Introducing girls to the exciting world of engineering can be a great way to inspire them to pursue STEM-related fields! There are plenty of fun and creative ways to do this, from taking them to engineering-related events or engaging in hands-on activities like building a bridge out of marshmallows.
There are many famous women engineers throughout history who have made tremendous contributions to the field. Some of the most well-known include Marie Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel Prize for her work in Physics and Chemistry; Hedy Lamarr, who created a frequency-hopping technology that was later used in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth; Katherine Johnson, a mathematician who worked on the Apollo space missions; and Grace Hopper, the inventor of the compiler and the first woman to become an admiral in the United States Navy.
All of these women have made incredible contributions to engineering, and their stories are inspiring to aspire engineers everywhere.
A step-by-step guide to making a marshmallow bridge?
Making a marshmallow bridge is a fun and creative way to explore the physics of structures. Here is a step-by-step guide to getting started:
- Gather your supplies: marshmallows, toothpicks, and weight to test the strength of your bridge.
- Start by making a basic frame for your bridge by connecting two marshmallows with toothpicks.
- Begin building the bridge by connecting toothpicks between the two frames.
- Strengthen your structure by adding more marshmallows and toothpicks.
- Test the strength of your bridge by slowly putting weight on it.
- Make adjustments as needed to make your bridge stronger.
- Enjoy your creative engineering project!
Activities for K-8th Graders from the LSU College of Science
Click now to learn about some of the cool research LSU scientists and mathematicians are doing and where they are doing it, do some fun and easy science experiments at home, put your noggin to the test with our brain games, and much more! And hey, parents! We didn't forget about you. Look in the right column for a parent's guide to coaching your child through STEM.
