If at first you don’t succeed …

Try, Try, Try Again!!!

What could these straws be used for?

(Besides drinking your chocolate milk.)

4.1.6

Explain that even a good design may fail even though steps are taken ahead of time to reduce the likelihood of failure.

http://dc.doe.in.gov/Standards/AcademicStandards/StandardSearch.aspx

Definitions Architecture: the art or science of building Geometric Shapes:

Squares

Triangles

Rectangles

Trapezoid

Building from the Foundations Architecture is all over. Buildings such

as a house, an office, a school, a museum, bridges and even sculptures are classified as architecture. Some architecture is very simple, perhaps a square building. They can also be complex and elegant such as a church, the White House, or even the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California.

Connections 4.1.8 – Recognize and explain that any

invention may lead to other inventions. 4.1.6 and 4.1.8 go hand in hand. To invent

something you must make many attempts to perfect your design. However, your design may lead someone else to invent something more efficient or to accompany your design.

What’s in the Architect tool box?

2 pair of scissors 2 rolls of tape 2 cups with string and paper clip attached Several construction straws Blank paper Bag of glass gems (for measuring) Extra string and paperclips Examples of: “Blue Prints,” geometric

shapes, writing and chart examples

BLUE PRINTS On the blank paper, draw the geometric

shapes you plan to use for your bridge. (See slide 3 for examples.)

Choose one shape, if possible no more than two.

Draw a rough idea of what your bridge will look like from the side. (See example on slide 19 for guidance .)

NOTE: You will use the same design for all four sides of your bridge (top, bottom and both sides.)

UNDER CONSTRUCTION Now we will start to

assemble the straws together into the geometric shape(s) you have chosen.

Start by selecting two straws. Choose one of the straws to bend the end in as shown.

Insert bent end into the end of the second straw.

(See the examples of shapes that are already done.)

After you have the first two ends together, continue to form your shape and insert the other ends together.

You will need to make enough of your shape so that each side’s segment is five long.

**See Picture

If you do the math …5 X 4 = ____

(Number of shapes in a segment X number of segments = total number of shapes needed)

Using the tape, assemble the shapes together into 4 segments with 5 shapes each.

Make sure your bridge has a top, bottom, and 2 sides.

Two segments Two segments attached

Sample bridge - completed

*Before you test your bridge, make a guess as to how many glass gems the bridge will hold. Do this before each trial!

THE TEST After you are

satisfied with your bridge, and it meets the requirements, it is time for THE TEST!

Pull two flat surfaces close together, leaving 1-2 feet between them and set your bridge across the gap with each end on a different surface.

Attach the cup with string to the bottom of your bridge.

Start adding glass gems to the cup.

How many glass gems can you get in your cup before your bridge collapses? Be sure to do more than one trial. Repair your bridge and try again. Maybe add some more supports?

For home: A parent should make a bridge as well. Whose bridge held more glass gems, the student or the parent?

And the successful bridge is… On the back of your blank

sheet you used to draw your design: Design your own graph to

chart you number of trials and the number of glass gems each trial held.

Also, write a conclusion as to why one trial may have been more successful than another. Do you think your design failed, or did you have a good design but just had too much weight or pressure on your bridge?

DON’T FORGET TO COUNT YOUR GLASS GEMS AFTER EACH

TRAIL!!!!!

SOME TIPS: As you do the project:

Help students assemble their straws into their shapes.

Ask them questions: Have you made things with straws before?

If so, what have you made? Do you like to build things? Have you built things with other materials? What do you think about failure or failing? Do you think you are taking steps to reduce the

likelihood of failure? Other questions about school.

More tips: If you do not make it to do more than one

trial at least have the students write what they would do to improve their bridge the second time.

You might not make it to the graphing, this is ok as long as you have some writing about improvements and at least one trial.

Is it failure if the students bride breaks the first time? What does the student think? If they don’t think their bridge failed, have them explain why. *This might be part of your sample writing, too.*

Sequence of Events

1

2

3

4

5

6

Example of shape and design:

Geometric Shape: Triangle

Design for sides, top and bottom.

Tape

On the front of the blank sheet

Example of writing and chart:

On the back of the blank sheet

On this side you will answer the conclusion questions about your design and your findings.

•How many trials did you perform and what did you change or fix each time?

•What were the results of each trial?

•Do you feel that your design failed? Is there such thing as a bad design? Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3

5

15

25

35

45

This is an example of what your graph may look like. Be creative!

DO NOT COPY THIS GRAPH FOR

YOURS!

Num

ber

of

Gla

ss G

em

s U

sed