How to make a cube that could support at least 12 textbooksh out of straws,index cards and a roll of tape?

its my geometry project you only have 20 of 7.5 inch straws, 20of 3by5 index cards and only a roll of tape, we are suppose to make a geometric figure out of these materials with at lease 3in in height it could be in any shape, but to get an A, you're structure have to be able to withstand at least 12 geometry text books(am guessing a little over a pound, close to 2 pound) you stop counting books when the shape bends in anyform. my group is thinkin of a cube, but we dont know how to make for the enclosure and the inside idk if we should set the straws all standing up, or if we should make triangles inside or any other way HELP! i REALLY need this to get a A on my report card! P.S. please do not suggest anyting like perabola or sphear....as you know...am working w/straws...
Answer:

The straws will provide most structural support when they are placed as vertical columns. Therefore, it seems that the strongest structure would be to cut all of the straws in half and arrange all of the pieces vertically, in a bundle, wrapped by the tape. I don't know if this satisfies the requirement of a geometric shape, but the final form would be a sort of vertical cylinder made up of the vertical bundle of straws, and it should support a lot of weight. Bind the straws together tightly with the entire roll of tape and you should have a very strong structure. I'm not sure what to do with the index cards unless you want to fashion a paper bottom and top deck on the ends of the straws.

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