What do 20 marshmallows and dried spaghetti have in common?
Varnett's Northeast students in the ALPHA Academy used them to build a tower within five minutes.
Ms. Ingrett White-Moore, ALPHA Program Specialist, said the students were divided into groups and had to figure out the right combinations of marshmallows and dried spaghetti to establish a foundation and to start building up.
The assignments gave the students the opportunity for first- through eighth-grade students to:
- think critically
- work as a team
- use math to measure the foundation and height.
ALPHA (Advanced Learning Program for High Achievers) is designed for students to have an opportunity to skip a grade level by successfully completing coursework and passing specific tests in Reading and Math. Parents, however, may decline the option for their children to skip a grade.