Children's Engineering:
Structures, Forces, Loads, Materials
The links below are intended to provide background knowledge to in-service teachers taking James Madiston University Course ISAT 501. Sites are not listed in any particular order.
(Adults should ALWAYS preview sites before providing them to children.)
TechnologyStudent.com (A Design & Technology Site)
http://www.technologystudent.com/index.htm
Structures
http://www.technologystudent.com/struct1/struindex.htm
Frames
http://www.technologystudent.com/struct1/frame1.htm
Beams and Sections
http://www.technologystudent.com/struct1/beam1.htm
Forces and Movements
http://www.technologystudent.com/forcmom/forcedex.htm
- Types of Forces
- Struts and Ties
- Structural Forces
- More Forces in Action (shows truss bridge with forces identified)
- Even More Forces in Action (shows cantilevered plant holder with forces identified)
- Classes of Lever
- Moments of Force and Example Questions
Building Big - PBS Boston – WGBH Educational Foundation
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/
Bridges
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/index.html
Bridge Basics – Find out how forces act of various types of bridges
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/basics.html
Forces Lab
This lab simplifies the real-life forces and actions that affect structures, in order to illustrate key concepts.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/lab/forces.html
Loads Lab
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/lab/loads.html
Materials Lab
This lab simplifies the real-life properties of a selection of materials, on order to illustrate key concepts.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/lab/materials.html
Shapes Lab
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/lab/shapes.html
Building Big Glossary
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/glossary_head.html
Mini-Activity: Arm Cantilever
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/educator/act_mini_cantilever.html
Activity: Tug-Push-Twist-O’War
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/educator/act_tug_ho.html
Bridges and Structures Home:
http://www.pennridge.org/works/bridges.html
Structural Concepts
http://www.pennridge.org/works/structhm.html
Structures in Nature
http://www.pennridge.org/works/structnat1.html
More Structures in Nature
http://www.pennridge.org/works/structnat2.html
Beam & Column Structures (Column, Beam, Post & Lintel)
http://www.pennridge.org/works/beamstruct.html
Arch Structures (Arch and Keystone, Dome, Barrel Vault)
http://www.pennridge.org/works/archstruct.html
Cantilever Structures (Cantilever, Corbeled Arch)
http://www.pennridge.org/works/cantstruct.html
Bridge Types (Beam, cantilever, draw, truss bridges)
http://www.pennridge.org/works/brbeam.html
Bridge Types: (Arch and Suspension Bridges)
http://www.pennridge.org/works/brarchsusp.html
Bridge Constructions
http://www.pennridge.org/works/brdgconst.html
This page links to actual construction/repair photos of various types of bridge construction.
- Structural repairs
- Roof repairs
- Deck repairs
- Piers and abutments
- Wood arch structures
- Aqueducts
- Headwall construction
TEACH Engineering Resources for K-12
This is an excellent site to build Background and Concepts for Teachers.
TE Activity: Bridge Types: Tensile & Compressive Forces
http://teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?url=
http://www.teachengineering.org/collection/cub_/
activities/cub_brid/cub_brid_lesson01_activity1.xml&rights=true#image1.jpg
TE Curricular Unit: Bridges
http://teachengineering.org/view_curricularunit.php?url=http://www.teachengineering.
org/collection/cub_/curricular_units/cub_brid/cub_brid_curricularunit.xml
TE Lesson: Designing Bridges
http://teachengineering.org/view_lesson.php?url=http://www.teachengineering.org/
collection/cub_/lessons/cub_brid/cub_brid_lesson02.xml
Forces and Movement:
Pushes and Pulls - interactive game (ages 5-6)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/5_6/pushes_pulls.shtml
Forces and Movement - interactive game (ages 6-7)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/6_7/forces_movement.shtml
Forces in Action - interactive game (ages 10-11)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/science/activities/forces_action.shtml
TEACH Engineering Lesson: Stressed and Strained
http://teachengineering.org/view_lesson.php?url=http://www.teachengineering.org/
collection/cub_/lessons/cub_mechanics/cub_mechanics_lesson07.xml
This is an excellent site to build Background and Concepts for Teachers.
Materials:
Materials Lab (PBS)
This lab simplifies the real-life properties of a selection of materials, on order to illustrate key concepts.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/lab/materials.html
Sorting and Using Materials (ages 5-6)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/5_6/sorting_using_mate.shtml
Grouping and Changing Materials (ages 6-7)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/6_7/grouping_materials.shtml
Characteristics of Materials (ages 7-8)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/7_8/characteristics_material
(Adults should ALWAYS preview sites before providing them to child
