The Eye Wonder team learns all about bridges. D.V. visits a bridge under construction and SCDOT to learn more about the construction and engineering that must occur for a bridge to be built and stay standing safely.
Long-term post-video project: Building Bridges
This is a long-term research project, possibly for an entire 4 to 9-week period. It can be as simple as building a bridge out of materials to as complex as researching specific locations, bridge designs, and performing a mock design proposal before actually building their models.
Introduction: Following the video, students will investigate a place to build a bridge, research what type of bridge might be needed, design a bridge, and build a miniature model.
Background:Engineers must do a great deal of planning before they even begin to construct a bridge. They need to research the location where it is needed. They must know if the area will be prone to flooding, earthquakes, subsidence, or any number of geophysical problems. They also need to determine the needs of the people for whom the bridge will serve. Then, a bridge must be designed that will take into account all the engineer has learned about the land and needs of the people. They must choose appropriate materials for the task, again taking into account the location and function of the bridge (walking, bicycle, small cars, large trucks, etc.)
Materials: Internet access to research locations and bridge designs. Maps, materials for building the bridge (straws, tooth picks, popsicle sticks, or any other material that you or your students can think of)
Procedures:
1. Students should consult a map location to determine where a bridge might best be placed to serve a neighboring community. (advanced project)
2. Having determined the location and type of bridge, they will need to do research on the Internet to determine the design of bridge best suited to their needs. (advanced project)
3. Select materials appropriate to build their bridges. You may want to give them the materials (simple project) or have them select materials themselves (advanced project).
4. Write a proposal for their design (advanced project)
5. Once approved, build their model bridge.
Modifications: As explained above, this could be done as a simple model building project or a long-term research project complete with multidisciplinary aspects from writing (Language Arts), bridge design (math), geology (8th grade science), and economic issues (social studies).
The Eye Wonder team learns all about bridges. D.V. visits a bridge under construction and SCDOT to learn more about the construction and engineering that must occur for a bridge to be built and stay standing safely.
Long-term post-video project: Building Bridges
This is a long-term research project, possibly for an entire 4 to 9-week period. It can be as simple as building a bridge out of materials to as complex as researching specific locations, bridge designs, and performing a mock design proposal before actually building their models.
Introduction: Following the video, students will investigate a place to build a bridge, research what type of bridge might be needed, design a bridge, and build a miniature model.
Background:Engineers must do a great deal of planning before they even begin to construct a bridge. They need to research the location where it is needed. They must know if the area will be prone to flooding, earthquakes, subsidence, or any number of geophysical problems. They also need to determine the needs of the people for whom the bridge will serve. Then, a bridge must be designed that will take into account all the engineer has learned about the land and needs of the people. They must choose appropriate materials for the task, again taking into account the location and function of the bridge (walking, bicycle, small cars, large trucks, etc.)
Materials: Internet access to research locations and bridge designs. Maps, materials for building the bridge (straws, tooth picks, popsicle sticks, or any other material that you or your students can think of)
Procedures:
1. Students should consult a map location to determine where a bridge might best be placed to serve a neighboring community. (advanced project)
2. Having determined the location and type of bridge, they will need to do research on the Internet to determine the design of bridge best suited to their needs. (advanced project)
3. Select materials appropriate to build their bridges. You may want to give them the materials (simple project) or have them select materials themselves (advanced project).
4. Write a proposal for their design (advanced project)
5. Once approved, build their model bridge.
Modifications: As explained above, this could be done as a simple model building project or a long-term research project complete with multidisciplinary aspects from writing (Language Arts), bridge design (math), geology (8th grade science), and economic issues (social studies).
Standards
- Science and Engineering Practices
- 8.S.1 The student will use the science and engineering practices, including the processes and skills of scientific inquiry, to develop understandings of science content.
- 8.S.1A The practices of science and engineering support the development of science concepts, develop the habits of mind that are necessary for scientific thinking, and allow students to engage in science in ways that are similar to those used by scient...
- 8.S.1B Technology is any modification to the natural world created to fulfill the wants and needs of humans. The engineering design process involves a series of iterative steps used to solve a problem and often leads to the development of a new or impr...
- 8.S.1 The student will use the science and engineering practices, including the processes and skills of scientific inquiry, to develop understandings of science content.
