Planning
Guide
Creating Learner-Focused
Schools
* Madison-Oneida BOCES- This document may not be
reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of the District
Superintendent or his designee.
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LU Title: Who Built That NYS Thruway Bridge Anyway?
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Author(s): Deborah J. Waner |
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Grade Level: 9th & 10th |
School Address: 28 Grove Street, Mohawk, New York 13407
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Subject Area: Math Course II |
School Phone/Fax: (315)866-2620 |
CONTENT
KNOWLEDGE
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Declarative |
Procedural |
- Definitions of Geometric Shapes
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- Terms: Symmetry, Parabolas, Locus
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- Identify Geometric Figures
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- Understand Scale Drawings
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- Understand Stability Tests & Limitations
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- Connect Geometry to Engineering Design Bridge Using Interactive
Physics Program
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ESSENTIAL
QUESTIONS
- How do Engineers determine the best designs for bridge
construction?
- How do bridge constructions relate Engineering to Geometry?
- What are the implications and consequences of bridge design on your
community/world?
- What lessons have been learned to improve bridge constructions?
INITIATING ACTIVITY
Video - The collapse of the NYS Thruway bridge in Fonda. - The collapse
of the expressway overpass in California during the Earthquake
Demonstration Photos - basic bridge designs
Connection to State
Learning Standards
Content Area: Math Course II - Geometry
Level: 9th & 10th
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Benchmarks: The student will
write a research paper on the Geometry of bridge construction.
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Benchmarks: The students will
design a sale model bridge. |
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Standard: ELA #1 Language for
Information and Understanding.
MST #6 Interconnectedness: Common Themes.
MST #4 Science - The students will listen, speak, read and write
for information and understanding. They will collect data, facts, and ideas to
discover relationships. - Students will understand the relationships, common
themes that connect math, science, and technology and apply these themes to
other areas of learning. - Students will understand and apply scientific
concepts associated with living environment and recognize the historical
development of ideas in science. |
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Standard: MST #1 Analysis,
Inquiry & Design.
MST #5 Technology - Students will use mathematical analysis and
scientific inquiry and engineering design to pose questions, seek answers and
develop solutions. - Students will apply technological knowledge and skills to
design, construct, use and evaluate products and systems to satisfy human and
environmental needs. |
Unit Theme:
Who Built That NYS
Thruway Bridge Anyway?
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Standard: MST #2 Information
Systems
MST #3 Mathematics - Students will access, generate, process and
transfer information using appropriate technologies. - Students will understand
mathematics and demonstrate by application to real-world settings by solving
problems through this integrated system. |
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Standard: ELA #4 Language for
Social Interaction. -
Students will listen, speak, write and read for social
interaction. - Social communication from others will enrich students
understanding of their presentation. |
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Benchmarks: The students will
design a simulated model bridge using the Interactive Physics
program. |
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Benchmarks:The students will
make oral presentations of their discoveries throughout their unit.
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Learning
Experiences
Declarative
Knowledge
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What declarative knowledge should e in the process of acquiring
& integrating? As a result of the unit, the student will know or
understand… |
What experiences or activities will be used to help students
acquire & integrate this knowledge? |
What strategies will be used to help students construct
meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge? |
Describe what will be done. |
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Concept: Define Geometric Shapes
Concept: Vocabulary Terms
Concept: Scale Drawings
Concept: Formulas - area - parabolas |
-diagrams of bridge designs to extrapolate various geometric
shapes
previously displayed diagrams
examples of scale drawings
real life examples - land - plots |
notetaking
notetaking and relating to previously learned knowledge
modeling
drill and practice |
Given several diagrams of bridges, students will determine the
various geometric shaped and their characteristics.
Students will match and link the vocabulary terms to the visual
models.
Students will determine the difference in the scale models to the
real life diagrams.
The students will understand the various shapes and be able to
reproduce various formulas upon demand. |
Learning
Experiences
Procedural
Knowledge
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What procedural knowledge will students be in the process of
acquiring & integrating? As a result of this unit, students will be able
to: |
What will be done to help students construct models, shape
& internalize the knowledge? |
Describe what will be done. |
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Concept: Research Bridge Design
Concept: Select Your Bridge Design & Determine Materials
Needed
Concept: Develop Scale Model Bridge & Test Stability
Concept: Interactive Physics Program Computer Designed Bridge
& Stability Test
Concept: Develop Presentation Listing Your Design Benefits.
Concept: Link Geometry To Engineering |
Surfing the Internet
Hands on shared decision making
Modeling - hands on
Computer design - hands on - modeling
Personalization of design
Oral Presentation |
The students will be finding examples of various bridge designs.
The students will describe how designs relate to geometry.
The students will work in singles or pairs to determine what is
needed to develop their bridge style of choice.
The students will construct a bridge of their choice and put it
through a predefined stress test.
The students will design a computer model bridge, test it for
stability and if time allows, redesign it with better features.
The students will describe how geometry plays an important role in
Engineering and Design. Students will describe their bridge designs, results of
stress tests.
Students will use what they have learned in their designs to link
the project to real life. |
Learning
Experiences
Extending and
Refining
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What knowledge will students be extending and refining?
Specifically, they will be extending and refining their understanding
of… |
What reasoning process will they be using? |
Describe what will be done. |
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Geometries Importance to Life
Geometric Construction Techniques
Oral Presentation |
- Comparing
- Classifying
- Inductive Reasoning
- Deductive Reasoning
- Error Analysis
- Analyzing Perspectives
 Constructing Support
Inductive Reasoning Analyzing Perspectives Abstracting
Other: Public Speaking Skills |
Based on what you have learned in your bridge design, why do
we need to know about Geometry?
Students will redesign and rerun their computer simulations using
Interactive Physics Program.
Students will orally present findings and results of various
stress tests to their fellow students and the teacher. |
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Step 1 |
Step 2
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Step 3
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What knowledge will students be using
meaningfully? Specifically, they will be demonstrating their understanding
of and ability to........... |
What reasoning process will they be using? |
Describe student's products and performances and the criteria
for evaluation. |
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[ ] Decision Making
(selecting from seemingly equal
alternatives or examining the decisions of others)
[ ] Problem
Solving
(seeking to achieve a goal by overcoming constraints or
limiting conditions)
[ ] Invention
(creating something to meet
a need or improve on a situation)
[ ] Experimental Inquiry
(generating an explanation for a phenomenon and testing the explanation)
[ ] Investigation
(resolving confusions or contradictions related
to a historical event, a hypothetical past or future event, or to the defining
characteristics of something)
[ ] Systems Analysis
(analyzing
the parts of a system and how they interact)
[ ] Other: |
Products/Performances |
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Criteria for evaluation |
Rubric:
Key Questions:
What are the key elements, traits, or dimensions that will be
evaluated?
Are the identified elements of equal importance or will they be weighed
differently?
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Element #1 |
Element #2 |
Element #3 |
Element #4 |
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Elements
Scale |
Research Paper |
Model Bridge |
Interactive Physics Bridge |
Oral Presentation |
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Weights |
25% |
25% |
25% |
25% |
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4 |
-3 or more bridge designs -links to geom. -logical organ.
-bibliography |
-well-designed -within specs. -on time |
-well designed -on time -tested via simulations -redesigns &
test |
-thorough desc. -effective lang. -address audien. -eye contact
-logical organ. |
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3 |
-2 bridge designs -some links to geom. -reasonable org.
-bibliography |
-good design -slight variation from specs. -on time |
-good design -1-2 per. late -withstood some stress -fair
redesign |
-reasonable desc. -some geom connections -some eye cont.
-reasonable org. |
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2 |
-1 bridge design -weak links to geom. -weak lang. use
-bibliography |
-sloppy design -variations from specs. -late completion |
->2 per. late -fair design -limited test -no redesign |
-weak desc. -weak geom connections -little eye cont. -weak
org. |
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1 |
-no research done -poor lang. use -no bibliography |
-poor design -total variation from specs. -not completed |
-incomplete or no design |
-poor desc. -no geom. connections -poor presentation (i.e. eye
cont. etc.) |
NOTE: Rubric or other
performance assessment instruments may be used.
Constructing a Holistic
Scoring Tool
(Rubric or Activity Specific Key)
Key Questions:
* How many score points are needed to discriminate among the full range
of different degrees of understanding, proficiency, or quality?
This response, product, or performance provides evidence of
understanding of concept/principle/generalization or
proficiency in skill/process/strategy.
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Score Point 4 |
Score Point 3 |
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Score Point 2 |
Score Point 1 |
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Have You Considered These
Yet?
Learn to Learn Skills:
Each student should have constant access to a computer which would
give individual hands-on-processing.
Engineers to speak to students on bridge design and construction.
Assessment Modifications:
Use one segment as a learning experience.
Eliminate 1 or more segments to reduce the amount of time required to
complete the unit.
Produce either the physical model or the Interactive Physics simulation
to reduce time requirements.
Unit Schedule/Time Plan:
Planning: 1-2 weeks
Instruction: (Including introduction to Interactive Physics Program)
10-12 lab periods (1 period in a 6 day cycle)
Assessment: 1 week
Written Overview:
This project is designed to incorporate technology, mathematics,
inquiry and design (Interactive Physics Program) into the curriculum. I would
teach this unit as a part of my Course II lab class which meets one day in a
six day cycle. The unit expands on the knowledge learned in Junior High
Mathematics and also Course I.
The students would leave this unit with a thorough understanding of the
Geometry of bridge design and construction while expanding their technological
base of knowledge through the Interactive Physics program.
Results of Peer Review Process: Reviewers felt that in addition to the
unit, consideration might be given to using vector forces and the Pythagorean
Theorem as another teaching vehicle. Another suggestion was to link this unit
to a school-to-work program. A suggested field trip was the possibility of
photographing various regional bridges with further analysis upon return to
school. Some of the suggestions are great ideas but I feel that my unit may be
a bit too large already. Once I have taught the unit a few times it may be
easier to add or delete portions as they fit the overall scheme.
Interactive Physics Program Knowledge Revolution Copyright Date:
1994
66 Bovet Rd., Suite 200, San Mateo, CA 94402
Phone (415)574-7777
Fax (415)574-7541
Also Available: Learning Experience -Bridge Design
Written By: Deborah J. Waner