TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Breaking Beams
Students learn about stress and strain by designing and building beams using polymer clay. They compete to find the best beam strength to beam weight ratio, and learn about the trade-offs engineers make when designing a structure.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Forces on the Human Molecule
Students will conduct several simple lab activities to learn about the five fundamental load types that can act on structures: tension, compression, shear, bending, and torsion. In this activity, students will play the role of molecules...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The Squeeze Is On
Students will learn about the force of compression and how it acts on structural components through a hands-on group project. Using everyday products such as paper, toothpicks, and tape they will construct a structure that will support...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Testing Fundamental Loads
Students will conduct several simple lab activities to learn about the five fundamental load types that can act on structures: tension, compression, shear, bending, and torsion. In this activity, students break foam insulation blocks by...
Other
Pghbridges: Bridge Basics
Site defines four main factors (span, material, placement of the travel surface in relation to structure, and form) that should be considered when designing a bridge.
PBS
Pbs Teachers: The Tunnel Challenge
Explore different types of tunnels and the forces that act upon them, then choose the design of tunnel that best fits the needs of the location.