How Can a Bridge Carry a Whole Train?

Get curious

5 min

Video/ Slide show (5 min)

You will see a film about the construction of bridges.

Clicking play will redirect you to YouTube website.

Ask the students:
Why do people build bridges?
How do bridges differ from one another? Why do they differ?
What determines the structure of bridges?
What did the first people learn from Nature on how to build bridges?

Get ready for Qs

3 min

Observing (3 min)

The students study photos of bridges.

During the slide show tell them about the various structural elements of bridges.

Photos of Bridges

Get going

12 min

Constructing (12 min)

The students create models of bridges from paper.

Instructions

Instructions for the Groups

Photos of Models

Beam (slab) bridge

Arch bridge

Corrugated bridge

Truss bridge

3 min

Analyzing (3 min)

Strength testing of paper constructions.

The students estimate the strength of the models they have built. Then the groups arrange next to each other all models, measure the strength and write down their results on their worksheets.

Ask the students:
Which bridge is the strongest?
Can a bridge carry a train?
What does a bridge’s strength depend on?

Instructions

Build the bridges worksheet

22 min

Constructing (22 min)

In groups the students build their bridges from materials gathered earlier and then perform strength tests on their models.

Students build any type of bridge they like - using materials gathered before class - which can support a set load. They then draw the bridge on a sheet of paper in the designated place and note how many railcars it was able to support.

After the students have finished the task ask them the following:
Which bridges did you choose to build models of?
Why did you choose such a construction?
Who could actually use them?

Worksheet

Get practicing

Observing

Look in your area for the bridge, check its structure and who uses it.

You can take some photos or do a sketch of the bridge and note down your observations.

Get ready

To be gathered together before the lesson.
Prepare materials for building the model bridges. Each group should receive the following: several pieces of wood (e.g. boards, sticks, panelling), cardboards, boxes, e.g., shoeboxes, polystyrene foam, pieces of plastic (e.g. plastic from plastic bottles), possibly wooden building blocks.

You can put all the materials in one place and the groups themselves can select those materials they think would be most suitable for their idea.

Note

Get Curious

Observing: The students look at some photos of bridges
We provide: photos of bridges.

Get Going

Constructing: Paper models of bridges
Group I will receive the following: We provide: 2 x support - printed on A4 constructing paper and cut in half (Beam (slab) bridge); one sheet of A4 constructing paper, We provide: instruction. Group II will receive the following: We provide: 1 x component of the arch bridge - printed on A4 constructing paper (Arch bridge); one sheet of A4 constructing paper, We provide: instruction. Group III will receive the following: We provide: set for corrugated beam bridge - printed on A4 constructing paper (Corrugated bridge); We provide: instruction. Group IV will receive the following: We provide: set for the truss bridge - printed on A4 constructing paper (Truss bridge). We provide: instruction. For each group: a ruler, scissors (a sharp knife - group IV), glue.
Analyzing: Strength testing of paper constructions
a model of the bridge the group built earlier, model railcars or (wooden) blocks, Plasticine and/or coins and/or grains, We provide: a build the bridges worksheet.
Constructing: Students build model bridges using the materials gathered beforehand
a few 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, model railcars or blocks filled with the coins, plasticine and/or grains (from previous exercise), We provide: a worksheet for each group.

Download Get Ready List

How Can a Bridge Carry a Whole Train?

Get curious

You will see a film about the construction of bridges.

The students study photos of bridges.

Get going

The students create models of bridges from paper.

Strength testing of paper constructions.

In groups the students build their bridges from materials gathered earlier and then perform strength tests on their models.

Get practicing

Look in your area for the bridge, check its structure and who uses it.

Get ready

Get Curious

Get Going

Life Skills:

Authors

Source

How Can a Bridge Carry a Whole Train?

Get curious

You will see a film about the construction of bridges.

The students study photos of bridges.

Get going

The students create models of bridges from paper.

Strength testing of paper constructions.

In groups the students build their bridges from materials gathered earlier and then perform strength tests on their models.

Get practicing

Look in your area for the bridge, check its structure and who uses it.

Get ready

Get Curious

Get Going

You will download zip file now.

Download single materials

Life Skills:

Authors

Source

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How Can a Bridge Carry a Whole Train?

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