4DFrame Activity Tips:

3. Bridges

 

Build a bridge that will withstand being subjected to a certain amount of force.

 

KomTek in Järfalla is a Swedish science- and technology-oriented activity centre that regularly uses 4DFrame materials in its programs both in-house and with local schools. Anna Nytomt Kristensson is one of their staff who works with this and she shared this set of activity tips KomTek developed (thank you, Anna!) for using this educational teaching tool.

 

 

 

3. Bridges

Build a bridge that will withstand being subjected to a certain amount of force.

 

Main concepts 1-3 technology:

- Some of our common technical solutions mimic nature, such as a cupped hand as a model for storage containers.

 

- Materials for your own construction design work, their properties, and how they can be connected.

 

- What are some items in the student’s everyday life, and how they are adapted to human needs.

 

Main concepts 4-6 technology:

- How common solid and stable structures are built, such as buildings and bridges.

 

- The different phases of Technology Development: identification of needs, investigating, propose solutions, construction and testing.

 

- Own designs with applications of the principles of solid and stable structures

 

- Documentation in the form of sketches with explanatory words and concepts, symbols and dimensions as well as physical or digital models.

 

Preparation:

- Discuss with students - if they live near a bridge - what does it look like? Does anybody have any personal experiences related to a bridge?

 

- Observe the bridges in the neighborhood, or look at pictures on the Internet.

 

- Discuss based on the following questions: What is the bridge used for? Why is it located right where it is?

 

- How do the different types of bridges function?

 

Follow-up:

- Look at your model bridges or photographs of bridges; what "forms" do they consist of? How many? Draw your bridges from above, and from the side.

 

- Look at photographs of different kinds of bridges; how are they constructed?

 

- Drawing/paint landscapes where the bridge could fit.

 

- Watch video clips about bridges on YouTube, such as the one about the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, and the Mythbusters–Bridge episode.

 

- Build bridges of other materials, such paper, straws and pipe cleaners.

 

Clip Art pictures of different examples of bridges:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top of page

 

©2013-2015, Nordic4DFrame AB

Grönviksvägen 6, 185 41 Vaxholm, Sweden