Curated OER
Bridge Construction
Students build a model of a bridge and test the amount of weight it support. They identify different types of bridges: suspension, arch, girder, truss, cantilever, cable-stayed and moveable.
DiscoverE
Critical Load
Help your class master the important concept of critical load. Pupils work together to build a structure using 12 playing cards. They test the critical load of the structure using pennies or paper clips.
Curated OER
Building Bridges
Students use glue, toothpicks, cardboard, marshmallows and more to build a structure. In this building lesson plan, students budget money to get their materials and make their building in teams.
Curated OER
Allowing Students to Explore Simple Physics and Marketing in English Class
Scientific method, linear measurements, friction, inertia. Imagine learning scientific vocabulary in an ELA class. Before researching and developing a presentation about simple machines, class members build a common, but decidedly...
Curated OER
Cross That Bridge
Middle schoolers create paper bridges. In this geometry and architecture lesson, groups use legal paper and paper clips to design a bridge that will hold 100 pennies. Links to mini-lessons exploring stability of different geometric...
Curated OER
Functioning as a Team
Students work as a team to build a freestanding bridge from newspapers and masking tape and analyze the effectiveness of their group. In this teamwork lesson, students view and summarize a video on Service Learning Projects. Students...
Curated OER
Life in a Big Urban City in the Gilded Age
While this presentation is not heavy in text it more than makes up for it with the telling images of life in New York at the turn of the century. Use as a supplemental lecture tool when covering immigration, tenements, Shirtwaist...
Curated OER
A Healthy Diet is a Balancing Act
It's important to teach kids how to have a balanced diet. They are provided with six different meals, they fill in the blanks to complete each one to make it balanced. The answers could be anything and the meals offered don't seem very...
Berkeley Engineering and Mentors
Bridges
This engineering activity gets youngsters working together to design and construct a bridge. Each bridge is tested in front of the class to discover how much weight it can hold before showing any change in form. The lesson plan does not...
Curated OER
Pasta Bridges
Students analyze the correct use of technology as it relates to math and science. In this science lesson, students investigate force and weight as it relates to building an object. They build a bridge and draw conclusion based on the...
Curated OER
Spaghetti Bridges: Student Worksheet
In this math worksheet, students will create a "bridge" out of spaghetti and test it's strength with pennies. Students will record their results on a table and then graph the results.
Curated OER
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes
Third graders explore their culture in comparison to Japanese culture by reading the book, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. They identify islands of Japan, create a Venn diagram comparing Japanese culture to American culture, and...
Curated OER
Building Paper Bridges
Students construct a bridge that can hold 100 pennies. In this math lesson, students evaluate the strength of their bridges. They predict how much weight a bridge can hold based on its design.
Curated OER
Building a Topographic Model
Students explore the features of a topographic map. They make paper models that portray, in three-dimensions, features represented by contour lines on a topographic map. Students demonstrate different elevations shown on a...
Curated OER
Physical Science: The Three Billy Goats Gruff
Explore science through problem solving and learning how to solve the problem of the story "The Three Billy Goats Gruff." Young investigators will learn how to construct a model and design a solution. They will also keep records of their...
Curated OER
The Mag Mile and ... Torque!
Learners use paper plates and detailed directions to build a model of the Michigan Avenue Bridge's gear system. By carefully measuring and cutting "teeth" for the gears of the "Gear Train," they create small gear that will intersect the...
Curated OER
Tension and Compression
Students explore the forces of tension and compression by manipulating a variety of objects, and apply what they learned in the construction of a model bridge.
Curated OER
Toothpick Bridge Design
Eighth graders are introduced to what makes a strong, sound structure. They explore about the truss structure, the importance of the strength of the triangle and the distribution of forces along the truss. Students work in teams to...
Curated OER
Bridges- Design a Bridge
In this bridge design worksheet, students answer 5 general questions about bridges. Students follow the directions to construct 4 types of bridges with paper and test them for strength.
Curated OER
Tacoma Narrows Bridge Lesson Plans
Students design and construct a suspension bridge. Math is used to compare the actual measurements of the bridge to the student's version.
Scholastic
STEM Challenges and Activity Sheets 3–5
How can engineers help their communities? Three challenges in the first unit explore why STEM is important to communities and how neighborhoods are engineered to experience those benefits. The second unit prompts groups to plan an...
Curated OER
Incredible Edible Bridges
Students create a bridge using engineering and geometric concepts. For this geometry lesson, students identify the missing measures of polygons sides and angles. They work together to solve real life situation using problem solving...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Cross a Bridge
Pupils discover the meaning of tier two vocabulary words. In this vocabulary lesson, students read Cross a Bridge, listening for 3 pre-selected, tier two vocabulary words. Words are defined by the teacher and pupils practice...
Curated OER
Spaghetti Bridges
Students thread a piece of spaghetti through the holes in the cup. One person suspend the cup by placing each index finger approximately one inch in from the ends of the spaghetti.