Author:  Jennifer Jordan
E-Mail Address: liftupthelord3@yahoo.com
School: Nathan Hale Middle School : Crestwood, Illinois
School Home Page URL: http://www.district130.org

THEME : Bridges in the Past and Future

BROAD CONCEPT:  Resourcefulness, Creativity, Perserverance, Wisdom,

GRADES:  6-8

INTEGRATED SUBJECTS:  Science, Mathematics, Writing, Reading, Social Science

• research the history of early bridges
  
• learn about why bridges were designed and built
  
• gather information about the various bridge types
  
• learn how forces act upon different bridge types
• discover how bridges are built (their structure)
  
• determine why some bridges have not been successful
  
• evaluate basic geometric shapes and determine which one is stronger
• compare two types of bridges
• create a scaled drawing of a bridge design which they will cooperatively build
  
• build a model of a bridge
  

• General materials and equipment 

• Technology tools 

• Software Used in this Unit (Include the type and the title of the software.)  

x   Word Processing (Microsoft Word)               x   Brainstorming (Inspiration)
x   CD-ROM Encyclopedia (Encarta)                  x   Spreadsheet (Excel)
x   Multimedia (KidPix Deluxe 3, Powerpoint)       x   Other software pertaining to unit                                                                                     (Time Liner 5.0)

3.C.3b  Using available technology, produce compositions and multimedia works for specified audiences.

5.C.3b  Prepare and orally present original work (e.g., poems, monologues, reports, plays, stories) supported by research.

Math
ESTIMATION AND MEASUREMENT

7.A.3b  Apply the concepts and attributes of length, capacity, weight/mass, perimeter, area, volume, time, temperature and angle measures in practical situations.

GEOMETRY

9.C.3a  Construct, develop and communicate logical arguments (informal proofs) about geometric figures and patterns.

DATA ANALYSIS AND PROBABILITY

10.A.3a   Construct, read and interpret tables, graphs (including circle graphs) and charts to organize and represent data.

10.B.3  Formulate questions (e.g., relationships between car age and mileage, average incomes and years of schooling), devise and conduct experiments or simulations, gather data, draw conclusions and communicate results to an audience using traditional methods and contemporary technologies.

11.B.3e  Evaluate the test results based on established criteria, note sources of error and recommend improvements.

CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

13.B.3b  Identify important contributions to science and technology that have been made by individuals and groups from various cultures.

Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.

Students use productivity tools to collaborate in construcuting technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.

TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH TOOLS

Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.

Students use technology tools to process data and report results.

Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriatenes for specific tasks.

Activity One
Students will respond in their journal to the quote, "success arises from defeat".  The class will discuss what was written in the journals.  Using the overhead students will read the poem "The Tay Bridge Disaster" by William McGonagall (http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk/poems/pgdisaster.htm) and make connections between the quote and the poem.  The unit on bridges will be introduced.  In groups of two (which will remain the same when paired groups are required) the students will create and complete a K-W-L with focus questions chart about bridges using Microsoft Word.  They will respond to the following focus questions:

• Why are bridges designed and built?
• What are different types of bridges?
• How are bridges built?
• What materials are used to build bridges?
• How do bridges support the various weights that are placed upon them?
• Are bridges safe?

After the paired students have completed the chart, they will each print a copy of the chart, revise it during each activity of the unit, and finalize the chart at the end of the unit. 

Activity Two
As a class the students will watch two videos, "Big Cable Bridges" and "Awesome Bridges".  After viewing each video, the students will revise their K-W-L with focus questions chart.  Working in the same pairs as in activity one, students will visit the sites, "Building Big" (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge) and "Super Bridge" (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bridge) , and complete the interactive activities ("Bridge Challenge" and "Build a Bridge", respectively).  After completing the activities the groups will revise their charts as needed.

Activity Three
Student pairs will use search engines and find information about bridge disasters and create a spreadsheet using Excel that includes the name of the bridge, the bridge's location, date of disaster, reason for disaster, and number of fatalities.  Then the students will compare the disasters in relation to the number of fatalities using a graph.

Activity Four
Using supplies, the internet, and the book titled Bridges by Etta Kaner (p. 18-19) student pairs will determine which basic geometric shape is stronger.  Using Microsoft Word they will write a brief write-up regarding their reasoning.  Students shuold look for examples of the determined stronger shape in the real world and cite several examples.

Activity Five
Student pairs will create a chart using Microsoft Word in which they list each bridge type, the descriptions of how forces act upon it (compression and tension), its general span (length), building materials, and its structure.  Each group will also create a chart using Microsoft Word relating each type of bridge, its advantages and its disadvantages. 

Activity Six
Using KidPix, paired students will create a glossary of bridge vocabulary.  The glossary must include the term, picture and definition. 

Activity Seven
Student pairs should go to the "Better Roads" (http://www.betterroads.com/articles/bridgeinv04.htm) site and use Excel to creat a spreadsheet and graph of the states comparing their number of total bridges.  Then the groups should create a graph of the states comparing their percentages of obsolete or deficient bridges.

Activity Eight
Students pairs will go to http://www.factophile.com/show.content?action=browse&catid=99 and create a spreadsheet of different bridge types with the longest span lengths.  Using real world examples, provide an estimate of what these span lengths are similar to.  For instance, if the longest beam bridge is 900 feet, then that would be about 3 football fields if the length of one is 300 feet.

Activity Nine
In pairs, students will determine two bridges they would like to compare and they will decide how they are going to conduct their individual research.  Students should individually use at least one tradebook, Encarta or the World Book Encyclopedia, and two web sites for each of the bridges.   Students should use search engines to search for their web sites.  During their research each student should be revising their charts.  When they have completed their research, the students should reconvene in their paired groups and complete a Venn Diagram comparing the two bridges.  They should complete the Venn Diagram using Inspiration.  Paired students will write a five paragraph paper using Microsoft Word in which they compare these two bridges.  They will use information from their Venn Diagram to complete this paper.

SHARE YOUR IDEAS:

Student groups will create a book on a specific bridge type for the intermediate grades indicating what they have learned about the importance of bridges in our society.  They will include information relevant to their focus questions on their K-W-L chart, and have the opportunity to choose other information to include in the book.  Students must make sure that the book is written so that the younger students will understand it.  They must include a table of contents, pictures (photographs), visual explanation, glossary and index.  Along with a creative book, students will create a scaled-drawing of the bridge and a model.  Student groups will share their book, scaled-drawing and model with the class in a Powerpoint presentation.

STUDENT AND TEACHER ROLES:

Students will be explorers.  They will be conducting extensive research in which they will locate sites conducive to their inquiries.  By working in groups of two they will share information with one another, and when they come together as a class, they will serve as teachers to those who did not previously have that information.  Using the K-W-L with focus questions chart, students will continually reflect upon their discoveries.  They will integrate and share the knowledge that they have gleaned by creating a book for younger students.

The teacher will serve as a guide by providing suggestions and direction to the student groups as needed, such as key words to use when performing research with search engines.  For the essay the teacher will ask broad questions concerning the bridges so the students can receive minimum guidance as they construct their own knowledge.  The teacher will serve as a facilitator by encouraging the student groups to try other interactive activities available on the internet or in the tradebooks to further their understanding of the topic.

ADDITIONAL REFERENCE PRINT RESOURCES STUDENTS MAY USE :

World Book Enclyopedia

"Big Cable Bridges" video (produced by Segments of Knowledge Productions)

"Awesome Bridges" video (produced by Simitar Entertainment)

THE FOLLOWING BOOKS CONTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TOPIC:

Bridges: From My Side To Yours by Jan Adkins
How We Build Bridges by Neil Ardley
Bridges by Nicola Baxter
The Bridge Book by Polly Carter
Structures: Bridges by Andrew Dunn
Bridges!: Amazing Structures To Design, Build & Test by Carol A. Johmann and Elizabeth J. Rieth
Bridges by Etta Kaner
How Bridges Are Made by Jeremy Kingston
Bridges: A Project Book by Anne and Scott MacGregor
Math Projects Series: Building Toothpick Bridges by Jeanne Pollard
Bridges by Julie Richards
Bridges by Joy Richardson
Bridges by Cass R. Sandak
How Are They Built?: Bridges by Lynn M. Stone

The Brooklyn Bridge by Elizabeth Mann
The Golden Gate Bridge by Sharlene and Ted Nelson

Structures by Discovery Channel School Science
Designs in Science: Structures by Sally and Adrian Morgan
The Science of Structures by Janice Parker
Super Structures by Philip Wilkinson

Force & Motion by Peter Lafferty
Experiments With Motion by Salvatore Tocci

FOR ADDITIONAL ONLINE INFORMATION AND MEDIA PERTAINING TO THIS UNIT, TEACHERS MAY WANT TO USE THE FOLLOWING INTERNET ARTICLES: