Mansfield Township Board of Education,

1
Building Bridges
Parents Teachers
Students
Please choose one!
Mansfield Township Board of Education, Advanced
Curriculum Through Technology
2
Student Projects

• Lesson 1 Bridge Basics
• Lesson 2 Forces Lab
• Lesson 3 Build a Bridge
• Lesson 4 Interview
• Lesson 5 Bridges to Scale
• Lesson 6 Build a Truss
• Final Project Build a real model bridge

Complete the following lessons in order beginning
with Lesson 1.
3
Bridge Basics

• Review Bridge Basics from the website, How Stuff
  Works.
• Complete the online quiz with a partner.

http//www.howstuffworks.com/bridge.htm
4
Forces Lab
The following steps are completed online.

• Experiment with forces
• Compression
• Tension
• Bending
• Shear
• Torsion
• Choose 2 forces and identify real life examples
  for each.

http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/lab/forces.htm
l
5
Build a Bridge Online
The following steps are completed online.

• Survey four land sites to build a bridge.
• Review bridge basics.
• Build a bridge online by playing the game.

http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bridge/build.html
6
Interview with Miguel Rosales

• Read the interview with Mr. Rosales.
• Write five additional questions you would like to
  ask Mr. Rosales
• Interview http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/pro
  file/interview/rosales.html

7
Bridges to Scale

• Choose 5 bridges from the website below.
• Record the length of each bridge.
• Use 1 cm graph paper to draw all five bridges to
  scale.

http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/webogra
phy.html
8
Build a Truss
A Truss bridge is created with a series of
triangles that have forces acting on each other.

• Work with a partner. Read the directions on the
  Bridge Designer website.
• Create an online bridge truss. Use the
  calculator to measure your bridge!

http//www.jhu.edu/virtlab/bridge/truss.htm
9
Final Project

• Work with a partner to build a model bridge which
  meets specific guidelines.
• Print off the following activity from the website
  below.

http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/teachers/activities/p
df/2416_bridge.pdf
10
Parents Teachers

• Goal
• Overview/Rationale
• Instructional Timeline
• Additional Teaching Ideas
• Resources
• Site Map

11
Goal

• The ultimate goal of this project is to provide
  sufficient background knowledge regarding bridge
  construction in order to build a successful model
  bridge.

12
Overview/Rationale

• Technological advances have allowed us to build
  amazing architectural structures which support
  society. This unit introduces the basics of
  bridge building and then allows the student to
  manipulate these forces with online simulations.
  The lessons should be completed in order, with
  each lesson taking about 1, forty minute class
  period. In addition, this online unit should be
  supported with in class discussions and
  demonstrations some examples are provided.
• This unit supports the Constructivist Learning
  Theory by integrating real world examples,
  cooperative learning, and hands on activities.
• System requirements for this unit include
  Internet access, Adobe Acrobat reader, Microsoft
  PowerPoint, and a printer.
• New Jersey Core Content Standards
• Social Studies 6.8, 6.9

13
Instructional Timeline

• Each lesson should be completed in order
  beginning with Lesson 1.
• All lessons can be completed within 1 class
  period.
• The Final project may take up to 4 class periods.

14
Flow Chart
Use the flow chart to find a slide within this
project by clicking on the chart.
15
Additional Teaching Ideas

• Present videos of bridge building or disasters.
• Calculate the costs of bridge building.
• Build mini-models throughout the unit.
• Email interview questions to a bridge architect.
• Locate and identify local bridges.
• Research the effects of bridges on the
  environment.
• Plan a Bridge Celebration Day
• Plan a Bridge Building Contest

16
Resources

• Super Bridge http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bridge/b
  uild.html
• Interview http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/prof
  ile/interview/rosales.html
• How Stuff Works http//www.howstuffworks.com/bridg
  e.htm
• Online Quiz http//school.discovery.com/quizzes19
  /percygirl680/BridgeBasics.html

• Webography http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bri
  dge/webography.html
• Build a Bridge http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bridge
  /build.html
• Forces Lab http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/lab
  /forces.html
• Bridge Designer http//www.jhu.edu/virtlab/bridge
  /truss.htm