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Handout
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Build a Bridge

For Students 9th - 10th
Survey potential bridge sites, research bridge design, and select the right bridge for the right location in this interactive activity from the NOVA: "Super Bridge" Web site.
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Handout
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: The Bridge Challenge

For Students 9th - 10th
This interactive activity, from the Web site developed for the PBS series "Building Big," use your knowledge of bridge design to match the right bridge location in a fictitious city.
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Lesson Plan
Other

University of Cincinnati: Project Step: Build a Bridge

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this two-period lesson, young scholars work in teams to focus on the real-world application of bridge design and construction based on capacity, cost, and aesthetics.
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Lesson Plan
The Tech Interactive

The Tech Museum of Innovation: Bridging the Gap [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Can your team build the appropriate bridge to fit the needs of various terrains? In this lesson, students will build an assigned bridge in order to increase knowledge of various types of bridges. Students will then engage in a design...
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Website
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Smart Bridges

For Students 9th - 10th
In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, learn about engineering innovations that could help detect a bridge's structural weaknesses before they become dangerous. [5:21]
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Unit Plan
Next.cc

Next: Bridges

For Students 3rd - 8th
Complete these three activities to learn about the six main types of bridges and their uses. Includes links to explore related material.
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Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Bridges, Building and Breaking

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students will design, build and test the load bearing capacity of a scale model bridge. They will explore types of bridges. Learn about forces that effect bridges. Make scale drawings. Grading rubric is included as is a presentation for...
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Website
Technology Student

Technology Student: Structures (Bridges and Towers)

For Students 9th - 10th
Technology teacher V. Ryan provides access to more than three dozen illustrated articles and activities for learning about the design and building of bridges and towers.
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Unit Plan
PBS

Pbs: Nova: Super Bridge

For Students 9th - 10th
Online companion to a NOVA program on bridges. Includes teacher resources, including a class activity through which students construct and test their own bridge,
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Website
University of California

University of California: Roman Building Technology and Architecture

For Students 9th - 10th
This site offers information on Roman Engineering, Roman Baths, Roman Aqueducts, roads, bridges, buildings and concrete.
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Article
Other

Ties Magazine: Model Bridges

For Teachers 9th - 10th
One high school's curriculum tackles the challenge of bridge construction. In this article, you will read one student's thought and design processes as well as some of the leading questions he was asked to consider.
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Handout
Other

Johnson String Instruments: Common Repair Problems

For Students 3rd - 8th
This website lists common problems that violin players might have with the major parts of their instrument: the soundpost, bridge, strings and tailgut. Read tips on how to resolve many of these problems and how to keep your violin in...
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Handout
Other

Johnson String Instrument: Common Repair Problems: String Repair

For Students 9th - 10th
A site devoted to the repair of string instruments. Clear commentary and good illustrations to educate you about most common repairs needed by string instruments.
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Bridging the Gaps

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students are presented with a brief history of bridges as they learn about the three main bridge types: beam, arch and suspension. They are introduced to two natural forces - tension and compression - common to all bridges and...
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Show Me the Money

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students learn about the major factors that comprise the design and construction cost of a modern bridge. Before a bridge design is completed, engineers provide overall cost estimates for construction of the bridge. Students learn about...
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Activity
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: Structures Around the World

For Students 3rd - 8th
How does that bridge stay up? What are the forces acting on that column? This site helps students understand how structures can be built by having them build their own. Also provides images of real structures for kids to compare with...
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Strong as the Weakest Link

For Teachers 9th - 10th
To introduce the two types of stress that materials undergo - compression and tension - students examine compressive and tensile forces and learn about bridges and skyscrapers. They construct their own building structure using...
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Website
PBS

Nova: Build a Bridge

For Students 3rd - 8th
This exciting and interactive site illustrates the four main types of bridge building styles. Also contains games and hands-on descriptions. Appropriate for upper elementary and middle school students.
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Graphic
Tech4Learning

Pics4 Learning: Images for Education: Bridges

For Students Pre-K - 1st
A large collection of beautiful photos of various bridges from around the world! A visual reference for teachers and students. Browse through the examples, then click to enlarge.
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Activity
PBS

Pbs Building Big: The Labs

For Students 3rd - 8th
An interactive series of labs describing some basic principles of Physics. The labs demonstrate different basic concepts of physics used in building and creating large structures such as bridges, domes, skyscrapers, dams, and tunnels.
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Handout
Other

Nbi National Bridge Inventory Database Search Form

For Students 9th - 10th
NBI National Bridge Inventory Database search form from Nationalbridges.com allows one to enter the information related to a specific rail line in order to acquire related bridge information.
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Build the Best Paper Bridge

For Students 3rd - 8th
Find out what makes a bridge strong in this fun activity as you build simple bridges with paper and test to see how much weight they can hold.
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Article
University of Virginia

Aquae Urbis Romae: The Waters of the City of Rome

For Students 9th - 10th
Aquae Urbis Romae: the Waters of the City of Rome is a cartographic history of nearly 2800 years of water infrastructure and urban development in Rome. Water is a living system that includes natural features (springs, the Tiber River,...
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Activity
PBS

Pbs Teachers:paper Bridge

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Investigate the forces acting on a support and make adjustments to give a bridge the strength to support its own weight (the dead load) as well as the weight of anything placed on it (the live load).