The Marshmallow Challenge

The Marshmallow Challenge

How to get organized: We learned about The Marshmallow Challenge from watching this TED Talk. In groups of four, students are given 18 minutes to build the tallest structure possible using 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, 1 yard of string, and a marshmallow. They do not need to use all the materials, but the structure needs to hold the entire marshmallow on top.

  • Think of the best time to hold the challenge in your school (when there are students around waiting for class, or waiting for their rides).
  • You’ll need  a teacher to deliver the instructions, and the staff at the library to interact with students in English.
  • Decide on the best place to hold the event.
  • Prepare posters to display around school prior the event and/or send e-mails to the families letting them know about the event.
  • Decide how many sessions you will have.
  • Check how many kits you’ll need.
  • Prepare the kits

We tested with a very creative group of teachers  and they did pretty well!

By doing this simple task, groups learn how to communicate, collaborate, and each individual might draw some conclusions about how he/she reacted to the challenge. This activity could be used also in the beginning of a term, or any time you need students to realize how important it is to work in groups to achieve learning goals. Feel free to ask us for help, we will be glad to share our experience with you to help you get started.

Sarah - Maker, 15/Jul/2024