Learning procedure

Activity 1: Introduction to Bridges

·        Begin by discussing different types of bridges (e.g., beam, arch, suspension) and their purposes.

·        Show pictures or diagrams of various bridges from around the world.

Famous bridges:

Modern bridges are architectural constructions built to span physical obstacles to provide easy passage. Even though their function is simple and clear, the mere presence of these large man-made objects has transformed many of them into cultural or historic landmarks of great importance to the local population, nations or even entire world.

List of Most Famous Bridges in the World (historyofbridges.com)

The 5 Most Incredible Bridges in the World

15 MOST IMPRESSIVE Bridges in the World

Greek bridge "Charilaos Trikoupis"

Cable-stayed bridge between Rio and Antirio

A great vision that came true

The Rion-Antirion Bridge is the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world, completed in 2004 and is a landmark of Greece in the 21st century, improving the movement of people and goods in Western Greece.

The first and sixth graders watched the two videos and spoke about what inspired them in the classroom. A discussion was held regarding the properties of bridges, their construction methods, materials, forms, applications, etc. A mind map was made based on the suggestions made by the pupils.

Brainstorming in Whiteboard:

Read more about the Benefits of the activities

Read a children's book about bridges to engage students in the topic. Books about Bridges

 Activity 2: Research of ready made bridges at school

The students meet again so that they find resources f ready made bridges at other school. The objective is to find ideas and get inspired.

 Activity 3: Research and Investigation

·        Have students explore materials that can be used for bridge construction, such as wood, steel, or concrete.

·        Provide books or online resources for students to learn about the forces that act on a bridge, including tension, compression, and shear.

 Activity 4: Meet with an engineer

The students meet onsite an expert. An engineer visits the school and discusses with the students about technical and other stuff. The students interact by posing questions.

We learned  about bridges by an expert . A mechanical engineer visited our classroom. He told us about the 4 different types of bridges, the importance of a good forhead planning and the meaning of appropriate materials.

Activity 5: Design and Build Challenge

·        Give students a design challenge, such as building a bridge that can span a gap of a certain length or support a specific weight.

·        Allow students time to plan and sketch their designs before building.

·        Encourage them to incorporate what they've learned about bridge types and forces into their designs.

 Activity 6: Bridge Building Experiment

·        Divide students into small groups and provide them with materials.

·        Challenge each group to build a bridge using craft sticks, straws, and playdough or clay.

·        Encourage experimentation with different bridge designs and materials.

·        Test the strength of each bridge by placing small toy cars or objects on top.

The students, after having made their research, they chose the kind of bridge they will construct with their team.

They decided how they will find and bring the materials and started constructing their creations.

The students after 2 hours of working, suggested that they should meet again to continue their work. 

So their 2nd encounter took place a few days later.

 

Our crafts some steps before being ready:

Time for experimenting! Are our bridges strong enough to hold the weight of vehicles?

Our bridges were tested with the help of the expert, the mechanical engineer!

We experinted with weights and came to results.

It's time for robotics!

The students create bridges with GIGO blocks and code the microbit, so that bridges move according to the needs of traffic.

 Activity 7: Presentation and Reflection:

·        Each group present their bridge designs to the class, explaining their materials, construction methods, and any challenges they encountered.

·        A discussion follows about what worked well and what could be improved in each design.

·        The students are encouraged to reflect on what they've learned about bridges and the engineering design process.

After constructing the bridges in the STEM activities, the students created a Powerpoint presentation.

    Assessment