Here’s a fun project we did at Day Camp that you can try at home!

 
Objective: Use sweet materials to build a structure with strength! 
 Materials Needed: gumdrops, toothpicks
 
 
What’s the big deal about triangles? 
 
As you’ve probably already discovered, squares collapse easily under compression. Four toothpicks joined in a square tend to collapse by giving way at their joints, their weakest points. 
 
But if you manufacture a toothpick triangle, the situation changes. The only way to modification the angles of the triangle is by shortening one of the sides. So to manufacture the triangle collapse you would have to push hard sufficient to break one of the toothpicks. 
 
If you desire to, you can utilize your gumdrops as well as toothpicks to build some strong structures that are made by combining triangles as well as squares. Looking on behalf of other triangles in structures around you may give you ideas on behalf of other designs you can build with gumdrops as well as toothpicks.
 
What other shapes can you manufacture that shall withstand applied force?