How to Build a Bridge With Gumdrops
Elementary and middle school students may build a gumdrop or marshmallow bridge as an early introduction to architecture and engineering. To make a well-designed gumdrop bridge, students use flexible joints and simple geometric shapes to form a deceptively strong structure that won't collapse under pressure. A common bridge design uses a repeating pattern of triangles and squares, but you can experiment to find a building strategy that suits your class requirements and aesthetic preferences.
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Instructions
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Insert the ends of a toothpick into the sides of two gumdrops with the flat ends of the gumdrops on the bottom, flush with a flat surface. If desired, reinforce the gumdrop and toothpick connection with craft glue. Repeat this process with another toothpick and two more gumdrops.
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Place the pair of gumdrops and toothpicks parallel to each other. Add two additional toothpicks to form a square. If desired, add two additional toothpicks along the square's diagonals to make a square with an "x" in the center. Each toothpick end should stick into one of four gumdrops used so far.
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Form another square that shares one side of the original square. You will need three additional toothpicks (five more if making an "x" inside) and two more gumdrops.
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Continue connecting additional squares until the line of squares is as long as you want the bridge to be.
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Stick a toothpick up at a 45-degree angle in the bottom left corner of an end square. Stick another toothpick up at a 45-degree angle in the bottom right corner of the same angle. Connect the two toothpicks at the top with a single gumdrop to form a triangle shape.
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Make another triangle on the opposite side of the same square, using the same methods. Connect the top points of the two triangles with a toothpick.
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Make another triangle on the square next to the end square, using the same methods. Connect the top point of this triangle with the end square triangle's top point using a toothpick.
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Continue making triangles using this method, stacking additional triangles on top of the connections between the triangles to make the bridge taller. Build the bridge from the bottom up.
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References
- Photo Credit Photos.com/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
