Forces and Structures

Structures and Mechanism: Forces on Structures

Structures Around the World
http://www.exploratorium.org/structures/index.html
Student activities with lesson plans: Building Out, Scale, Bridges.
Bridge Buidling
http://www.42explore.com/bridge.htm
An extensive list of links to bridge web sites. Lots of hands-on activities.
Forces Acting on Structures Webquest
The student is to be come an engineer and must design a model and test it before submitting it in a competition. Weblinks, tracking sheet, and a rubric in included.
Building Big
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/lab/index.html
The Labs: forces, materials, loads, shapes- do on-line tests with Flash plug-in.
Building Big
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/
Structure basics, structure challenge, wonders of the world, examples of structures, architects and engineers, and more links.
Bridges
Domes
Skyscrapers
Dams
Tunnels
Bridge Basics
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/basics.html
Explanations of the beam, truss, suspension and arch bridges. Followed by a bridge challenge where you match the right bridge with the engineering challenge.
Nova: Super Bridge
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bridge/
Learn about the four major types of bridges and then test your knowledge by matching the right bridge to the right location. Lesson plans included.
Level: Junior, Adult
How Bridges Work
http://www.howstuffworks.com/bridge.htm
Explanations of various kinds of bridges with a printable version.
Building, Bridges and Tunnels
http://www.discovery.com/stories/technology/buildings/bridges.html
"Galloping Gertie" Bridge
http://www.civeng.carleton.ca/Exhibits/Tacoma_Narrows/
Video of the Tacoma bridge disaster.
Level: Junior, Intermediate
Bridge Building
http://www.brad.ac.uk/acad/civeng/marketing/civeng/game2.htm
Read about the various types and uses of bridges then match the bridge to engineering situation.
Bridge Designer
http://www.jhu.edu/~virtlab/bridge/truss.htm
Read about bridge trusses then design an on-line bridge.
Simple Machines Sampler
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/samsimplemth.html
On-line resources for simple machines. Spotlighting simple machines, simple machines found on your bicycle, Leonardo's Toolbox, gadget academy, Leonardo's mystery machine, the skateboard is a simple machine, baseball bats are simple machines, the trebuchet, how pulleys make our work easier, how do gears help us?, raising the Obelisk.
Level: Primary, Junior
Marvelous Machines
http://www.Galaxy.net/~k12/machines/
Lesson plans and activities for Pulleys, Gears, Levers, Inclined Planes, and the Screw.
Level: Primary, Junior

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