Activity
Concord Consortium

Concord Consortium: Stem Resources: Bridges

For Students 3rd - 5th
A project where students design, build, and a test a bridge made out of file folders. Students will use a force sensor to measure how strong their model bridge is. Then students will compare their results to classmates to conclude what...
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Cornell University: Cornell Center for Materials Research: The Physics of Bridges [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students incorporate their knowledge of civil engineering and physics principles as they design and build a bridge within certain parameters while choosing their own materials.
Activity
PBS

Pbs Building Big: The Labs

For Students 3rd - 8th
An interactive series of labs describing some basic principles of Physics. The labs demonstrate different basic concepts of physics used in building and creating large structures such as bridges, domes, skyscrapers, dams, and tunnels.
Activity
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: Structures Around the World

For Students 3rd - 8th
How does that bridge stay up? What are the forces acting on that column? This site helps students understand how structures can be built by having them build their own. Also provides images of real structures for kids to compare with...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Feel the Stress

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Working individually or in groups, students explore the concept of stress (compression) through physical experience and math. They discover why it hurts more to poke themselves with mechanical pencil lead than with an eraser. Then they...