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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building Bridges

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Provide a comprehensive exploration of bridges and civil engineering. First, learners discuss the different types of bridges. Then, they identify the characteristics of a suspension, beam, and arch type of bridge. In addition, they learn...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Put Your Truss in Building Bridges

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students apply abstract concepts, such as stress, fulcrums, the law of gravity, and the strength of different geometric shapes. Groups of student contractors operate simulated architectural firms to create strong, economical bridges.
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Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Popsicle Bridge

For Teachers 2nd - 12th Standards
Using popsicle sticks and glue, groups must work together to design and build a bridge that can support weight and is aesthetically pleasing. The lesson begins by learners reading about different features of bridge architecture, followed...
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Activity
DiscoverE

Build a High Dive

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Can't build a cantilever? You'll be able to after a hands-on, constructive activity. Young engineers build cantilevers out of straws and tape. The finished products must be able to hang off a table as far as possible.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building Bridges

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students identify the different types of bridges. Using the internet, they research information on how they are built by completing a scavenger hunt. Locating a specific area, they determine which type of bridge would be appropriate and...
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Activity
Teach Engineering

Bridge Types: Tensile and Compressive Forces

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Bridges rely on tension and compression to keep them standing. Pairs test this principle by constructing simple bridges and applying a force to the center. Teams use the provided worksheet to record their observations of the reaction of...
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Activity
Museum of Science

Straw Bridges

For Teachers K - 6th Standards
There is never a bridge too far. Using common items, class members build bridges to span an opening. Pupils test different geometric shapes to determine which is the strongest. Learners use pennies to find the strength of their bridges...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Spaghetti Bridges: Student Worksheet

For Students 4th - 6th
Here is a wonderful activity that allows young engineers to try their hand at designing a bridge out of spaghetti! The worksheet explains the activity and also provides a graph for keeping track of the results. Very good!
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Activity
DiscoverE

Build a Straw Bridge

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Build teamwork skills while building a bridge. Scholars work together in groups to create a bridge out of 20 straws and tape. There is a minimum span length of 25 centimeters, but otherwise, let creativity run wild.
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Lesson Plan
DiscoverE

Build a Bridge

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Cost overruns are unacceptable—in the real world and in an engaging activity. Groups of pupils get together to build a bridge out of straws, paper cups, and tape. They keep track of costs ($1,000 for each material) and must stay within a...
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Activity
Teach Engineering

Straw Bridges

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Pairs work as engineering teams to design and build model bridges from drinking straws and tape. In this third segment in a series of 10, teams compete in an attempt to build the strongest bridge. To help with the design, the groups...
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Lesson Plan
Cornell University

The Physics of Bridges

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Stability is key when building a bridge. Scholars explore the forces acting upon bridges through an analysis of Newton's Laws and Hooke's Law. The activity asks individuals to apply their learning by building a bridge of their own.
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Activity
DiscoverE

Bridges, Buildings and Beyond Activity Packet: Grades 3-5

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
The road to a better understanding of engineering lies with bridges and tunnels. A set of four engaging activities teaches learners about engineering concepts related to construction projects. They perform an experiment to find the...
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Activity
DiscoverE

Bridges, Buildings and Beyond Activity Packet: Grades 6-8

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Pour a solid foundation of engineering into the minds of future engineers. Scholars take part in three activities to learn about civil engineering. They build a model of a cable-stayed bridge, conduct an experiment to see the effects of...
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Activity
DiscoverE

Bridges, Buildings and Beyond Activity Packet: Grades 9-12

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Shore up engineering knowledge with some building activities. Scholars design a foam beam, create a structure from playing cards, and construct a paper tower that won't topple over in the wind. Along the way, they learn about engineering...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Intro to Building Bridges

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students participate in groups to complete the best bridge.  In this bridge building lesson, students are assigned a role in building the bridge.  Students will have to keep to their budgets. After the bridges are built, parents will be...
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Activity
DiscoverE

Build a Cable-Stayed Bridge

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Large or small, bridges are architectural wonders! Construct a large-scale cable-stayed bridge during a whole class project. Scholars work in groups to erect the towers, build the roadway, and secure the cables of their very own bridges....
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Spaghetti Bridges: Student Worksheet

For Students 3rd - 4th
Pairs of learners work together in order to simulate how engineers test materials for strength and safety in the real world. They use paper cups and pieces of spaghetti to run strength tests. This excellent worksheet should lead to...
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Lesson Plan
Berkeley Engineering and Mentors

Bridges

For Teachers 4th - 6th
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...
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Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Bridge Building

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Bridge the gaps in your knowledge of bridges. Individuals learn about bridge types by building models. The activity introduces beam bridges, arch bridges, truss bridges, and suspension bridges.
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Activity
Teach Engineering

Engineers Love Pizza, Too!

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Help overcome challenges in eating pizza. Scholars work in groups to design a device that assists a physically handicapped person eat pizza. They build a prototype of such a device to test their designs before building. To finish, groups...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Suspension Bridges: Connecting Lives

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore bridges.  In this bridge lesson, students design and build a suspension bridge after visiting related websites and reviewing famous bridges in non-fiction books.  Students follow the instructions from the "Build a Bridge...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Math in the Design and Building of Bridges

For Teachers 7th - 11th
Research various types of bridge designs. Your class will be asked to consider what it would be like without bridges while learning about how they work. They will construct a model bridge based on given parameters. They then calculate...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Paper Suspension Bridges: You Want Me To Go Up There?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
A few class periods will be required to complete this physics investigation with your high schoolers. There is an unavailable video written into the lesson plan, but there is plenty of material here to bridge the gap. Two terrific...