Building Super Structures

Super is anything that goes above and beyond. In architecture and engineering, a superstructure is the part of a building that is on top or above the foundation. So a super superstructure, is a very tall building. In this activity, you can build very tall tower out of some materials easily found in the kitchen.

Supplies

Long Pasta Noodles (spaghetti was used for this activity, but use whatever long pasta noodle you have available)

Marshmallows or modeling clay

Gather Your Supplies

Long Pasta Noodles (spaghetti was used for this activity, but use whatever long pasta noodle you have available)

Marshmallows or modeling clay

Break 2 Long Pieces of Pasta in Half to Get 4 Smaller Pieces. Lay Them Into the Shape of a Square.

Use the Sticky Marshmallows to Join the Corners of the Square Together.

Add More Pasta and Marshmallows to Make a Cube. This Is the Base of Your Structure.

You May Need to Use Supports to Make Your Tower Stronger.

Repeat Steps Until You Have Another Layer or Story. Then Build It As Tall As You Can.

Key Terms

A structure is something that has been constructed or built. A tower, a skyscraper, and a bridge are all structures.

A story is a level part of a building with a floor that can be used by people. A two story house has a ground floor and upstairs floor. This does not include a basement or attic.

A cube is a three-dimensional shape made up of squares.

Supports are used in construction to make a structure and stronger.

Cross bracing and I-Beams are supports that help make buildings strong.