Grass Lake students take on STEM problem with Pringles Challenge

Enrichment students in sixth through eighth grade at Grass Lake School in Antioch have been working with their teacher, Linda Lucke, on the Pringles Challenge.

The Pringles Challenge invites students to create a ring using only Pringles chips, forming a circle without the use of any adhesives, tape or glue.

This STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) challenge was embraced by these students, evoking the need for patience and tenacity as they worked to create a perfect ring that could also be strong. The extra challenge included not eating the chips as they worked toward the final goal.

Students experienced many varying outcomes, but several met the challenge. The physics that makes this work is that the sides of the ring get taller and gravity pushes down on the chips, causing them to slide down to create a friction force on the sides so that gravity cannot push them down.

The new twist on this activity is in progress: students are packing up one chip and sending it through the mail. What is the best way to send a Pringle so that it does not break? Is this possible? We will have to wait and see at Grass Lake School.

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