Structure: Bridges
Exploring how bridge designs and materials affect strength and stability through building a wooden truss bridge.
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Structure: Bridges
Unit outcomes
Pupils who are secure will be able to:
- Identify stronger and weaker supporting shapes.
- Recognise that supporting shapes can help increase the strength of a bridge so it can hold more weight.
- Identify beam, arch and truss bridges and describe their differences.
- Use triangles to create simple truss bridges that support a load (weight).
- Cut beams to the correct size using a cutting mat.
- Smooth down rough cut edges with sandpaper.
- Follow each stage of the truss bridge creation as instructed by the teacher.
- Complete a bridge with varying ranges of accuracy and finish supported by the teacher.
- Identify some areas for improvement and reinforcing bridges as necessary.
Suggested prior learning
*New* Structures: Helmets
Get startedLesson plans
Lesson 1: Arch and beam bridges
- To explore how to reinforce a beam (structure) to improve its strength.
Lesson 2: Spaghetti truss bridges
- To build a spaghetti truss bridge.
Lesson 3: Building bridges
- To build a wooden truss bridge.
Lesson 4: Finalising bridges
- To complete, reinforce and evaluate my truss bridge.
Key skills
Key knowledge
Related content
Unit resources
Knowledge organiser – DT Y5: Structures: Bridges
Aimed at pupils, a single page giving key facts and definitions from the unit 'Structures: Bridges.'
Vocabulary display – D&T Y5: Structures: Bridges
A display version of the vocabulary from the unit 'Structure: Bridges'.
Cross-curricular opportunities
Maths: Geometry
Geography: Human and physical geography
Build on the learning
Structures: Playgrounds
Pupils build on their understanding of bridges in KS2 to design playground apparatus that applies structural principles and meets design criteria.