Bridge Challenge

Phase 1- Define the Problem: Your team has been tasked with designing, building, and testing a bridge to meet the specifications of your clients, the Three Billy Goats Gruff, Inc.. They wish for a bridge that will cross a certain creek so that they can graze on the sweet green grass that lies on the other side. The bridge must use only supplied materials from them, hold as much of a load as possible (they plan on eating a lot of grass), be safe (not rickety enough to annoy the troll), and look good. It must be aesthetically pleasing because the troll that lives under the bridge MUST be made happy (or he'll eat the clients).

Specified Client Requirements:

1. Bridge can only be made of supplied wood and glue.

2. Bridge must span a range between 24 and 26 inches.

3. Bridge must be able to hold as much of a load as possible. Load is placed on the top of bridge and in its center.

4. Bridge must be safe for the goats to cross (with two sides or railings).

5. Bridge deck must be at least 5 inches wide (to allow room for the biggest goat to cross).

6. Bridge must be aesthetically pleasing to troll with minimal evidence of glue, symmetrical and balanced design, and engaging to look at.

7. Teams are encouraged to build the best bridge possible by carefully using supplies.

  • 40 Large Popsicle Sticks

  • 40 Small Popsicle Sticks

  • 20 Small Dowels

  • Glue and Glue Guns

  • Bandsaw

Phase 2- Generate Concepts: Students are using several other links from main website page and various assignments to come up with a design.

Bridge Designer website (from video above)

Phase 3- Evaluation of Design: Students can use the supplied (uploaded below) "Bridge Challenge" rubric to understand how they will be evaluated. Students will need to supply two sketches of their design ideas (one hand-drawn, one computer-generated) and a reflection of their team's prototype and its performance.