Elementary Science Olympiad: Straw Tower

The nation's most exciting science competition now has kits for at-home use!

• Lesson plans and worksheets for two hands-on activities (lesson plans include extension suggestions for classroom or competition use)
• Materials to complete activities, excluding a common household item
• Educational standard: ESS-1

Elementary Science Olympiad Signature Events kits encourage hands-on learning and exploration for students in grades K-6, either at home or at school. The Straw Tower kit will help your child or student explore how towers are designed, as well as the common forces that engineers and architects consider when designing buildings and structures. They will practice building their own towers and use different strategies to improve the strength and stability of the tower.

All activities are aligned to Next Generation Science Standards, nationally recognized standards for science instruction. Parents, afterschool providers, and classroom teachers can successfully guide younger children through these activities, regardless of science background or knowledge. Older and more advanced children may be able to independently complete the activities with minimal assistance from adults.