Engineering with Bridges
Students will use the engineering loop to design and create a bridge using pasta!
Beth Owings, M.Ed., NBCT
Average rating:
4.8
Number of reviews:(46)
What's included
1 live meeting
55 mins in-class hoursClass Experience
During our session, we will look at different pictures of bridges and talk about some of the different designs. Students will infer why some bridges are built differently. Is it due to weather requirements, load requirements, or just aesthetic preferences? We will also read a book entitled Iggy Peck Architect. This book looks at how engineers can use creativity to design. We will also investigate the bridge known as "Galloping Gertie" which is a bridge that was completed in 1940 and shortly after, it collapsed. We will look at how engineers used this as a process to start building models and this changed the way we build bridges to this day. Students will then take one box of spaghetti and construct a bridge with this pasta. Students will have 15 minutes to construct bridges. They may only use spaghetti pasta, dough, or play dough/clay for the construction of their bridge. When everyone is complete, we will try to pile books on to see which bridges are sturdy and which engineers need to go back to the drawing board.
Learning Goals
Students will learn how to follow the engineering loop to design and create a pasta bridge!
Other Details
Supply List
Students will need: * one box of spaghetti pasta (I do not recommend the angel hair pasta but if that is all you have it will work.) * type of playdoh, clay, or something similar to hold their pasta together. * a few (smaller) books that they can balance on their bridges. I recommend novel-type books. The teacher will provide video clips, engineering book, pictures of bridge designs, and general information about bridges.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined April, 2020
4.8
46reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
I have taught this class many times to my own classes at my school and this seem to be a lesson that really sparks student interest in the engineering loop.Reviews
Live One-Time Class
$13
per classMeets once
55 min
Completed by 148 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 6-10
4-9 learners per class
