Thinking Fountain image (17k)Thinking Fountain text (10k)

Strong Shapes

Is a square stronger than a triangle?

Use tongue depressors to experiment with simple shapes.

You'll need:

  • Tongue depressors
  • Brads
  • String
  • Scissors
  • Hand drill
Square and triangular shapes (44k)
Here's a hint button (5k)

Adding string to the shapes (44k)

Square bullet (3k) Drill holes.

Triangle bullet (3k) Build a triangle.

Square bullet (3k) Build a square.

Triangle bullet (3k) Which is stronger?

Square bullet (3k) Try adding string.

Triangle bullet (3k) What happens?


Shapes cluster logo (7k)See the Shapes cluster for experiments, books, activities and ideas developed with teachers at the Ross School in San Francisco.


That makes me think . . . (11k)
Is a pyramid stronger than a cube? How could you test it? What shapes are most common in skyscrapers? How can you test the strength of different shapes?

Yellow dot (9k) Shapes

Book cover (17k)

Yellow dot (9k) Take a shape walk

Yellow dot (9k) Bubble geometry



Gathered by topic
Mind maps (9k)
Connected together
A to Z button (9k)
Index of ideas
Search
Search

Science Learning Network / ©1996 Science Museum of Minnesota