A Spaghetti-Marshmallow Challenge

Riley has only been in 5th grade for three days and already I am smitten with the teaching team and their über-cool homework projects. Last night one of his optional assignments was to recreate their Spaghetti-Marshmallow Challenge at home with their families. Build something? With food??! Oh, yeah. That was a must, though I didn't have any "real marshmallows." I had homemade - square - agave syrup marshmallows that Riley scoffed at. "Mom, those are perfect for hot chocolate, but not my project." Fine. So, off I went to Safeway with an hour before bedtime...to get "marshmallows that other people have in their homes."

The challenge: use 20 spaghetti noodles, 1 meter of tape, 1 meter of string and - in 30 minutes - build the tallest structure you can that will support the weight of a marshmallow.

Riley and I both went for a tripod method, though I reinforced the frame by utilizing multiple noodles in each leg. Dylan started off with a four-pronged base. And Jake went for a helix-style structure.

In a house full of LEGO-crazed boys and a truly handy husband, I am thrilled to say that my structure won. I built a tower that was 28-1/2" tall. Both Riley and Jake's were 28". So I just barely squeaked past them with half an inch, but I'll take the victory. Girl power! Dylan participated but really was only interested in eating the marshmallow afterwards.

Looking forward to lots more learning and fun!

*UPDATE*
Whoops! After watching this, Jake said, "the exercise is about cooperation and teamwork more then building a marshmallow and spaghetti hut." Cooperation and teamwork? Team Mann?!? Ha! We don't do teamwork. Maybe that's something to work on this year.