ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Virtual Elementary School Designing, Building, and Testing a Structure
Have you ever crossed a bridge and wondered how it was made? Building something like a bridge involves thinking about a few important things. First, you need to know what the structure is for. Then, you have to consider the forces, like wind, that might push against it. You also need to decide on the shape of the structure and the materials you’ll use to build it. It’s crucial to make sure the weight is spread out evenly so the structure stays strong.
Once you have a plan, called a blueprint, and you’ve built your structure, it’s time to test it. You need to see if it can handle forces from the outside, like wind. To test this, you can use things like a fan, a piece of paper, or even just blow air with your mouth. Let’s use a fan to check if our bridge can stand up to the wind.
Oh no! Our bridge wasn’t strong enough to handle the wind. This means we need to go back to our blueprint and make some changes. By adding more craft sticks to the bridge’s deck and top, we can make it stronger. Let’s try building it again.
Great news! Adding more support made our bridge strong enough to withstand the wind. You can try this with your own structure. If it doesn’t work the first time, don’t worry. Go back to your blueprint and make some changes. Becoming good at building things takes practice, so keep trying and don’t give up!
Imagine you are an engineer tasked with designing a new bridge. Use graph paper to draw a detailed blueprint of your bridge, considering the purpose, shape, and materials. Think about how you will distribute the weight evenly. Share your blueprint with the class and explain your design choices.
Using materials like craft sticks, glue, and string, build a model of the bridge you designed. Pay attention to the structure’s stability and ensure that the weight is evenly distributed. Work in small groups to collaborate and share ideas.
Test the strength of your bridge by using a fan to simulate wind. Observe how your structure reacts to the wind and take notes on any weaknesses you notice. Discuss with your group what improvements could be made to enhance the bridge’s stability.
Based on the results of your wind resistance test, go back to your blueprint and make necessary adjustments. Rebuild your bridge with the improvements in mind. This is your chance to learn from any mistakes and strengthen your design.
Reflect on the process of designing, building, and testing your bridge. Prepare a short presentation for the class, highlighting what you learned and how your design evolved. Discuss the importance of persistence and learning from mistakes in engineering.
[Music] Have you ever driven over a bridge and wondered how it was constructed? When building a structure like a bridge, there are certain things that need to be considered. These include the purpose of the structure, the external forces that will act on it, the shape of the structure, and the materials used in its construction. It is also important that the weight of the load is evenly distributed throughout the structure.
[Music] Once the blueprint is drawn and the structure is built, it will need to be tested against external forces, such as wind. To do this with the structure we built, we will need to replicate these forces. Some things we can use to replicate the force of wind include a fan, a piece of paper, and even the air from our lungs. Let’s use a fan to see if this bridge structure can withstand the force of wind.
[Music] Uh-oh! This structure wasn’t strong enough to withstand the external force of wind. We will need to revisit our blueprint and look for adjustments that can be made. Adding more craft sticks to the deck of the bridge and across the top will create a stronger structure that should withstand the force of wind. Let’s try it again.
It worked! Adding more support and weight to the bridge made it able to withstand the external force of wind. Try this with your structure. Remember, if it doesn’t work the first time, you can revisit your blueprint to adjust your design. It takes practice to become an engineer, so don’t give up!
Design – The plan or drawing made to show how something will look and work before it is built. – Engineers create a design for a bridge before construction begins.
Building – The process of constructing something by putting parts together. – The building of the new school took two years to complete.
Testing – The act of trying out a product or system to see if it works correctly. – After designing the robot, the students spent time testing it to ensure it could move properly.
Structure – An arrangement of parts that are put together to form a whole. – The Eiffel Tower is a famous structure made of iron.
Forces – Pushes or pulls that can change the motion of an object. – Engineers must consider forces like gravity and wind when designing tall buildings.
Materials – The substances or things used to make something. – The materials used to build the house included wood, bricks, and concrete.
Weight – The measure of how heavy something is. – The weight of the car affects how much fuel it uses.
Blueprint – A detailed plan or drawing that shows how something is designed. – The architect showed us the blueprint of the new library.
Support – To hold something up or keep it from falling. – The beams provide support to the roof of the building.
Wind – The natural movement of air that can affect structures. – Engineers must ensure that tall buildings can withstand strong wind.
