Project: Building Bridges to Geometry
Resources Needed: KNEX Education Real Bridge Building Set
School Poverty Level: High
Location: Granite Quarry Elementary School, Salisbury, NC
Total Cost: $306.87
Still Needed: $154.24Completed!
Expires: May 30, 2015
Teacher's Comments from Mrs. Hopkins:
My Students: A typical day in my classroom involves communication, relevancy, problem-solving and collaboration. Students come ready to learn and live up to our classroom belief “Learning and thinking are hard work.” Math involves daily writing to improve communication and hands-on tasks to remain relevant.
My thirty motivated, hard-working students have created an exciting and welcoming environment where “We are a family” is one of our classroom beliefs. Active listening, discussion groups, think, pair and share are all ways we work to become leaders. Coming from diverse families and socioeconomic backgrounds, they are ready to travel and see what’s outside their city and county. With goals of becoming marine biologists, sports managers, pediatricians, and writers, these students are anxious to see how they can impact the world and what other people have done before them. Without the cost of a bridge building kit covered, these students will be unable to see how geometry connects to the real world through engineering.
My Project: In teams, we'll build seven, five to six foot long, K'NEX Bridge Models including replicas of real-world bridges such as the Golden Gate (suspension), Forth Rail Bridge (cantilever) and Sydney Harbor Bridge (arch). We'll use the models as a catalyst to study the history, function, structural design, geometry and strength of bridges through our study of geometry and its real-world applications. Students will be expected to understand the engineering principles that have been applied to allow bridges to support the loads they must carry.
Through inquiry-based lessons, I challenge students as they build, investigate, problem solve, discuss, and evaluate problems in action. This project will allow me to continue to challenge students daily in math.
COMPLETED
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Sydney Harbor Bridge