Get students thinking like engineers with this hands-on bridge design STEM challenge! In this first section of the Strength & Structures Engineering Unit, students design, build, and test bridges to investigate how different bridge shapes affect strength.

Students will explore the relationship between structural features and strength while collecting data, making predictions, testing designs, and improving their bridges through the engineering design process.

🌉What’s Included

• Teacher Guide & Lesson Plan
• Student Design Brief
• Engineer’s Log / Data Collection Worksheet
• Presentation Slides including real-world tie-in
• Reflection & Discussion Questions

Engineering Concepts & Skills Covered

• Strength
• Forces
• Engineering Design Process
• Prediction & Observation
• Data Collection / Recording
• Problem Solving
• Testing & Improvement
• Cause & Effect Relationships

⭐ Why Teachers Love It

• Low-prep setup using simple classroom materials
• Highly engaging hands-on STEM activity
• Encourages teamwork and discussion
• Supports engineering and science practices
• Clear step-by-step structure for easy implementation
• Professionally designed student pages and slides

Materials

• Index Cards
• Masking Tape
• Supports (Books or Blocks)
• Weights (heavy metal washers or nuts)
• Ruler

Standards Alignment

This resource aligns with:
NGSS MS-ETS1-2
Students evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

Perfect For:

• STEM Labs
• Science Centers
• Engineering Challenges
• Strength & Structures Units
• NGSS-Aligned Science Lessons
• Grades 5-8 Classrooms
• Homeschool STEM