Title: A Study of Bridges
Type of teaching unit: LESSON PLAN
Grade Level(s): 9 -12
Time frame: 2 days
Subject matter: Physics/Physical Science
Teacher information:
Cliff Parker
Edwardsville High School
AAM affiliation: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
cparker@ecusd7.org
Lesson plan description and Rationale:
Students
will study various types of bridges giving special attention to the applications
most suited for each classification of bridge. Students need to appreciate
the use of technology in a historical context and understand the physical
laws that guide the application and development of bridges.
State Standard/s:
11.B.
Know and apply the concepts, principles and processes of technological design.
11.B.4a Identify a technological design problem inherent in
a commonly used product.
11.B.5a Identify a design problem that has practical applications
and propose possible solutions, considering such constraints as available
tools, materials, time and costs.
12.D.
Know and apply concepts that describe force and motion and the principles
that explain them.
12.D.5a Analyze factors that influence the relative motion
of an object (e.g., friction, wind shear, cross currents, potential differences).
13.B.
Know and apply concepts that describe the interaction between science, technology
and society.
13.B.4c Analyze ways that resource management and technology
can be used to accommodate population trends.
13.B.5e Assess how scientific and technological progress has
affected other fields of study, careers and job markets and aspects of everyday
life.
Objectives:
The
students with partners will analyze construction drawings and or photographs
of bridges from around the world. They will identify suitable applications,
advantages and disadvantages of each type of bridge. They will use this information
to make decisions as they apply what they have learned to make decisions concerning
the proper use of various types of bridges.
Resources:
|  |
McClure,
Louis Charles. “Edwin Natural Bridge.” between 1903 and 1909. History of the American West, 1860-1920: Photographs from
the Collection of the Denver Public Library. [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hawp:@field(NUMBER+@band(codhawp+00071706))]
[codhawp 00071706 http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00071706+MCC-1706]
(03/04) |
|
 |
Association
for Bridge Construction and Design
P.O. Box 23264, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-6264 [http://abcdpittsburgh.org/webshots.htm]
|
|  |
Lowe,
Jet. “General view looking north showing the bay side of the structure.”
1984. Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering
Record. [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hh:@field(DOCID+@lit(CA1355))] (03/04)
|
|  |
Rothstein,
Arthur. “Covered bridge, Plainfield, Vermont.” 1937 Sept. America from the Great Depression
to World War II: Photographs from the FSA-OWI, 1935-1945.
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/fsaall:@field(NUMBER+@band(fsa+8b16733))]
[fsa 8b16733] (03/04) |
|  |
Horydczak, Theodor. “Single arch
suspension bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.” 1950. Washington
as It Was: Photographs by Theodor Horydczak, 1923-1959 [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/horyd:@field(NUMBER+@band(thc+5a35901))]
[thc 5a35901 urn:hdl:loc.pnp/thc.5a35901 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/thc.5a35901]
(03/04) |
|  |
Beam,
George L. “D&RGW bridge 14A near Wolhurst, Colorado” between 1926 and 1935? History of
the American West, 1860-1920: Photographs from the Collection of the
Denver Public Library. [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hawp:@field(NUMBER+@band(codhawp+00135910))]
[codhawp 00135910 http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00135910+GB-5910]
(03/04) |
|  |
Beam,
George L. “New bridge.” 1934 or 1935. History of the American West, 1860-1920: Photographs from
the Collection of the Denver Public Library [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hawp:@field(NUMBER+@band(codhawp+00136789))] [codhawp
00136789 http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00136789+GB-6789]
(03/04) |
|  |
Rhoads,
Harry M. “Fishing party.” 1880 or 81. History of the American West, 1860-1920: Photographs from
the Collection of the Denver Public Library [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hawp:@field(NUMBER+@band(codhawp+00185969))]
[codhawp 00185969 http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00185969+Rh-969]
(03/04) |
|  |
Beam, George
L. “Concrete box & 2 tracks” between 1922 and 1935? History of
the American West, 1860-1920: Photographs from the Collection of the
Denver Public Library [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hawp:@field(NUMBER+@band(codhawp+00136788))]
[codhawp 00136788 http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00136788+GB-6788]
(03/04) |
|  |
McClure,
Louis Charles. “Grand Cañon of the Colorado
River” between 1905 and 1910. History of
the American West, 1860-1920: Photographs from the Collection of the
Denver Public Library [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hawp:@field(NUMBER+@band(codhawp+00071205))]
[codhawp 00071205 http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00071205+MCC-1205]
(03/04) |
|  |
Detroit
Publishing Co. “Old
chain bridge, Newburyport, Mass., first suspension bridge” c1900. Touring Turn-of-the-Century America: Photographs from the
Detroit Publishing Company, 1880-1920 [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/detr:@field(NUMBER+@band(det+4a07569))]
[det 4a07569] (03/04) |
|  |
William
Barrett. “3/4 View of east elevation, looking NW.” 1975 Historic American
Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hh:@field(DOCID+@lit(PA1780))]
(03/04) |
|  |
Elliot,
Joseph. “Elevation of typical arch, from nw”
Historic American Buildings
Survey/Historic American Engineering Record [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hh:@field(DOCID+@lit(PA1780))]
(03/04) |
|
 |
UNESCO
World Heritage Centre,
7 Place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France [http://whc.unesco.org/nwhc/pages/doc/mainf3.htm] |
|  |
Wonders
of the world databank. [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/wonder/structure/sunshine_skyway.html] |
|
|
Tower
bridge exhibition. [http://www.towerbridge.org.uk/bridge_lifts.htm] |
|  |
|
McCarl, Robert. “Passaic Falls Bridge, a cast iron bridge
manufactured by Watson.” 1994. Working in
Paterson: Occupational Heritage in an Urban Setting. [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/afcwip:@field(DOCID+@lit(rmc02516))]
[afcwip rmc02516] (03/04) |
|
 |
|
“Tacoma
Narrows Bridge, Spanning the Narrows at State Route 16, Tacoma, Pierce
County, WA” 1940. Historic American Buildings
Survey/Historic American Engineering Record [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hh:@field(DOCID+@lit(WA0453))]
(03/04) |
Methods:
Day 1
Anticipatory
Set: Students will view photos (video if available) on “Galloping Gert” The Tacoma Narrows Bridge and use these images as an
illustration of the need for adequate bridge design. In the absence of video
the PowerPoint presentation “Galloping Gert”
can be substituted.
Students
will participate in class discussion about the various types of bridges built
around the world. Incorporated into that discussion will be pictures of many
different bridges as well as information describing the advantages and disadvantages
associated with each. This information will be presented via a series of
PowerPoint slides. Bridges PowerPoint
Day 2
First
20 minutes -- University
of Florida’s Truss Building Laboratory. Students will individually
investigate the first three pages of the University of
Florida’s Truss Building Laboratory.
Page
1 Stability
and Simple Trusses
Page
2 The Long and Short of It
Page
3 Sample
Trusses
Second
20 minutes -- Students will gather into small groups. Each group will investigate
a series of photographs and drawings found on the American Memories website.
These drawings represent three different kinds of bridges. After analyzing
this information each group will answer questions and solve problems associated
with these drawings and pictures.
Study of
Three Bridges and Questions
Study
of Three Bridges and Questions Answer Key
Last
20 minutes -- Students will be given a series of bridge building requirements
and constraints. Students should match bridge requirements and constraints
with an appropriate bridge and provide the reasons for their decisions.
What
Kind of Bridge
What Kind of Bridge Answer Key
Evaluation:
Students
will submit their bridge construction choices along with their reasoning.
These choices will be evaluated based on their appropriateness. What Kind of Bridge answer key
Keywords for this lesson:
physics, bridge, force, suspension, girter, truss,
Galloping Gert
PowerPoint
Bridges PowerPoint
Study of
Three Bridges and Questions
Study
of Three Bridges and Questions Answer Key
What
Kind of Bridge
What Kind of Bridge Answer Key
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