About This Idea
Engineer a bridge from paper that can hold surprising weight. This 15-minute STEM activity teaches structural engineering, geometry, and problem-solving. Test different designs to see which holds the most books. Perfect hands-on physics lesson.
#engineering#STEM#physics#hands-on#problem-solving
Progress Milestones
Track your progress with these key achievements:
1
5 minutes
Built and tested flat bridge - learned why it fails
2
15 minutes
Built folded or tube bridge that holds weight
3
30 minutes
Tested multiple designs, found strongest structure
Common Challenges & Solutions
Every beginner faces obstacles. Here's how to overcome them:
⚠️
Bridge keeps collapsing
Solution: Make sure tubes are rolled tightly and taped well. Use more tubes for support. Make sure bridge ends rest solidly on book stacks—uneven placement causes collapse.
⚠️
Not sure how to make it stronger
Solution: Try combining methods: tubes + folded paper on top. Add cross-bracing (diagonal supports). Look at real bridge photos for inspiration: arches, triangles, and tubes are strongest shapes in engineering.
Share Your Progress
Celebrate your achievements and inspire others:
-
✨
Take photos of your bridges with weight on top - show which held most
-
✨
Host a bridge-building competition with friends/siblings
-
✨
Create a chart: Design vs. Weight Held
-
✨
Build a bridge strong enough to hold a can of soup, then a textbook
Reflection Prompts
Deepen your understanding with these thought-provoking questions:
1
Which design held the most weight? Why do you think that is?
2
What shapes are strongest in engineering? (Answer: triangles, arches, tubes)
3
How do real bridges use these same principles?
4
What would you change if you built another bridge?