• Grades: 4-8
• Capacity: 30 students
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Cost: $150
• Offered Tuesday through Friday at 10:15 and 11:45 a.m.

Next Generation Science Standards

Science and Engineering Practices:

• Asking questions and defining problems
• Developing and using models
• Planning and carrying out investigations
• Constructing explanations

Crosscutting Concepts:

• Cause and effect
• Systems and system models

Disciplinary Core Ideas:

ETS 1: Engineering design

• ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems
• ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions
• ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution

ETS 2: Links among engineering, technology, science and society

Common Core ELA/Literacy Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.1, 3.3, 3.7, 3.10
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.7, 4.10
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.1, 5.2, 5.4, 5.7, 5.10

Lab goals

Students will:

• Recognize the application of scientific principles in everyday situations.
• Use bridges as a tool to apply and understand scientific principles in a familiar real-world situation.
• Become familiar with the basic tenets of structural design.
• Become knowledgeable of the forces at play in construction projects through interactive demonstrations and hands-on activities.
• Learn how different design elements play into the structural integrity of a bridge.
• Be exposed to potential careers in engineering and construction.
• Engage in hands-on lab activities.
• Acquire and practice lab skills.
• Design, build and test models bridges.
• Be given a challenge and work as a team to complete the task of building a successful bridge.