Story and Photos by Piper Davis ’29
The construction of bridges, whether miniature or full-size, is an extremely detailed and difficult process. Seventh and eighth graders, directed by Middle School Teachers Kevin Frankenburger and Michael Fitzgerald, had fun studying and experimenting to find out who could make the best functioning bridge.
They started by studying the types of bridges and trusses, which is framework used to support a structure. As they learned more about the structure of the bridges they needed to build, they did another structure-based experiment. Using just uncooked spaghetti and marshmallows, the students created large and structurally sound designs. The activity helped them understand the best way to make something strong with not many materials.
Now that the students understand the basics, they have to undertake a daunting task; to make a miniature bridge that can let cars pass on top as well as support the most weight in the class.
They split into partnerships and began to glue the sides of the bridge. Using a tissue box, they connected all of the pieces of their designs. Mr. Frankenberger says they were, “Figuring out structural building techniques to find out which will hold the most weight. They used triangles and other shapes to design their bridges and adapt as they went along. They need to think critically and creatively to build the bridges!”
The students thoroughly enjoyed the process. Hayden Dembiec ’29 says, “You have a lot of fun here,” and Caroline Foss ’29 says, “Building these bridges helps my creativity in and out of the classroom.” After much work on their bridge, they tested by running Hotwheel cars on each bridge, and found out whose bridge held the most weight by weighing it with a bucket. The challenge relies heavily on their critical thinking, as Mr. Fitzgerald says, “They have a problem to solve, limited materials, and there is competition involved. They all want to win first place!”
Ultimately, the bridge challenge was extremely successful, and it strengthened the student’s teamwork and problem-solving skills.