Obviously, a sturdy bridge is the desired outcome. Pupils select from one of four different types of truss bridges, then construct a model of the bridge from craft sticks and glue, making sure that it satisfies certain constraints. They calculate the strength of the bridge and test their predictions by placing objects on the bridge.

Concepts

bridges, bridge design, force, tension, compression, technology resources

Show More Show Less

Instructional Ideas

• Have a contest to see which group's bridge can support the most weight
  

Classroom Considerations

• There is an associated lesson, Doing the Math: Analysis of Forces in a Truss Bridge, that should be completed before the activity
• Requires a variety of materials; see resource for complete list
  

Pros

• Provides a student worksheet and rubric
• Lists relevant vocabulary terms and their definitions
  

Cons

• None

Common Core

HSN-VM.A.1 HSN-VM.C.6 HSA-REI.C.6 HSA-REI.C.8 HSA-REI.C.9