsofair,
water,andland.
2.1eExtremenaturalevents(floods,
fires,earthquakes,volcaniceruptions,
hurricanes,tornadoes,andother
severestorms)mayhavepositiveor
negativeimpactsonlivingthings.
SKILLSANDSTRATEGIESFOR
INTERDISCIPLINARY
PROBLEMSOLVING
WorkingEffectivelycontributingto
theworkofabrainstorminggroup,
laboratorypartnership,cooperative
learninggroup,orprojectteam;
planningprocedures;identifyingand
managingresponsibilitiesofteam
members;andstayingontask,
whetherworkingaloneoraspartofa
group
RealizingIdeasconstructing
componentsormodels,arrivingata
solution,andevaluatingtheresults
STANDARD7Strategies
KeyIdea2:Solvinginterdisciplinary
problemsinvolvesavarietyofskills
andstrategies,includingeffective
workhabits;gatheringandprocessing
information;generatingandanalyzing
ideas;realizingideas;making
connectionsamongthecommon
themesofmathematics,science,and
technology;andpresentingresults.
workeffectivelygatherandprocess
informationgenerateandanalyze
ideasobservecommonthemes
realizeideaspresentresults

Task:Build a
marshmallow tower with
their group in a way
where it can with stand a
ten second hurricane.

Engineering Concept:
Students will do a
worksheet on how
weather has positive and
negative affects on living
and non-living things.
(Science)
Given materials students
will brainstorm and write
down how to make their
tower stand for ten
seconds.
(Technology)
Given materials students
will work together to
creatively build a sturdy
marshmallow tower.
(Engineering)
Assessment:
-Students will construct a
standing figure made out
of marshmallows and
toothpicks.
-Students will record how
tall their towers are
standing after eight
minuets using inches or
feet.
-Students will name their
new towers.
-Students will construct a
written summary of 4-6
sentences of why they
build their towers the
way they did.
-Students will also
complete worksheet on
how extreme weather

Standards:
1.) Facilitate and
inspire student
learning and
creativity
a. Promote, support
and model creative
and innovative
thinking and
inventiveness
b. Promote student
reflection using
collaborative tools
to reveal and
clarify students
conceptual
understanding and
thinking, planning,
and creative
processes
Task:
-Construct a standing
figure, using
marshmallows and
toothpicks.
-State the number of
marshmallows and
toothpicks used for your
tower

positively and negatively

affects living things

Guiding Questions for Project- based or Inquiry- Based Activities:

What is the problem (question) that needs to be solved (answer)?

How can you construct a tower out of Marshmallows and
toothpicks that can with stand a hurricane? Should you
make the base bigger? Should you keep it the same all
the way to the top?

Who has the problem (question)? Students

Why is this problem (question) important to solve (answer)?

Using everyday items to explore STEM ideas is important.
Items can be hard to come by or expensive when you are
on a teachers budget, so finding the cheapest household
items is the best way to go for some of the best STEM
projects.