Seventh grade science classes construct bridges
Throughout Homecoming Week, Ms. Moon’s seventh grade science classes have been working on a bridge design project. In this project, they were tasked to design a bridge while taking into account the cost of the bridge, materials it will require to be built, etc.
Ms. Moon described the project, saying, “Each team of four to five students will design and build a model bridge of wooden toothpicks, from specifications given in the contest rules and code. In addition, the teams must keep schedules, inventory records, and balance sheets of costs. On the last day, the bridges are tested for strength — literally to the breaking point.”
Bridge building contest rules follow.
- The bridge must be built according to the bridge building code, using specific materials.
- The bridge will be judged for the quality of the building plans and the strength of the bridge.
- The students must plan for the cost of the bridge and how well the finished bridge matches its plans.
- The bridge will be tested for strength by placing a bar across the middle of the bridge and hanging weights from the bar. The heaviest weight that the bridge can support for 30 seconds is the weight that will be recorded.
Check out photos from the experience here.
Story by Teal Salloum