Inquiry Unit: Bridge Design

At our school we have been working on delivering inquiry-based STEM units that are relevant to our students and involve them in designing solutions to real world problems. Our school community is built on flood plains and students have first-hand experience of the impact of floods.  With this context in mind, we implemented a STEM unit that culminated with students working in collaborative teams on an engineering design challenge: Can we create a bridge structure that allows access for public transport whilst withstanding flood conditions?


Our unit began with inquiry-based learning on the environmental impact of erosion, flooding and extreme weather in the local community as well as other parts of Australia and the world. We worked in partnership with the City Council and the Emergency Coordinator to deepen student’s understanding of the importance of our local government’s initiatives in the minimization of  flooding risk in our local area.  We examined aerial photographs of flooding and compared them with Google Earth and historical aerial photos of the same area.

Some key inquiry questions included, “How has the impacts of floods on human communities changed over time?’ and “What can we learn from past floods to minimise future damage? Should people be allowed to rebuild homes and other structures in areas prone to flooding?”  Some students chose to present their information as a recorded news report using a green screen, others created digital brochures or google slide presentations.

We then explored why communities need bridges and investigated different bridge structures around the world.  Students researched effective and ineffective bridge designs and the factors that impact on design decisions.  They were then guided through the Engineer Design Process with an emphasis on team work, problem solving and creativity. 

Students needed to budget the cost of materials for their bridge designs and make ‘purchases’ from the ‘STEM shop’.  We created a model river for students to test the strength and stability of their bridge structure in simulated flood conditions.  The testing process was recorded to support students in their learning reflections.

 

Providing students with the chance to enhance their 21st-century skills and solve hands-on real world problems has them excited about the possibilities STEM offers.  We have some students begging to keep working on their projects during lunch breaks, and other students coming up with their own ideas for problems they’d like to tackle next in STEM. Solving actual problems that are relevant to the world around them has helped students to see what it might be like to work in the STEM field and they are more engaged with those topics.

Our school is in the early stages of adopting a STEM approach and we are currently working on developing a whole-school scope and sequence with links to My Education and the General Capabilities in the Australian Curriculum.  A future focus for us involves creating partnerships with local businesses and industry as another avenue for providing authentic and value-adding STEM experiences.