BRIDGE BUILDING CHALLENGE by Mr. Atkinson Tech Ed Overview Your engineering firm has been challenged to design a bridge that spans 6 inches using a maximum of 00 popsicle sticks. Thinking back on what you've learned so far about bridges, begin by exploring concept ideas through sketching. Submit the sketch you are most happy with to Ms. Gregson or Mr. Atkinson for approval before moving on to the drafting stage. You will need to draft a side, top, and bottom view of your bridge at half-scale. When the drafting is complete, you will have the opportunity to pair up with a friend and proceed onto the building stage. No materials other than glue and 00 popsicle sticks are permitted in the bridge construction. However, once your bridge is built, you may decorate it with felts or paint. Once all of the bridges are finished, we will have a gallery showing of the completed bridges. The bridges will be self and peer reviewed for aesthetics (how they look). Following the gallery showing, all of the bridge submissions will be tested to see how much weight they can hold! Points will be awarded based on sketches, design, drafting, effort and craftsmanship/appearance, and ability to bear the most weight. The final mark will be based on peer review, self review and teacher review. At a Glance Design should include elements learned in class (truss, triangles, sway bracing...) Minimum of sketches required Drafting must show a front, top and side view at half scale No materials other than glue and popsicle sticks permitted in final construction Bridge must span 6 inch gap, therefore should be at least 8 inches long Bridge needs to include a deck so that a 'hot wheels' car can drive from one side to the other Be creative and have fun!
Steps to Success! reflect on learning to date. What makes a good bridge? draft your chosen design at / scale show your finished bridge off at the gallery show of all the bridges sketch a minimum of different designs show your sketches to Mr. Atkinson or Ms. Gregson show your drafting to Mr. Atkinson or Ms. Gregson for building approval build your masterpiece (note: glue and popsicle sticks are the only allowed materials) test the strength of your bridge to see how much weight it can hold celebrate your accomplishments!
Helpful Tips Do some research on your own before you start. There is tons of info out there! Triangles are the strongest shape Laminated beams are super strong! Think back to edge grain vs. face grain Remember, bridge must span 6 inch gap, therefore should be at least 8 inches long Sway braces are very handy! Trusses are super cool! Peer Review APPEARANCE Work is messy. Work is somewhat messy. Work is neat and it is built well. Work is very careful and extremely well built. Doesn't look good (shapes, patterns, etc. don't look good) Looks okay Looks good. (shapes, patterns, etc. look pretty good) Overall, an attractive bridge (nice looking shapes, patterns, etc.) Looks very awesome (amazing shapes, patterns, etc.) All construction is clean and attractive.
Self Review SKETCHES & EXPLORATION Only 0 or sketch submitted. I submitted or more I submitted I submitted very high quality I didn't put much thought or creativity into my I am starting to explore possible solutions to building problems. I thoroughly explored ideas. I wasn't open to exploring more than one idea. I had more than one idea but I did not pursue them. I wasn't that original in the ideas I explored. DRAFTING I challenged myself to use creative thinking. My creativity grew during project. I asked excellent questions. My bridge design does not match the design of the blueprint. My bridge design somewhat matches the design of the blueprint. Bridge blueprint mostly matches the design of the finished product. The bridge blueprint completely matches the design of the finished product. If any changes were If any changes were explained a little bit. explained enough. If any changes were thoroughly explained. My work is messy and the lines are not clean or straight. My work is a little bit My work is tidy, lines messy. are square and parallel. WORK HABITS I was willing to try many solutions and challenged myself to be as creative as I possibly could be. I did not explain changes. DESIGN I thoroughly explored many ideas. My work is extremely careful and tidy. I didn't use any design elements learned in class. I used design elements learned in class. I used design elements learned in class. I used or more design elements learned in class. I did not complete the work. I didn't put much effort put into the project. I did not use class time well. My work is complete I did a good job at I completed the work completing the work. with excellence. but it lacks finishing touches or could be I worked very hard improved with a little I worked pretty hard on it. effort. on it. I did everything I I did just enough to I could have gone could to make this meet the one step further to project fantastic. requirements. achieve excellence.
CRAFTSMANSHIP Work is messy and craftsmanship & detracts from overall APPERANCE presentation. Not aesthetically pleasing (shapes, Work is somewhat messy and craftsmanship detracts somewhat from overall presentation. Work is neat and craftsmanship is solid. Work is impeccable and shows extreme care and thoughtfulness in its craftsmanship. Limited aesthetics (shapes, patterns, etc.) Tidy work most of the time. Visually appealing. Overall, an attractive bridge (shapes, Extremely aesthetic in design (shapes, All construction is clean and attractive. Visually appealing. Teacher Review SKETCHES & EXPLORATION Only 0 or sketch submitted. Student submitted or Student submitted more Submitted very high quality Student thoroughly explored ideas. Student thoroughly explored many ideas. Student challenged Student had more than themselves to use Student wasn't open one idea but did not creative thinking. to exploring more pursue them. than one idea. Student creativity grew during project. Student wasn't that Student was willing to try many solutions and challenged themselves to be as creative as I possibly could be. Student didn't put much thought or creativity into my Student is starting to explore possible solutions to building problems. original in the ideas explored. DRAFTING Student asked excellent questions. My bridge design does not match the design of the blueprint. My bridge design somewhat matches the design of the blueprint. Bridge blueprint mostly matches the design of the finished product. The bridge blueprint completely matches the design of the finished product. If any changes were If any changes were explained a little bit. explained enough. If any changes were thoroughly explained. I did not explain changes. My work is messy and the lines are not clean or straight. My work is a little bit My work is tidy, lines messy. are square and parallel. My work is extremely careful and tidy.
DESIGN Student didn't use any design elements learned in class. WORK HABITS Student did not complete the work. Student didn't put much effort put into the project. Student used design Student used design Student used or more elements learned in elements learned in design elements class. class. learned in class. Student did a good Work is complete but job at completing the it lacks finishing touches work. or could be improved with a little Student worked effort. pretty hard on it. Student completed the work with excellence. Student worked very hard on it. Student did not use class time well. Student did just enough to meet the requirements. Student could have gone one step further to achieve excellence. Student did everything they could to make this project fantastic. Work is somewhat messy and craftsmanship detracts somewhat from overall presentation. Work is neat and craftsmanship is solid. Work is impeccable and shows extreme care and thoughtfulness in its craftsmanship. CRAFTSMANSHIP Work is messy and craftsmanship & detracts from overall APPERANCE presentation. Not aesthetically pleasing (shapes, Limited aesthetics (shapes, patterns, etc.) Tidy work most of the time. Visually appealing. Overall, an attractive bridge (shapes, Extremely aesthetic in design (shapes, All construction is clean and attractive. Visually appealing. process. The work does not demonstrate understanding of content. Student demonstrates some self-awareness. Work shows some understanding of content, but student cannot justify all of their decisions. Student shows selfawareness. Work demonstrates understanding of content and most decisions are conscious and justified. Work reflects a deep understanding of the complexities of the content. Every decision is purposeful and thoughtful. 6-70 LBS 7-80 LBS 8-00 LBS Student shows little REFLECTION & UNDERSTANDING awareness of their WEIGHT HELD 50-60 LBS
Peer review average + Self review + Teacher review = Total brought to you by : Mr. Atkinson EAGLE MOUNTAIN TECH ED