outside to build something worthy of the Golden Gate. First the students worked with ropes to understand the concepts, but Jordan had something even more fun up his sleeve. He had created half of a suspension bridge off the back of his pickup truck. The students really understood the need for anchorage when the “bridge” swung around, but held their weight firmly. Another favorite moment of mine
was when Jordan asked the group if they thought they could build an arch bridge alone. Setting the keystone in place is especially hard with only one set of hands. I loved watching the par- ticipants contort their arms and bodies to try to hold blocks in place while adding new blocks. A few students were even successful, and it was a good challenge for all. One word of caution that I might
give is that a workshop like this takes quite a bit of prep time. Appropriate wood and hardware need to be gath- ered and prepared. Bridges need to be tested and arch bridge blocks cut. But once the work is done the workshop could be replicated each year in a classroom setting. Students also need to be taught the importance of safety and spotting when the other children are crossing the bridges. Though they can’t fall far, it is important to stop the excitement for a moment and get them to focus on safety.
Bridges to the School Community
I feel like this workshop engaged such a wide range of learners, from the energetic participant who needed to run a lap in between incredibly insightful answers, to the girl who wanted to keep build- ing arch bridges, to the boy who needed to contemplate the physics of bridge-building silently. There is something about the “life-size” bridges, something about designing and building a structure that you actually trust your own weight to, that made this day inspiring and successful. If only our schoolyards could be full of such ele- ments. I would love to see more “loose parts,” more building blocks to help students understand the physics of structures in a more per- sonal and hands-on way (see
www.freedomtoplay.org/id4.html for more info on loose parts). One of the happy results of this workshop was that the principal
of The Neighborhood Schoolhouse in Brattleboro, Vermont, phoned The Nature Museum to discuss hosting a similar workshop at their site as a way to help them with a movement within their school com- munity to foster science education through their schoolyard. !
Students spot each other while crossing the cantilever bridge. Note that the end is anchored deeply into the ground with rope, bolts, and a pin.
PAGE 2 • Connect ©SYNERGY LEARNING • 800-769-6199 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011
Jordan Fletcher, instructor of the Building Bridges workshop, tests out the strength of a suspension bridge that he rigged up behind his truck.
Betsy Bennett Stacey
Betsy Bennett Stacey
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