Third and fourth graders in Mrs. Peters, Mrs. Hyde and Ms. Phelan, Mrs. Ashenbrenner, and Mrs. Smith's classes built gumdrop and toothpick structures that could bear the weight of library books. 

This activity is designed to promote a growth mindset of problem-solving and perseverence. 

We began by reading The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires. In the story the heroine persists through set backs and frustration to build the most magnificent thing. 

Pairs of students were given 20 toothpicks and 10 gumdrops with which to build magnificent structures that could support one or more library books. 

Click here to view pictures of their structures.