Exploring Structural Rigidity

Objective

• Students will understand the shapes involved in making a structure stable.
• Students will be able to explain structure stability.

Description

Structures such as buildings, towers, bridges, and houses are everywhere. Have you ever taken the time to reflect on the shapes that make up these structures? What makes these structures rigid and flexible?

Procedures

1. Explain all structural principles: tension, compression, and rigidity.
2. Have all students explore different structures and have them record their observations.
3. Discuss the student's observations in an open forum.
4. Using the structure building cards 3.1, 3.0, 3.3, and 3.4, have the students construct the models and test them for their functionality and rigidity.
5. Have students record their findings and determine which of the shapes will be best to build structures with and why.

Discussion

What would happen if a structure didn’t include any triangular shapes?

Can you build a bridge or tower and make if structurally sound with what you have learned today?

Continuation

Write a detailed description of what you learned about structural rigidity. Include in your description shapes and new terminology.