Middle School Science Lessons

Goal: Students will collaborate, problem solve, and persevere to accomplish each challenge

Materials – per group of 3-4 students

  • Task Cards – cut apart, laminate, and secure with a metal ring or brass brad
  • 6 cups
  • 1 rubber band
  • 4-6 pieces of string of equal length
Cup Stacking Challenge

This is one of the team building exercises I use with my 6th graders during the first week of school. Many variations of this lesson can be found online. For this version, I created 6 different challenges for the students to tackle – each one increasing in difficulty. Not every group will get to complete all 6 challenges, and that is OK. The objective is to learn to work together as a team and not give up.

July 26, 2017 – One recommendation I have for this activity is placing the cups on the floor, when the cups fall off the table it makes it more difficult to complete the task in a timely manner.

Updated: Pictures September 2015

Working as a team to complete a task
Working as a team to complete a task

Discussion & Reflection

  1. Which challenge was the easiest for you group to complete? The most difficult? Why?
  2. Did your techniques change as you advanced to each challenge? Explain why or why not.
  3. Describe a technique that worked best within your group.
  4. Compare using two hands vs. one hand when holding the string to guide the cups. List advantages and disadvantages for each.
  5. Compare using verbal and nonverbal communication, what were some of the challenges your group faced?
  6. If you were to complete this activity again, what would your group do differently? What would you do the same?
  7. Why are collaboration and communication skills important characteristics for scientists to have?
  8. Did you feel like giving up at any point? How did you and your group deal with frustration?
Trying to pick up a cup that fell over.
Trying to pick up a cup that fell over.
Almost done with Challenge #4!
Almost done with Challenge #4!

Discover more from Middle School Science Lessons

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Topics

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

27 responses

  1. Stack’em Up Cups: An Introduction to Engineering – Blair B.

    […] to Cup Stacking Challenge […]

    Like

    Reply
  2. Cup Stacking Challenge | Math = Love

    […] Each group received one rubberband, a piece of string (2 ft long) for each member of the group (2 pieces of string per person for groups of only 2), six cups, and a deck of challenge cards that I printed from here. […]

    Like

    Reply
  3. And so it begins. – Teaching to the nth Degree

    […] I also did a cup stacking challenge. Each group of 3 or 4 students was given six cups, an elastic band, and a piece of string for each person. The strings got tied on the elastic band and the students had to pull on the string so that they could manipulate the elastic to move the plastic cups. There were six different challenges for the groups, with each challenge requiring the students to place the six cups in a different configuration. In the first three challenges the students were allowed to talk with each other, but no verbal communication was allowed in the last three challenges. Last year I got this task from the Middle School Science Blog, and you can find the link here. […]

    Like

    Reply
  4. Dr.F Avatar
    Dr.F

    Thanks for this. I read it a while ago and stored the idea away for later. I finally used it today (first day of school) as a last minute activity for 9th grade advisory when we were otherwise supposed to have class meetings. (It’s great being a science teacher and having a stash of random stuff for last minute activities.) My students resisted the one hand behind your back and no verbal communication. ( But enjoyed watching them work. It definitely allowed me to gain some insight into personalities.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Liz LaRosa Avatar
      Liz LaRosa

      Glad it was useful!

      Like

  5. Lisa Whitney Avatar
    Lisa Whitney

    This was the first activity I did with my 6th graders this year. It was an awesome activity! The students loved it and it was great for me to watch how they collaborated, dealt with frustration, and persevered! Thank you for sharing.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Liz LaRosa Avatar
      Liz LaRosa

      Great to hear!

      Like

  6. Laurie Avatar
    Laurie

    about how long does this activity take? thanks liz!

    Like

    Reply
  7. First Day Stations | Puentes to CI Avatar
    First Day Stations | Puentes to CI

    […] Cup Challenge: For this activity make sure your instructions are clear and make a visual for each part of the challenge. If you want the cups stacked pyramid style show them the pyramid. If you want a vertical line show them a picture of the cups in a vertical line. […]

    Like

    Reply
  8. April Thompson Avatar
    April Thompson

    I cannot open the task cards. Suggestion?

    Like

    Reply
    1. Liz LaRosa Avatar
      Liz LaRosa

      The task cards are a pdf file, you will need Adobe to read the file. ~Liz

      Like

  9. Ami Avatar
    Ami

    Does it matter what kind of cups are used?

    Like

    Reply
    1. Liz LaRosa Avatar
      Liz LaRosa

      Ami, I’ve seen it done with different kinds of cups, I just used cups I already had from when I taught Speed Stacks as a club. ~Liz

      Like

  10. Jessica Avatar
    Jessica

    Is there a link to the task cards?

    Like

    Reply
    1. Liz LaRosa Avatar
      Liz LaRosa

      Yes – it is a pdf file, I will highlight it to make it easier to find the link. ~ Liz

      Like

  11. Regina Avatar
    Regina

    Do you tie the string to the elastic before the students begin the activity?or Do the students have to come up with that idea?

    Like

    Reply
    1. Liz LaRosa Avatar
      Liz LaRosa

      For the activity, you don’t have to tie the strings to the rubber bands, they can just thread them through and hold both ends of the string. I did show them how to do that last year since it was the first time I used the activity. ~Liz

      Like

  12. Mary Avatar
    Mary

    When moving to the next challenge are the cups put in a certain formation ? Are they left in the previous challenge formation?

    Like

    Reply
    1. Liz LaRosa Avatar
      Liz LaRosa

      Mary – the cups are left in the formation just formed instead of starting over with all the cups stacked – Hope that helps! ~ Liz

      Like

  13. KA Avatar
    KA

    What size of rubber band did you use…does it need to be smaller than the diameter of the cup so it can be stretched?

    Like

    Reply
    1. Liz LaRosa Avatar
      Liz LaRosa

      We used standard sized rubber bands, they were stretched to fit over the cups

      Like

  14. Meg Avatar
    Meg

    THANK YOU for sharing this resource! It’s great!

    Like

    Reply
    1. Liz LaRosa Avatar
      Liz LaRosa

      If you use this lesson in your class, would love to hear how it went :) Liz

      Like

  15. Candy1119 Avatar
    Candy1119

    I absolutely love this!!!

    Like

    Reply
  16. DeeAnn Moore Avatar
    DeeAnn Moore

    Liz can you tell me how the string and rubber bands are used in this activity?

    Like

    Reply
    1. Liz LaRosa Avatar
      Liz LaRosa

      DeeAnn – Yes, of course, the students will tie the string to the rubber band, each student will control one, or two of the strings, using only the strings and rubber bands, they will move the cups into the formations shown on the cards. They can’t touch the cups with their hands at all, only the rubber band will pick up the cups. The goal is to work as a team and develop communication skills. ~Liz

      Like

    2. Liz LaRosa Avatar
      Liz LaRosa

      I Just added an image to get a better feel for how the activity will look.

      Like

Leave a reply to DeeAnn Moore Cancel reply