Bridge Builders

Day 1

• Tell students that they are going to be bridge builders for the next couple of days.
• Begin day by watching video to learn about bridges.
• Ask students to “think, pair, and share” with other students around them about what they know about bridges and the shapes that are included.
• Next, pull up pictures of different bridges.
  • Discuss the similarities and differences. One large talking point would be the triangles.
• Allow the students to research on their own different structures of bridges, and other facts they may need to know.
• Inform the students of the objective to construct the strongest bridge possible to support the greatest amount of weight.
• Allow students to plan/ sketch their bridges. They also will write a quick summary of why they chose to design the bridge the way that they did.

 
Day 2

• Students will build their bridges.
  • Students can use, toothpicks, Popsicle sticks, glue, yarn, etc. Whatever materials the teachers want to include.
• Test the bridges to see which one will hold the most weight.
  • Start with a little bit of weight and work up to a textbook or other heavy object. (Many bridges will hold a lot of weight.)
  • Announce the winner!!
    • You also may want to give out other awards.
• Have a whole class discussion about the similarities between the bridges that held the most and the bridges that did not hold much weight.
• Link these observations to shapes or other geometric concepts. This will help to make these ideas more concrete.
• Assessment if teacher deems necessary.
   

Differentiation: Provide specifications on shapes used for construction (triangles, arches, etc). Consider allowing multiple attempts via blueprint, prototype, etc. Consider homogeneous/heterogeneous groupings.

Extension: Invite a civil engineer to speak to the class. Have students conduct research on how bridges have evolved over time from past, to current trends, to future considerations.

The assessment will be how well the students build their bridge. The students can also create a PowerPoint or writing assignment about how they would construct their bridge if they could make changes. They also need to explain why they chose those changes based on their observations from their bridge and their peers’ bridges.