Bridge Projects for School

Study bridges through a variety of lenses.

Sustain student interest by examining the topic of bridges through a variety of lenses. Create an entire unit studying bridges using different learning strategies to approach the topic as well as a single guiding question to lead discussion throughout the unit. A unit organized in this manner is not only beneficial to students in its interdisciplinary nature, but also in the way it engages a variety of learners and challenges students with inquiry.

Start With a Question

Develop a question to inspire your unit. Your question should be broad so that it can be referenced throughout the unit, prompting meaningful discourse. A good example would be: How does transportation development impact our lives?

Health and Social Education Approach to Learning

Engage students in social education by having groups participate in an activity where they are required to build a bridge. Provide groups with three paper cups and one piece of paper. Instruct groups to build a bridge using only the material provided. The finished product must use the paper as a deck for the bridge supporting one of the cups half full of water. The deck of the bridge must span at least three inches. The solution is to fold the paper like an accordion giving it strength, and balancing it on the two remaining cups.

After completing the activity, engage students in a discussion about the different approaches taken, disagreements that might have taken place, and how the variety of skills brought to the table were beneficial to the project.

Community and Service Approach to Learning

Get students out of the classroom and visit a local bridge. Bring supplies to clean up around the bridge, then engage on a photo walk, taking pictures of bridges in the area. The results can be displayed around the classroom or the school, and should be the basis for future discussions about bridge design.

Human Ingenuity Approach to Learning

Study bridge disasters of the past, and question why they failed. Assign a research project for students to look at a specific bridge failure, and discuss how it has influenced engineering today.

Environment Approach to Learning

Look at the environmental impact of bridges on marine life. Ask students to research what governments are doing to negate impact.

References

• "International Baccalaureate"; Middle Years Program Curriculum Areas of Interaction

Resources

• "PBS"; Building Big: All About Bridges
• "TIME"; Worst Bridge Collapses in the Past 100 Years