Bridge Engineering STEM Challenge - Women in STEM History Activity (Digital)

lesson overview

This engaging STEM challenge is a fun way to incorporate the engineering design process into your classroom or afterschool program! Students use the engineering design process and explore compression and tension forces in bridges while building their own bridge! This challenge also highlights Emily Warren Roebling, the first woman field engineer who was instrumental in the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. History, science, engineering, literature (optional), and math-- it is all included along with teacher instructions and student handouts.

Updated to include editable digital student handouts to use with Google Slides!

This hands-on activity is an engaging design challenge that allows students to work in teams, apply the engineering design process, and connect math topics to real-world applications. As a student-driven assignment, the purpose of the teacher is to act as a facilitator. You will provide the structure to the project, but students will take an active role in designing and building a bridge to hold a cup of pennies. Our students have loved this activity, and we know yours will too!

This packet includes:

• Detailed teachers guide with links to resources

• Overview of Emily Warren Roebling

• Architecture connection covering types of bridges

• Science connections covering forces in bridges

• Student recording sheet for each step of the engineering design process

• Editable digital and printed student handouts

• Math connection problems including rates, graphing, ratios, measurements, area, and unit conversions (in both SI and metric units).

Materials:

Support Structures

• Spaghetti Noodles

• Toothpicks

• Craft sticks

• Straws 

• Pipe Cleaners

• String 

• Copy paper

Adhesives or Node Materials

• Masking Tape

• Playdough

• Marshmallows or gum drops

Testing Materials

• Small paper cups (Dixie cups)

• Pennies

• Ruler

• Two surfaces of equal height (such as two stacks of books) for the bridges to span.

• Optional: Container to put underneath testing area to catch everything when it breaks

• Optional: Wax paper/plastic tablecloth as a building surface to protect desks from sticky materials