How Can a Bridge Carry a Whole Train?

ENGINEERING&TECHNOLOGY

Curiosity trigger

In groups the students build several models of different types of bridge and then test the strength of each structure using loads chosen by themselves.

Curriculum and Skills

Work and Life Skills:

Creative problem-solving
Teamwork and collaboration skills

In this lesson, you will cover:

NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS:
3 -5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
3 -5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

You will need

several pieces of wood (e.g. boards, sticks, panelling), cardboard, boxes, e.g., shoeboxes, polystyrene foam, pieces of plastic (e.g. plastic from plastic bottles), possibly wooden building blocks.

Click here to see lesson plan

Authors

Authors: Wojciech Kiljan, Agata Włóka
Methodology: Monika Zwierko
Translation: Jason Lowther
Producer: Klaudia Chmura

Source

This is a modified version of a lesson plan created by the Children’s University Foundation under the CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Photo: The Lego-Brücke (Lego Bridge) of Wuppertal, Germany by Morty - Own work, published on wikimedia under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

Hi there!

You are currently not logged in.

To keep using lessons, subscribe to WhyBlueSky.

Already have subscription? Log in to your account.

You get immediate access to:

112

lesson plans,plus new lesson plans added monthly.

Our lesson plans contain:

281

worksheetsand other materials for students,

260

scripts for classroom-ready activities(investigations, experiments, crafts and construction, movement games)

415

get ready for QsQuick and comprehensive reference notes on the lessons to save you time on web browsing.

... and counting.

These numbers keep growing monthly.