Living on Long Island requires residents to cross bridges while traveling to upstate or to neighboring states. Since studying a unit about forces, Winthrop third grade students in Deana Genovesi’s virtual class have learned about the balanced and unbalanced forces that determine the efficacy of bridge design and the potential problems engineers face in their planning to build these structures.

The students first watched short video clips about balanced and unbalanced forces and read about the planning that accompanies bridge design. In their investigation of the various types of bridges, they learned how the structures are supported by balancing out forces. Using piles of books, two pieces of paper and pennies, the students were then instructed to design their personal balanced bridges. They sketched their plans and made notes about successful and unsuccessful design elements, adjusting their plans to balance the forces that accompany a safe bridge.