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Building Big: Bridges
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Ideas from Teachers
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(Gr. 9-12)
I developed an activity on bridges for my high school physics students that demonstrates how engineers design a bridge. Bridges are not designed to be destroyed but are built to meet certain specifications.
I have posted my activity directions on the Web on the "Bridge Building: A Problem-Based Introduction to Engineering" site.
As an overview, here are the goals of the project:
Learn how real bridges are designed and built. Build and test model bridges designed to carry a fixed load. Use an authentic engineering design process to develop the design. Apply math, science, and computer technology as problem-solving tools.
We used the "Building Big" program and Web site. On the Web, we used the Forces Lab from the Building Big Web site and the NOVA "Super Bridge" Web site.
Resources:
Building Big: Bridges
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/index.html
Serves as an introduction to the project. The students answer questions while watching the video.
Bridges PhysicsQuest
http://physicsquest.homestead.com/bridge.html
Follows the main guidelines of a WebQuest. An important part of this activity is the integration of interactive features of the Forces Lab from the "Building Big" Web site and "Super Bridge" Web site.
Sent in by
Dolores Gende
Holy Innocents' Episcopal School
Atlanta, GA
mdgende@yahoo.com 
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