Bridge Building Workshop for Schools

Provided by VSTEAM Education

Learn bridge engineering in classrooms

This workshop contains hands-on practical work to understand concepts in bridge engineering. It's one of our most popular workshops and covers various bridges, such as arch, beam, cantilever, suspension, and truss bridges. Students will also learn how load transfers occur in bridges and how to design a stable bridge.

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Format

Primary: 3 sessions x 1 hr 30 mins
(30 participants per session)
Secondary/Higher: 4 sessions x 1 hr 15 mins
(20 participants per session)

Age Groups

EYFS - Y13, Reception, Higher Education, Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Paper Bridges

We will start the day with a demonstration to paper bridges. Students will learn how to design a strong paper bridge.

Bridge Models

Students will be challenged to design a bridge using modelling parts to meets a given specification. They will have to produce calculations and use problem solving skills to complete the task.

Truss Bridges

Students will learn how adding trusses to bridges can make them stronger with our models.

Day Itinerary*

Primary, Secondary and Higher

Demo - We will start the day with a short demonstration to paper bridges. Students will learn how folding a paper can increase it's stiffness and ability to hold a heavier weight.
Short Theory - We will briefly cover 7 different types of bridges (such as arch, beam and cantilever bridges) that exist in the real-world. Additionally, we will discuss how load transfer occusrs in some of these bridges.
Practical and Demo - We will handout bridge modelling parts to students and build a basic Truss bridge. They will learn how trusses make a bridge stronger in the real world by observing load transfer with weights.
Practical - Higher learners will be challenged to build their own bridge that meets a given specific engineering specification. Students may have to complete calculations as part of the building process. We will then test each of the bridges built by students.

* The activities may vary on the day depending on the length of the sessions and the age and ability of the participants.

Gallery

STEM Instructor Placing Weight on Bridge Model

Cost

Please contact us to obtain a quote or request our price guide.

Testimonials

My favourite workshop.
The speaker was very enthusiastic and was able to answer loads of questions.
It was fun and engaging.
I like the problem solving aspect of this.

Students, Seaford College

Checklist

Enhanced DBS Checked Instructors
Public Liability Insurance
Risk Assessments

Requirements

Must remain in the same venue/classroom for the duration of the whole day to run all of the sessions.
The classroom/hall/venue must have desks and chairs for all students. Normal classrooms are fine.
Preferable: A computer/laptop with projector/interactive whiteboard or smart screen with sound enabled.

Event Days

British Science Week, Engineers Week, Graduation Day

Available Regions

This service is available internationally

Anywhere in England

Anywhere in Northern Ireland

Anywhere in Scotland

Anywhere in Wales

Contact VSTEAM Education to book this workshop

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