Format
1. Introduce the idea of looking at structures and understanding how they stand up.
2. Discussion of bridges and beams, and overview Newton’s laws of motion and gravity.
3. View and discuss artworks with depictions of columns and arches in buildings and bridges.
4. Introduce the geometry of trusses and view artworks, including images of the Eiffel Tower.
5. View depictions of domes, rib vaults, and folded plate construction.
6. Practice identifying the different types of structures in various artworks.
7. Building interactivity with students working in groups – using paper and tape to create a weight-bearing structure of their own.
Objectives
1. Students will learn common geometric features seen in architecture.
2. Students will understand the basic physics involved in architecture.
3. Students will learn the engineering principle of the “folded plate.”
4. Students will learn the construction techniques that engineers use to stabilize a structure.
Standards Alignment
National Standards
All programs are aligned with the National Education Standards, Ohio Department of Education Academic Standards, and New York State Learning Standards.