The Floor is Lava

Materials (per team)

Divide into teams of two to three students.
Each team has 10 minutes to design and build a structure to keep as many counting bears as possible off the table using plastic cups and craft sticks.
1. Rules: Bears must be above the table and outside the cups.
After 10 minutes, each team counts the number of bears they rescued. Share your design with the class with a quick report out.
Repeat steps 2 and 3, adding one index card to the available materials.

Add materials as students adjust their prototypes. Examples: plate, tape, more craft sticks.
Are there any common design characteristics among teams? What suggestions do students have for other teams to make their design successful?