Using only tape and straws, Emma and I built a tower capable of holding a baseball! Here’s proof!
This assignment from the Livingmath.net curriculum was not an easy project because there were no directions, just an assignment — build a tower from straws. Never having constructed anything like this nor ever having seen a straw tower, I was rather frustrated at the lack of detail offered. I mean, how can we make something that we have no concept of at all?
I could only find one resource that had directions — How to Build a Straw Tower Capable of Holding a Baseball. So we roughly followed the guidelines laid out there, and it worked. Sprite and I are not short on creativity, but we certainly need some sort of foundation to work on. The article fit the bill. Here are our steps.
First we had to cut off the bendy part of each straw. Then we made a triangle and a square to compare the strengths of each shape. It was easy to see that a triangle is much stronger than a square. But we followed our directions and made an octagon base pentagon base. (Whoops! Thanks, Chaz, for pointing out my error.)
For the side structures, we made long pieces from six straws by inserting straws into other straws.
We used tape to reinforce the joints. Here are our completed base and sides.
Then we began connecting the sides to the base. Just taping this thing together was tricky! We tried lots of ways before we found methods that worked. We used a LOT of tape. But there was nothing in the directions about being pretty. The one criteria was that it hold a baseball.
We also constructed a center support. Then we were exhausted and tired of yellow straws! So things got a bit silly!
The next day, we resumed work on the tower. We trimmed it to a shorter height and added horizontal supports all around. Not pretty, by any means, but it was strong! Now the test. Here is Sprite, gingerly testing the structure with a baseball.
IT WORKS!
Books with projects using straws:
Or cheat with a building kit:
Brenda says
OK. This looks like some serious fun!
Martha says
Love seeing all you do.
missy says
It looks like sprite had a good time making this!
Tiany says
This is very neat! I will have to try this with my boys. I love your new Blog! 🙂
Dawn says
Very! Vwey! cool…. I love seeing all of your neat projects.
Blessings,
Dawn
Marsha says
YAY for Sprite and for you! Very cool indeedy.
Melissa Telling says
Looks like fun. I bet my boys would have fun with this project.
The new blog is very nice. Looking forward to seeingwha you do with it. I will miss the old one though. 🙁
Laura says
Just wanted to thank you for sharing this as you inspired me to have my oldest son build one.
http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com/2009/06/flurry-of-activity-x-6-end-of-school.html
chaz says
that base is pentagonal not octagonal
Jimmie says
Chaz,
You are so right! I did write “octagon base.” And it’s clearly NOT an octagon. Whoops! I will change that! Thanks so much for the correction.
eric shaun says
i love th design, i’m doing it for an engineer project
Hoff, Jack says
The octagonal base is great for support.
Tess Steckle says
Hi, i am doing a project just like this, but we haveto use paper clips instead of tape. anyone have ideas.
Harry Kuntz says
i would poke a hole threw the straw and attach the 2 paper clips toghther
elisa says
thank you so much this really helped me in school
patrick says
thanks! This helped me get an A!
Jimmie says
@Patrick — Horray! What wonderful news!
Wierdo says
Thanks for the help…I might use the idea =D
jayant says
thats good..
do u also have some oter models
Father jude says
it faled me
Nicole says
Me and my partner, Heather are required to build a straw tower using 40 straws, 3 feet of tape, and 6 pipe cleaners. How many straws did you use? (:
Maybe you can give us some helpful tips on our tower?
Cris P Bacon says
love it thanks
jasmine says
thats good
aolle says
hi…. can anyone tell me if i can build a straw tower made out of 30 straws??????
—–b’coz that’s my problem… we only to have 30 straws and have to create a strong foundation when slammed can stand again,,,,,,
bob says
yes you can
bob says
yes, very easy follow the above
Naima says
I’m doing the same project at school, and i was just woundering how long did it take to make the straw tower?
hayley says
about 1 hour (no break)
Marty Smarty says
hey how about putting three legged straw towers on here
irma says
good design 🙂
hayley says
my team in tech had to bulid one of this and were winning.
Bikram Singh says
woww……. good design ..
Kasey says
Thank you so much! This really helped me with my science project. Especially the part about cutting off the bendy part of the straws!! 🙂