LESSON DESCRIPTION:
Students work in teams to construct bridges using craft sticks and low temperature glue guns. Students are given specific limits on the amount of craft sticks they can use. No limits are placed on the shape of the design, but the catch is that at the end of the lesson, the bridges can be destructively tested (time permitting).

TIME REQUIRED: 60-90 minutes

OBJECTIVES:
Students will learn some of the history of truss bridge designs. Students will learn some basic considerations in bridge design (strength of materials, loads and how loads can be distributed). Students can work in teams or individually to build a 3-dimensional bridges that span 12 inches. This experiment can be customized to talk about arches, trusses, beams, cantilevers, suspension bridges, and the Warren Truss.

FACILITIES REQUIREMENTS:
Indoors preferred, but outdoors okay. Requires table space for all participants and access to electricity. Tables need to be covered to protect them from low temperature glue.

SAFETY:
Students are given a short lesson for how to use the low temperature glue guns safely. Students are required to stay back from the bridge failure testing table as the bridges are being tested.

CALIFORNIA SCIENCE STANDARDS ALIGNMENT

Kindergarden: 1st Grade: 2nd Grade:   3rd Grade: 4rth Grade: 5th Grade:   6th Grade: