Gum-drop Structures

Objectives

• Investigate the strength of different shapes in building design.

Materials

• Per Student:
  gumdrops
  toothpicks

  Alternative Materials: plasticine or play-dough can be used to anchor toothpicks.

Key Questions

• What shapes made by the toothpicks and gumdrops were the strongest? Squares, rectangles, triangles?
• Did the width of the base make a difference?
• When buildings collapsed, which portions stayed in one piece?
• Why did certain parts of buildings not collapse?
• How can you use strength and collapse information to build a better tower?

What To Do

1. Individually or in groups, students build towers by sticking toothpicks into gumdrops, using gumdrops as connectors.
   

Create your own challenges or try some of these:

• The building must have 2 floors and be at least _____ cm tall.
• The building may not extend out past a given base.
• The building cannot use more than ____ gumdrops.
• The building cannot use more than ____ toothpicks.

You can do the challenges with or without time limits.

2. Test the structures using an earthquake simulator or simply by shaking the table beneath.

Extensions

• Try a structural strength test: What configuration of a Gum Drop Structure can support the most weight and is most stable? HINT: let the structures dry and harden overnight for this experiment.
• If using plasticine or fresh playdough as an alternative material: These materials are pliable, which can lead to extension activities about rigidity of joints and how they support certain structure uses, or not.
• If using play dough as an alternative material: When left overnight, playdough will harden. Structures can then be evaluated for their strength in weight ("load" ) they can bear. NOTE: Plasticine will STAY pliable if left.

Other Resources

Science World Resources | Structures faites de jujubes | French version of this resource

PBS Learning | Triangles: Testing the strength of a Gum Drop Dome

Government of British Columbia | Master of Disaster Youth Education

Government of British Columbia | Earthquake Preparedness and Response

Government of Canada | Natural Resources Canada |  Earthquakes Canada