Trus(s)t the process

This is the first Action Project for our Spring Term, STEAM course; Urban Planning. In this unit, we learned about the meaning of Urban Planning, its purpose, Newton’s Laws of Motion, calculations of Velocity, Force, Acceleration, Vectors, Triangles, and how those all connect to Bridges. We also learned about different types and classifications of bridges, ending with our central focus, Truss bridges. Additionally, we were supposed to enjoy an outside adventure, walking along Michigan Ave, and ending where the River bridges connect the two parts of downtown. However, we had to watch virtually, as our teacher filmed the whole experience live because in-person learning was canceled that day. The purpose of this project was to take what we learned during this unit and build one of our own bridges. We were challenged to build them with a limit of 60 popsicle sticks, and at the end, create a bridge durable enough to withstand at least 8.9 pounds, over a 1ft gap. Below, you will see my work and whether or not I succeeded in the challenge. Enjoy!

 

Looking back at my process and my overall conclusion about my bridge, there are many things I would have done differently if I could do it over. I remember thinking, throughout my entire building process, "this will be the stick (that I do or don't add) that will make or break my bridge." This guided where I placed every stick, but looking back, I realized I should have added more. I only used 36 out of the available 60, because I thought that I had already used enough. However, if I were to do it over, I would have added more vertical stick support on the bottom chord/deck of the bridge, and I would have made my top structure longer, with more triangles. This would have distributed the weight more evenly, throughout the entire bridge, instead of it just balancing on the square. Despite the bridge breaking, I learned that there can still be successes from failure, and I feel that I am able to write this reflection in more detail, now that the bridge is broken, than if it wasn't. I also learned the meaning of building something with your own hands, designing something on your own, and that it is, of course, not easy. I feel as though my bridge connects to SDG11 because of the initiative it took for us to build/design them, and if we were actual engineers, they would meet the characteristics of the goal (sustainable, and safe, etc. human settlements). I hope you enjoyed my project!