Get ready to design a sturdy, spill-proof cup for Jordan! She wants to make sure Jessie can never trick her again!
Engineer the Most Sturdiest and Spill-Proof Cup Ever!
Design a sturdy, spill-proof cup
Project Details
- Grade Level K-5
- Subject Science, Art
- Activity Type Engineering, Design
About
Learning Objectives
Materials Needed
- Cups (plastic or paper)
- Craft materials (such as tape, scissors, and cardboard)
- Anything that might help make your cup super sturdy and spill-proof!
- Beans or beads to test spills (instead of using water)
- Pencil
Assignment
Watch Video
Watch Morning Cup of Joke to prepare for this engineering challenge!
Brainstorm and Plan
Take a moment to think about what makes a cup sturdy and resistant to spills. How can you design a cup that won’t tip over easily? Sketch out your ideas and plan how you’ll bring them to life.
Make sure you are still able to drink out of the cup and that it can withstand three taps with a pencil.
Start Building
Now it’s time to put your ideas into action! Use the materials provided to build your cup design. Try experimenting with different cup shapes and base designs to see what works best for stability.
Test Your Cup
Once your cup is built, it’s time to put it to the test! Fill it with beads or beans. Gently tip your cup over and observe whether it remains upright without spilling. If it spills, don’t worry–that's all part of the learning process! Just make note of what happened and think about how you can improve your design.
If your cup did pass the test, is it still easy to pick up and drink from it?
Make Adjustments
If your cup didn’t pass the test, don’t give up! Think about what went wrong and how you can make improvements. Maybe you need to adjust the shape of your cup or add extra support to the base. Make any necessary changes, and test your cup again.
Reflect and Share
After testing your cup, take a moment to reflect on your design process. What worked well? What could you do differently next time? Share your experiences with your classmates and listen to their ideas too!
Celebrate Your Success
Whether your cup passed the test on the first try or you had to make some adjustments along the way, be proud of your hard work and creativity! You’ve successfully tackled the sturdy and spill-proof cup challenge!
Congratulations, cup engineers! You’ve completed the sturdy and spill-proof cup challenge with flying colors. Keep experimenting, designing, and engineering – the sky’s the limit!
Vocabulary
Stability
Staying balanced and steady. Just like when you build a tower out of blocks, you want it to stay strong and not fall over.
Related Materials
Engineer the Most Studiest and Spill-Proof Cup Challenge Worksheet
PDF
Design and test your spill-proof cup
Explore the Joke Glass

Explore a cup that was part of a game
Temperature-Resistant Cup Challenge!

Design cups that can keep drinks hot or cold
Explore Cups: Design, Materials, and Shapes!

Discover different cup designs, materials, and shapes
Extensions
Design the worst cup ever! Can you engineer a cup that spills incredibly easily? What features does the cup have that make it the worst cup ever?