Group Members: _______________________________Date: _________________

THE MISSION

Today, you are environment engineers, and you must save the city! A container of highly
toxic marshmallows has been located in the city! Your mission is to design a solution to
move the toxic marshmallows into a safe container for decontamination before they
explode! You must follow specific material, safety, and time criteria and constraints.

Criteria Time & Design constraints Material constraints

o No body parts may touch the
containers or cross into the
toxic zone
o the containers must stay in the
toxic zone
o dont spill the marshmallows or
they will explode!
o Your team will have 40 minutes
to imagine, plan, create, test,
and improve your design
o You may use only the materials
provided
o 2 plastic containers, 50-100
marshmallows, 1 package of
clothesline rope, 1 bicycle tire
tube, 1 hula hoop

ASK QUESTIONS
Phase 1

IMAGINE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

Phase 2
Ask yourselfIs this possible?

Write a hypothesis.

Complete the following statement: When we begin to move the toxic marshmallows from one
container to the other by using only the materials provided, the toxic marshmallows will

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 PLAN OUT A DESIGN
Phase 3
Remember to label the materials in your design and write why you chose them.
After you have tested your design (and it works) draw this design on the chart paper.
 CREATE YOUR DESIGN
Phase 4

EXPERIMENT & TEST THE MODEL

Phase 5
HOW CAN I IMPROVE THIS?

Record your observations. Write down the process you used to create your solution.
You will share this with the class and write in on the chart paper, so make sure you
double check your writing and everyone agrees on the process.

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 EXPERIMENT & TEST THE MODEL
Phase 5
HOW CAN I IMPROVE THIS?

Did your design save the city? Yes No

If you answered NO to the question above, explain how your team could improve the
design to be able to answer yes next time.

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Please note any new understandings or ideas that could help your team work better.

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