Egg Bungee Drop

Egg Bungee Drop

Zip your egg in a clear pouch and see if it can survive a wild ride. if it can’t, use trial-and-error to make adjustments—and try, try again! HINT: You can substitute a hard-boiled egg to cut down on mess. Speaking of mess, the ziplock bag could burst, so you might want to conduct your experiment over a tarp or outside.
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Magnetic Field Viewer

Magnetic Field Viewer

From Electricity

You can see magnetic fields in action with this easy-to-make viewer.

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Build a Craft Stick Catapult

Build a Craft Stick Catapult

From Engines!

Ancient armies used catapults in battle. But the catapult has been used as recently as World War I. In that war, soldiers used catapults to toss hand grenades at the enemy. Today, catapults are used to launch planes off the decks of huge ships called aircraft carriers. Because the runway is short on an aircraft carrier, the catapult helps get the plane into the air quickly. Try making your own!

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The STEM in Your Closet

The STEM in Your Closet

From The Science of Fashion

Have you ever really thought about what kind of science, engineering, and technology actually go into making your clothes? Now is your chance! The zipper on your jacket was at one time an engineering miracle. The shirt that has built-in protection from the sun’s ultraviolet rays is a scientific innovation that helps to keep you healthy. There is a world of science and engineering in your closet. Just open the door.

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Build the Eiffel Tower

Build the Eiffel Tower

From The Science and Technology of Marie Curie

Built in 1889 for the World Exposition, the Eiffel Tower honored the French Revolution. It also showcased national engineering and design expertise to an audience of global visitors. Originally intended as a temporary monument, it remains one of the world’s most visited landmarks. The structure of the tower itself is actually quite simple! To understand how its rivets and beams join, build a model of your own.

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Reviews

Children's Literature Review
“The building of bridges and tunnels is a fascinating feat for engineers. Teachers and parents will enjoy sharing and learning with this handy tool that will inspire any math or science student.”

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
“A wonderful addition to a physics curriculum, for unit studies, or delight-directed learning. It would also be a fun enrichment book for a co-op or small homeschool group. If you want to explore famous bridges and tunnels, engineering, science, physics, and history, Bridges and Tunnels: Investigate Feats of Engineering is a great resource.”

National Science Teachers Association Recommends
“A treasure trove of information, experiments, and building challenges, and is an excellent, exciting, and easy way to incorporate STEM education into your classroom, science fair, or after school engineering club.”

Erin Slayton, K–12 Outreach Chair, American Society of Civil Engineers
“Bridges and Tunnels provides an interesting overview of the world of Civil Engineering from the perspective of these two fascinating types of structures. Kids will find the activities in the book challenging and engaging, all the while reinforcing the learning objectives. Civil Engineering is an exciting profession, and Bridges and Tunnels presents it to kids in a way that is fun and approachable.”


Project Templates

Reading Bridges and Tunnels now? Download your Beautiful Balancing Butterfly template here.


Detailed Book Description

Bridges and tunnels are lifelines. People have tackled seemingly insurmountable obstacles, including vast canyons and mountain ranges, to design and construct these amazing passageways. Bridges and Tunnels: Investigate Feats of Engineering invites children ages 9 and up to explore the innovation and physical science behind structures our world depends on.

Trivia and fun facts illustrate engineering ingenuity and achievements. Activities and projects encourage children to learn about the engineering process and to embrace trial and error. Children will engage in a hands-on exploration of Newton's Third Law of Motion and of forces that push and pull on structures. They'll make an egg bungee jump and a soda pop can engine. They'll experiment with a triangular toothpick dome, liquefaction, and corrosion. In Bridges and Tunnels: Investigate Feats of Engineering, children will explore their own engineering and building skills as they create several bridge models.

Available In:
Paperback, $15.95
9781936749515
Includes: Table of Contents | Charts | Glossary | Resources | Index
Specs: 8 x 10 size | black and white interior | 128 pages
Subject: Science
Content Focus: Engineering & Technology

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction
Lifelines

Chapter 1
Engineering and Thinking Big

Chapter 2
Building Big: The Physics of Bridges

Chapter 3
Amazing Bridges

Chapter 4
Disaster! When Bridges Collapse

Chapter 5
Building Big: The Physics of Tunnels

Chapter 6
Amazing Tunnels

Chapter 7
Tunnel Disasters

Glossary
Resources
Index