[Andrico]

In 8th grade we had a bunch of these challenges/competitions towards the end of the year. We did things like egg drops, straw towers, and some of the others mentioned.

One of my favorites was the Popsicle bridge challenge. Each team was give 100 or so Popsicle sticks, some cardboard, wood glue, and 2 feet of duct tape. The goal was to bridge a gap between two desks that was about 2 feet wide and a little toy matchbox car had to be able to drive across it smoothly.

To judge the winner the car must be able to cross the bridge easily. Then you put a bucket, (like a 10 gallon paint bucket) across the bridge so it hangs. Then add weight to the bucket until it breaks. The winner is the bridge that holds the most weight.