Engineering the Future
Assignment for Credit
SDSU
July 21-25
Name: Marjorie Blare
School: Todd County High School
School Email: mblare@tcsdk12.org
School Phone: 605-856-3503
1. Activity Selected (include title/description):
2. Textbook used in class:
3. Approximate time/chapter the activity will be done:
4. In the table below, identify what you will do for each of the 5E’s of constructivism
for this activity.
Engage
Objectives:
Students can name the different kinds of bridges
Students understand forces and loads in a bridge system.
Students can design and build a bridge to carry a load.
Engage:
The purpose of the engage activity is to get the students to think about
how bridges are built. We chose to start with some videos about bridge
failures to peak their interests in bridges, how they are built and how they
can fail.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-zczJXSxnw
Tacoma Bridge Failure
Discuss the failure of Galloping Gertie with students.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGQfUWvP0II
Silver Bridge Collapse
Discuss with students that similar suspension bridges to the Silver Bridge
did not collapse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMdv2wRaqo4
I35 Bridge collapse in MN
Explain that the I35 bridge collapse was close to home, just a few years
ago in Minneapolis.
Stations will be set up in the room with different types of
bridges/materials for students to test. Ideas for these samples will
be taken from the Engineering the City book. Discuss the results
with the students.
Explore

Play the “Cargo Bridge Challenge” http://www.coolmathgames.com/0-cargo-bridge/
o Give them 30 min to work in their groups getting through
as many levels as they can
o Winning group is the one that went the farthest with the
most amount of total money left over at the end.
o Write down observations as you are constructing your
bridges

What is working?

What is not working?

What restraints were there?

What did you notice about the structure of your
bridge as the amount of weight transported across
increased?

Which level was the most challenging for your
group and why?
o After the 30 minutes, crown the winning group.
o Discuss the observations the students wrote down.
Explain
Explain the different types of bridges using a power point with bridge
types, loads and force. Students will fill out a graphic organizer for notes
over bridges.
Elaborate
Instructions:
Recent flood waters have washed away a 2-span bridge completely
isolating a rural community. Your team has been hired to design and
build the bridge to provide disaster relief to community. You need to be
successful, but need to remain within your budget.
Rules:
1. Your budge is $10.00. You must purchase building materials from the
store, but the tools are available for use for free. See below for pricing.
2. Once constructed, the bridge must be able to transport two “relief
pods” simultaneously from one support block to the other. Note: the
relief pods must start and end on the support blocks.
3. The bridge can bear on the supports/pier, but cannot be attached to the
supports.
4. Failure is defined as the relief pods or any part of the bridge touching
the water.
5. The team that successfully transports the relief pods and spends the
least amount of money, wins.
6. In the event of a tie, aesthetics will be the tie breaker.
7. You will have 2 class periods to complete your bridge.
Materials available for purchase:
Materials
Price
Quantity
Total Spent
purchased
Wood stick
$0.05 ea.
Glue stick
$1.00 ea.
Paper card
5 for $0.05
(multiples of 5)
String
2 ft for $0.05
(multiples of 2)
Rubber bands
5 for $0.05
(multiples of 5)
Paper clips
5 for $0.05
(multiples of 5)
Pins
5 for $0.05
(multiples of 5)
Brad fasteners
5 for $0.05
(multiples of 5)
*****The store will close 3 minutes before the competition.
Conclusion and Analysis:
1. What were the difficulties that you and your group encountered while
designing and building your bridge?
2. What portions of your group time or bridge do you feel were
successful?
3. What materials did you find most useful?
4. What materials do you wish that you would have had?
5. Do you have concerns about your bridge transporting the pods? If so,
explain. If not, explain.
6. Was your group successful in the mission?________
If so, what were the top three things that led to your successful bridge
design? If not, what led to the demise of your mission?
Extension:
Option A: Initial Bridge Passed
Congratulations! Your team has become very reputable in the
engineering community and has been hired for another project. Your
team must rehabilitate/retro fit an existing bridge that is on the verge of
failure. The bridge is historically significant and demolition is not an
option. Your budget for the project is $4.00. The rehabbed bridges will
be tested in the same manner as the new bridges.
Draw your design and brainstorm here:
Option B: Initial Bridge Failed
Back to the drawing board! Gather what is left of your bridge and
redesign/modify it so it can transport the relief pods. You can use up your
remaining budget and you will be given an additional $2.00.
Draw your design and brainstorm here:
Final Questions:
In this activity, mathematics was not used (other than spending your
money). What role do you feel that mathematics will play in bridge
design?
Evaluate
Exit slips will be taken each day after activities.
A summative assessment over types of bridges, forces and loads.
Examples of student questions might be include:
(1) Look at this groups bridge explain to me where the load is
carried in their design?
(2) What types of force caused the bridge to fail?
(3) Can you show me an example of a shear force on that
would act on this bridge?
(a) Compression force
(b) Tension force
(c) Torsion force
(4) What design changes can be made to improve this design?
(a) Explain in terms of load and force
(5) What do you think is an optimal design for a bridge and
why?