With this kit, you will make a marshmallow igloo using the kit you got at school! If you’re following along using materials you have in your home, you will need:
- About 16 Mini Marshmallows
- About 31 Toothpicks
WARNING: Do not eat the marshmallows in your kit! They are not sanitary!
These instructions are for building an igloo, but you can really build anything you want!! If you’d like, build the igloo then take it apart and make something else. Please do not eat the marshmallows provided as they were not handled in a food safe environment.
Directions:
Step 1: build your base using 5 marshmallows and 5 toothpicks. This shape is called a pentagon.
Step 2: Make 5 V-shapes, each with 1 marshmallow and 2 toothpicks as shown.
Step 3: Attach each V-shape to your pentagon like the one in the picture below.
Step 4: Then, connect each of the 5 marshmallows at the top of the triangles with 5 toothpicks to form another pentagon. The result should look like the picture below.
Step 5: Make a 5-pointed star with 1 marshmallow and 5 toothpicks.
Step 6: Then, attach the star to the top pentagon of your igloo as shown.
Step 7: Using 3 marshmallows and 6 toothpicks, build the structure pictured to the right- make a triangle, then poke the remaining 3 toothpicks through the marshmallows so they point outwards.
Step 8: Attach the structure you made in step 5 to the main body of your igloo by poking the 3 toothpicks through one of the triangles on the side of your prism. Voilá! Your igloo is complete. Admire it proudly!
How does this relate to STEM?
The igloo you just built is your first step in engineering. It’s a simple design, but the strength of the marshmallow joints allow for much more complex builds that rely on physics to stand. The sky’s the limit!
Now that you understand how triangles can make a structure, let’s talk about physics and geometry! Physics is the science of matter, motion, and energy. Geometry is a kind of math that deals with shapes and figures.
In physics, a force is a push or pull on an object.
Now let’s think about shapes.
Do you think a Triangle or a Square is more stable when force is applied? Why?
Let’s test your hypothesis!
To follow along at home you will need:
- 7 Popsicle sticks with holes drilled in each end (ask an adult for help)
- 1-2 pipe cleaners, cut into about one inch pieces (ask an adult for help)
You will need to connect three Popsicle sticks with holes drilled in each end using a 1 inch section of pipe cleaner, then fold and join each end piece to form a triangle. Then, connect four Popsicle sticks with pipe cleaner and join each end to create a square.
Take out your Popsicle stick triangle and square. Compare the stability of the shapes by standing them up and pressing down on the top corner. What happens? How much does each one bend and twist? How hard can you press down on each shape before it collapses?
Compare what happened with the triangle and square. Which shape was more stable? What do you think made it more stable? How might this shape be used in large structures?
Now you can apply what you’ve learned in the Marshmallow Igloo STEM Kit and build a tower out of paper!
Did you have fun building an Igloo out of marshmallows and toothpicks? Did you build something else? Send in a picture of your creation @fairportrobotic on Twitter!