Your Challenge…

Build the tallest tower you can that can support a textbook!

Your Materials…

50 straws 3 ft of masking tape

The catch…

Each material has a value and your tower cannot cost more than $10,000 dollars to build!

1 straw is worth $200

1 inch of tape is worth $100

Things to consider…

Rigidity of Forms- What shape is the strongest? Squares? Rectangles ?

Triangles?

What should the shape of my tower be? Big base? Small base?

The Big IdeaThe Big Idea

TensionTension: Think of it as “Stretching,” like a string being pulled.

CompressionCompression: Think of it as “Squishing,” like pushing on a wall

When members are arranged like this they are called trussestrusses.

Can you name a type of truss you’ve seen in your everyday life?

StabilityStability of our straw structures depends on the balance between straws that are in tension and ones that are in compression

Two kinds of forces: Tension and Compression

Trusses in Everyday LifeTrusses in Everyday Life

Eiffel TowerEiffel Tower

BicyclesBicycles Houses and RoofsHouses and Roofs

BridgesBridges