Lesson Plan – Primary Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement Project Goes to School Program 2017/18 Primary School Edition
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PENSACOLA BAY BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT GoesGoes toto School!School! Gumdrop Bridge Lesson Plan – Primary Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement Project Goes to School Program 2017/18 Primary School Edition Any teacher, school, or school district may reproduce this for classroom use without permission. This work may not be sold for profit. Concept by Pensacola Bay Bridge Specialty Outreach Team Version 1804 PENSACOLA BAY BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT Gumdrop Bridge Lesson Plan ELEMENTARY GRADE LEVELS Introduction: As an early introduction to architecture and engineering elementary school students may build a gumdrop bridge. Making a gumdrop bridge that is well designed means students using simple geometric shapes along with flexible joints, can create a structure that is deceptively strong and will not collapse under pressure. One bridge design that is common employs a pattern of squares and triangles that repeats. However, students are allowed to experiment to find the building strategy that suits their aesthetic preferences and class requirements. Students will be encouraged during the exercise to: • Demonstrate what types forces influence a bridge’s design • Design and build a model bridge that reaches the largest span bearing in mind the given constraints • Design and build a model that is able to hold the maximum amount of weight under given constraints. This lesson plan is meant to serve as a resource for teachers. Specifically, you will find supplemental classroom materials (both in-class worksheets, videos and student activity sheets) that are engaging for students and easy for you to implement, as well as applicable and relevant to the benefit of the new Pensacola Bay Bridge. Lesson Plan Summary: This activity is for students to discover and analyze the variety of shapes that engineers select to use when they are tasked with building strong structures - particularly triangles. At the beginning of the activity, students will experience for themselves forces of compression and tension. In addtion, they will create various forms, debate how forces are handled within a triangle, along with testing their strength. The multimedia resources that will be employed in the lesson will demonstrate how this shape has been used in many ancient and modern cultures. Students will be free to discuss any examples of these shapes which they may have seen for themselves. Included in this lesson plan is a discussion about the history of the Pensacola Bay Bridge, details of the new construction, as well as an overview of the basics of bridges and associated forces. The design and construction of any item requires critical thinking and invaluable problem- solving processes. The activities provided here include hands-on experiences, collaborative problem-solving, and an integrated approach to STEM (the process of scientific investigation). 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Page 2 Pensacola Bay Bridge Gumdrop Lesson Plan PRIMARY LESSON OVERVIEW Materials: Per Student (lower grades) 3 gumdrops & 3 toothpicks (upper grades) gumdrops, toothpicks, plastic container approx. 6” across available at Dollar Tree 3 for $1 Grade Level: Primary (K-2) / Intermediate (3-5) Subject Areas: Math Science ELA Fine Arts Durations: Prep Time: 20 minutes Activity Time: 1:20 hours Setting: Classroom Skills: Analyze, create, demonstrate, describe, critical thinking, geometry, problem solving Vocabulary: Reinforce, strengthen, diagonal, stable, unstable, framework, lattice, truss, section, square, ties, strut, beam, horizontal, triangle, square, rectangle, span, deck, clearance, suspension, arch Resource Books: The Three Little Pigs: An Architectural Tale – Steve Guarnaccia Iggy Peck, Architect – Andrea Beatty Twenty-One Elephants & Still Standing – April Jones Prince Architecture According to Pigeons – Stella Gurney Pops Bridge – Eve Bunting This Bridge Will Not Be Gray – Dave Eggers Page 3 Pensacola Bay Bridge Gumdrop Lesson Plan PRIMARY ACADEMIC STANDARDS Objectives: KINDERGARTEN THIRD GRADE MAFS.K.G.1.2, MAFS.3.MD.3.5 MAFS.K.G.1.1 MAFS.3.MD.4.8 MAFS.K.G.1.3, SC.3.P BIG IDEA 8 MAFS.K.G.2.4 LAFS.3.L.3 MAFS.K.G.2.5 LAFS.3.RI.2.4 MAFS.K.G.2.6 LAFS.K.L.3 SC.K.P.8.1 FOURTH GRADE MAFS.K.CC.2.5 MAFS.4.MD.1.3 MAFS.4.G.1.1 MAFS.4.G.1.2 FIRST GRADE MAFS.4.G.1.3 MAFS.1.G.1.1 Cluster 3 MAFS.4.MD.3: Geometric measurement: understand concepts of angle MAFS.1.G.1.2 and measure angles. (Additional Cluster) SC.1.P.13.1 LAFS.4.MD.3 LAFS.1.1.L.3 LAFS.4.RI.2.4 SECOND GRADE FIFTH GRADE MAFS.2.G.1.2 MAFS.5.G.1.2 MAFS.2.G.1.3 SC.5.P.13.4 Big Idea / Supporting Idea 8 SC.2.P.8: SC.5.P.13.1 Properties of Matter LAFS.5.L.3 LAFS.2.L.3 LAFS.5.RI.2.4 LAFS.2.RI.2.4 Page 4 Pensacola Bay Bridge Gumdrop Lesson Plan PRIMARY PROCEDURES Procedures have been written with primary-aged students in mind; however, modifications have been added throughout to support differentiation for students who may be working ahead of grade level, require enrichment, or in order to accommodate upper-grade-level students. Introduction: Review of basic shapes – circle, square, triangle, rectangle, etc. (Upper grades should review the most applicable skill.) Question: “Which shape is the strongest shape? (Triangle). How do you know? (Allow students time to think or engage in discussion with a neighbor as the teacher walks around.) Discussion: “If you press down on the side of any other shape, it will bend, but triangles share force in a special way. They don’t bend. Instead, they send some of the force to the other sides.” In this lesson we are focusing on the triangle. We have talked about triangles: What they look like and how to find them in different areas. (Stop and allow time for discussion if applicable.) Today we are making our own triangles. Then we will combine triangles to create a larger structure. (Older grade levels should be divided into groups of 3-4 and given materials to create their own triangle bridge structures.) “Look at this picture and tell me what you see?” (Show picture of Bridge 1 – print or display on an overhead projector. Point students to see the triangles present.) Video: “Some bridges use triangles because of their strength.” Look at this video: (Play the following Pensacola Bay Bridge video for students.) (5:44) “What Makes the Pensacola Bay Bridge Strong?” Page 5 Pensacola Bay Bridge Gumdrop Lesson Plan PRIMARY PART I: CREATING THE GUMDROP BRIDGE “Now we can use different materials to create shapes.” What are some materials that we can use in the classroom?” (Allow students time to look and respond.) Demonstrate: “Now watch closely. I brought some new materials for us to use to make our powerful triangles: toothpicks and gumdrops!” (Kids should be excited about using candy to make things and potentially eat as well!) For lower grades - Using either a Mimio projector or by standing in front of the classroom, demonstrate the process of creating a gumdrop triangle. After demonstrating, discuss not touching any materials until the appropriate time. Pass out materials to students. (For intermediate grades, materials can be pre-separated into small plastic containers that would also be used to test the completed bridge; intermediate students should also have access to a larger amount of materials. Materials can be pre-sorted for ease of distribution.) Student Participation: “How many gumdrops and toothpicks do you have?” (Each student should have 3 of each.) “Please lay 3 toothpicks down to create a triangle shape.” “Great Work! Now, use the gumdrops to connect the triangle at the endpoints of the picks, with the flat side of the gumdrops facing down.” “Wonderful work, everyone! Now that we know triangles are extra strong and they are used to build bridges, let’s take the triangles we made and make a bridge of our own!” Note: This is a great opportunity for stations for the upper levels. In second grade, the teacher may opt for students to combine portions of the bridges on their own. Page 6 Pensacola Bay Bridge Gumdrop Lesson Plan PRIMARY One at a time, the teacher will take each student’s individual triangle. The teacher will add toothpicks to combine the triangles to create a larger structure. This process will help to demonstrate how many parts can combine to make a larger whole. For upper-level students, the focus will be on creating a triangle bridge structure by using the materials provided that, when completed, will hold a minimum gram weight [approx. 12 grams or more] of gumdrops. (An extension item could be to see whose bridge can hold the most weight.) REVIEW AND CONCLUDE What is one thing that you learned today?* (How to make a triangle; that bridges use triangles; that triangles are sturdy, strong shapes.) K-1 students should be able to discuss triangles and how many parts made a whole to complete the triangle. Grades 2-3 students should be able to discuss or write about triangles, how many parts made a whole to complete their triangle and if it successfully held a minimum amount of weight. Grades 4-5 should be able to discuss or write about the strength of triangles, how small parts were combined to create a larger bridge, whether the bridge was able to successfully hold a minimum gram weight of gumdrops, why or why not, were adjustments made and were those adjustments adequate. Use activity sheet as part of the discussion. The success of this activity (particularly for upper grades) will not necessarily be dependent upon the building of the bridge being successful, but whether or not students can explain why their bridge was successful or unsuccessful and if they were able to make necessary adjustments or determine and explain what adjustments might ensure future success.