TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Bridges
Through a five-lesson series that includes numerous hands-on activities, students are introduced to the importance and pervasiveness of bridges for connecting people to resources, places and other people, with references to many...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Build a Bridge
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.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: The Bridge Challenge
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.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Triangles: Designing a Straw Bridge
In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, the cast tries to design and build a bridge made out of drinking straws that will support the weight of 200 pennies. [4:02]
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: The Brooklyn Bridge
The history of the Brooklyn Bridge is an interesting story from our early days. Go to this site and learn who built it, how it was built, and many more facts. Some original pictures are included.
Other
Lincoln Public Schools: Applied Technology & Engineering: Bridge Busters [Pdf]
In this activity, students design and build the lightest bridge to support the heaviest load. They investigate different bridge designs and building materials, learn key terminology, and test their prototypes in order to meet the...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Xerxes' Bridges Over the Hellespont
Xerxes used hundreds of ships to create two bridges over the Hellespont. This interactive activity walks students through the stages of the construction.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Smart Bridges
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]
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
The Math Forum: Seventh Grade Mathematics: Data Sense
This site has some interesting ways to collect and evaluate data. There are some activities about note taking, spreadsheets, surveys, and a cool bridge construction project. Teachers may want to use this site as a resource for some...
Next.cc
Next: Bridge Design
Investigate the three basic bridge spans by engaging in the activities provided. Includes links to explore related sites pertaining to bridge design.
PBS
Pbs: Nova: Super Bridge
Online companion to a NOVA program on bridges. Includes teacher resources, including a class activity through which students construct and test their own bridge,
Other
Bsi Education: Bridges and Tunnels
The Applied Science resource consists of practical activities that demonstrate the importance of standard procedures in scientific work. Students examine bridges and tunnels through a variety of activities.
Other
Whiting School of Engineering: Spaghetti Bridge
An engineering project where students construct a bridge from spaghetti and glue. Site includes guidelines, pictures, and movies of previous projects.
Other
University of Bristol: Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge disaster was caused by wind vibrations. Wind in a valley spanned by the Tacoma Narrows Bridge causes the bridge to vibrate so much it collapsed. Shows pictures of the bridge as it is collapsing.
![Cornell University: Cornell Center for Materials Research: The Physics of Bridges [Pdf] Lesson Plan](https://content.lessonplanet.com/knovation/original/179288-156db1b103cd8a925bf41eafa438c1b7.jpg?1661496214 "Cornell University: Cornell Center for Materials Research: The Physics of Bridges [Pdf] Lesson Plan")
Cornell University
Cornell University: Cornell Center for Materials Research: The Physics of Bridges [Pdf]
Students incorporate their knowledge of civil engineering and physics principles as they design and build a bridge within certain parameters while choosing their own materials.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Cost Comparisons
Students learn about the many types of expenses associated with building a bridge. Working like engineers, they estimate the cost for materials for a bridge member of varying sizes. After making calculations, they graph their results to...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Balsa Towers
Students will build their own towers using some of the techniques they have learned. The materials will consist of balsa wood and glue. General guidelines are provided, but the students will have a lot of freedom with their design to...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Bridging the Gaps
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...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Show Me the Money
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...
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College: Mqed: Forces and Forms in Large Structures
The downloadable monograph investigates forces and forms in large structures. Three teaching units are included that explore bridge engineering.
Technovation
Technovation Families (Formerly Curiosity Machine)
Technovation provides hands-on STEM activities. Students will watch an inspiring video about suspension bridges. Studentswill create their own bridge that must support at least 15 pennies.
PBS
Pbs Teachers:paper Bridge
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).
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Suspension Bridge
Compare the strength and practical uses of beam bridges and suspension bridges. Investigate how the cable contributes to the stability and strength of a suspension bridge.
PBS
Pbs: The Bridge Challenge
This site from PBS is for any user wanting test their engineering skills. Take a trip to Craggy Rock and help their growing community decide on four new bridges.