Students enjoyed the challenge of building gum drop structures with their older buddies from Burnaby Mountain last week.  Students had to test their knowledge of engineering as they tried to figure out:

Which shapes made by the toothpicks and gumdrops were the strongest? Squares, rectangles, or triangles?

Did the width of the base make a difference?

When the structure collapsed, which portions stayed in one piece? Why did those parts not collapse?

 

They were then tasked with using their discoveries to create a stronger structure that would support more weight.