Bridge Building STEM Packet

Name:

Date:

📖 Part 1: Bridge Engineering Through History

Learning Goals:

I can identify different types of bridges and explain how engineering has evolved over time.

I can analyze the relationship between bridge design and the materials available in different time periods.

Reading Passage: The Evolution of Bridge Engineering

Bridges are marvels of engineering that have connected civilizations for thousands of years. The earliest bridges were simple fallen logs or stones placed across streams. Ancient civilizations like the Romans revolutionized bridge building with their stone arch bridges, many of which still stand today after 2,000 years!

The Industrial Revolution brought new materials like steel and concrete. The Brooklyn Bridge, completed in 1883, was the world's first steel-wire suspension bridge and stretched 1,595 feet across the East River in New York City. Engineers John and Washington Roebling used innovative cable-spinning techniques that are still used today.

Modern bridges use advanced materials like carbon fiber and computer modeling to create structures that seemed impossible just decades ago. The Millau Bridge in France towers 1,125 feet above the valley floor - taller than the Eiffel Tower! Engineers must consider forces like compression, tension, and torsion when designing these massive structures.

Today's bridge engineers use STEM principles to solve problems: Science (understanding forces and materials), Technology (computer modeling and new materials), Engineering (designing safe, efficient structures), and Mathematics (calculating loads, stresses, and dimensions).

🔍 Part 2: Reading Comprehension

1. Which ancient civilization is mentioned as revolutionizing bridge building with stone arches?

Greeks

Romans

Egyptians

Babylonians

2. The Brooklyn Bridge was significant because it was the first to use:

Stone arches

Steel-wire suspension cables

Concrete supports

Wood planks

3. Which forces must engineers consider when designing bridges? (Check all that apply)

Compression

Tension

Torsion

Magnetism

4. How tall is the Millau Bridge in France?

1,595 feet

1,125 feet

2,000 feet

1,000 feet

⚙️ Part 3: STEM Analysis & Bridge Design Challenge

Success Criteria:

• I can explain how at least 3 STEM fields contribute to bridge engineering

• I can design a bridge that addresses specific engineering constraints

• I can justify my design choices using scientific reasoning

5. Explain how each STEM field contributes to modern bridge engineering. Give specific examples from the reading.

Science: ________________________________________________

Technology: ________________________________________________

Engineering: ________________________________________________

Mathematics: ________________________________________________

6. Design Challenge: You need to build a bridge that spans 12 inches and can hold at least 2 pounds. You have these materials: 20 wooden popsicle sticks, 1 roll of tape, and 10 feet of string. Draw your bridge design below and explain your engineering choices.

Explain your design choices:

7. What is one way that bridge engineering has changed from ancient times to today, and why do you think this change occurred?