Bridges - Project Outline

Grade Level(s): Middle School

Topic:

• Do Bridges Bridge Us ? or Do Bridges connect us? or Bridges: What do they connect? or What do bridges do?

Sub-topics:

• generative topics
• understanding goals
• performances of understanding

Connections/Integration

• math/physics----- Dan 
• Music (Unit 1)- Jessica
• Music/ Literature/ Humanities (Unit II) -Ron
• GURL-MSTU Group project Bridges.ppt----Terry
• Using technology as a bridge to the classrooms of the 21st century  -Karl-Marx

• History/Geography--Gloria 

[As i work through my sub unit. i am thinking of the sequence and connections/integration of all the pieces.  I envision the Math/Physics hand on bridge building/simulations and the Musical exploration as the two opening pieices which can even be discussed in tandem.  History could follow as it will activiate some of the prior knowledge allow students to look at the master bridges AFTER their own experimentation. What are your thoughts ??? - Gloria]

Learners: (in addition to group and class)

• Maureen will modify the unit for special need students

Process:

1. Anchoring Activities (entire class-- teacher invented):

• Anchors in detail
• Walk over a bridge together, draw it.
• investigate bridge songs (use concept maps, powerpoint, etc.)
• Play/invent a game that requires physical bridge construction.
• Play/invent a game that requires construction of communication bridge (metaphorical).
• Informal bridge-building activity/competition.

2. Questions (groups--student raised):

This section is naturally incomplete, because questions are raised by students.

But we can be prepared (with a plan for guidance) for the various categories under which student-invented questions may fall.

• Student-raised questions (categorized generative topics)

3. Tasks (groups-- student invented):

This section is naturally incomplete, because tasks are invented by students.

But we can be prepared (with a plan for guidance) for the various categories under which student-invented tasks may fall.

• Activities in Detail
• software bridge-building simulations
• make suspension (and other) bridges with wood, nail, string
• work on concept maps on aspects and purposes of bridges
• investigate careers in the helping/bridging professions
• investigate bridge triumphs (NYC, 2001/others)
• investigate bridge disasters. Watch video. (Minn/SanFran/others)
• write a song with a bridge
• construct a new language

Some other useful websites:

(consider using this del.icio.us profile to efficiently store links. The below links are on it.)

http://www.carondelet.pvt.k12.ca.us/Family/Math/03210/page5.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catenary

http://whistleralley.com/hanging/hanging.htm

http://en.structurae.de/structures/stype/index.cfm?id=1

http://mysite.du.edu/~jcalvert/math/parabola.htm