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RUNNING HEADER: Building Pasta Bridges

Interdisciplinary Lesson Plan: Building Pasta Bridges

Preface to Lesson

This will be a three-day lesson within a 9th-12th grade geometry classroom. I have only

observed periods 1-3 and the demographics of the classroom is very unbalanced, although the

classes are a mix of girls and boys, there is a large number of white students while there is only

about three Spanish students, three black students, and one Asian student in each. There are

also a low number of students with special needs, in the first period there is only one ESE

student, and in the second and third period there are two ESE students and one ELL student. I

chose this lesson because it is a group project, which will help make all the students connect

and feel included, and it is a hand on and fun activity. This lesson also shows the connection

between geometry and science and how they fit together in the real world.

Lesson Plan:

Florida Standards:

 MAFS. 912.G-MG.1.3 - Apply geometric methods to solve design problems

 MAFS. 912.G-CO.4.12 - Make formal geometric constructions with a variety of tools and

methods (compass and straightedge, string, reflective devices, paper folding, dynamic

geometric software, etc.). Copying a segment; copying an angle; bisecting a segment;

bisecting an angle; constructing perpendicular lines, including the perpendicular bisector

of a line segment; and constructing a line parallel to a given line through a point, not on

the line.

 SC.912.CS-CS.1.2 - Formulate, refine, and test scientific hypotheses using models and

simulations.
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Building Pasta Bridges

 SC.912. N.3.5 - Describe the function of models in science and identify the wide range of

models used in science.

Lesson Overview:

This lesson takes place over three days. The goal of this lesson is for students to work

together to create a strong bridge made from different forms of pasta. The groups however will

not be making their bridge for three days, on the first day each group will research one of seven

types of brides (Beam Bridge, Truss Bridge, Cantilever Bridge, Arch Bridge, Tied Arch Bridge,

Suspension Bridge, Cable-stayed Bridge) they will receive a research worksheet and a computer

to complete their assignment, they will also create a two-dimensional bridge, using geometry to

create the correct angles. On day two they will use their two-dimensional bridge design from

the day before to create a three-dimensional bridge out of pasta. While making their bridge

they will complete the construction worksheet to document the material they “buy” and what

they did to create their bridge. By the end of day two, each group should have completed a

research worksheet, a construction worksheet, a 2-dimensional bridge, and a 3-dimensional

bridge. On day three each group will present their bridge, the presentation will include their

research, construction, and a hypothesis about how much weight each bridge can hold. The

presentations are going to be a formative grade for each group, the grade will include their

worksheets and overall presentation. After all the presentations have gone, there will be a

Kahoot quiz about all presentations, the Kahoot is going to be questions that the groups came

up with on the first day with the research worksheet, at the end of the first day when each

group has given me their worksheet I will create the Kahoot by using their questions and

answers.
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Building Pasta Bridges

For English Language learning, this will be a great project to do. First, students can pick

their group, and an ELL in the classroom already knows who they can communicate with easily,

so they can be in a group together and an ELL will feel much more comfortable. This assignment

also allows an ELL to use their social vocabulary instead of academics and that will be much

easier on the ELL student while keeping them learning. This assignment also allows students to

do their research, and if an ELL student is researching the computer they will easily be able to

find the same information in their native language, although they may have to present in

English, they don't have to research in English. Finally, this assignment allows ELL to be in front

of a classroom and practice speaking to a group of people while no judgment is being made.

For students will special needs, having this assignment be a group project will also help them

thrive. First, if a student is not able to handwrite answers for the worksheets, that's no worries,

one because someone else in the group can do it, and two because I can give the student a

digital copy of the worksheet and that student can answer all the questions on their computer.

A student with special needs can include so many types of students, but overall, I believe group

work will help all the students feel comfortable in their learning environment and truly thrive.

Day One –

Materials needed:

 Printed research questions

 Class computers (At least fourteen, two per group)

 Stack of blank paper

 Colored pencils or markers

 Rulers and protractors

Objectives: Students will work together to answer questions about their bridge and find out

what type of geometry is used to make their bridge. Students will also be able to use rulers and

protractors to create a two-dimensional bridge on paper.

Bell ringer: While entering the classroom students will sit down and start the bell ringer,

which will jump-start their creativity. The bell ringer will be "How many bridge designs can you

think of?" "Why is geometry important in building bridges?" After students have fine minutes to

answer the bell ringer, as a class we will discuss it, it should take no more than ten minutes.

Group Work: Students will get into groups of three to four people. Each group will pick a

piece of paper out of a bowl, and this will determine what bridge design they will be

researching and creating. Each group will receive a research worksheet that will have specific

questions they must answer as a group. This worksheet will be filled in and handed back to me

at the end of class. The group will also create a two-dimensional bridge using their new

knowledge on the geometry of the bridge, there will be colored pencils, markers, rulers, and

protractors for the groups to use. The two-dimensional design will also be given to me after

class. The groups will be using the class computers to research their bridge. As a group, they will

answer the research questions and come up with two questions about their bridge and answer

those questions (after class I will put the questions from each group into a Kahoot). As a group

they will design a two-dimensional bridge on paper, using the protractor and ruler to get the

exact geometry down. By the end of the class period, they should understand how building a

bridge connects with geometry. At the end of the first day each group should have finished

their research paper and a two-dimensional bridge, each group will give me their work for the

day so it will not get lost.

Day Two –

Materials needed:

 Different forms of pasta

 Plastic gloves

 Superglue

 Elmer’s glue

 Duct tape

 Scotch tape

 Monopoly money

 Completed research questions and 2-D design

 Printed construction questions

Objectives: Students will be able to design a three-dimensional model using a two-

dimensional design, and they will be able to create a hypothesis about how much weight their

bridge can hold. Students will be able to think critically about what materials are needed and

how much money they can spend.

Bellringer: Students will get into their groups, receive their work from the day before,

and go over what they learned. They will receive five minutes to re-cap what they did on day

one.

Group Work: Today each group will be creating their bridge with pasta, some groups

may have an easy bridge, and others will be a challenge, but each group will have an amazing

experience. Each group will be given a $200 budget for building their bridge. Throughout the

class period each group must think of a hypothesis about the design of their bridge, tomorrow
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Building Pasta Bridges

we will test the hypothesis. The hypothesis must be an "if…then" statement about how much

weight your bridge can hold, for example, "If we use superglue, then our bridge will hold ten

pounds." Today also groups will be given a sheet that needs to be filled out and included in

their presentation, it will be on the construction process, what went right, what when wrong,

and how much money was spent.

Each group will be given a total of $200 budget for their bridge (we will use monopoly

money) I will be the "selling" the materials. I will have many different options for materials,

Fettuccine ($1 for 2), Spaghetti ($1 for 10), Penne ($1 for 5), Rigatoni ($1 for 5), Lasagna ($2

apiece), Superglue ($100), regular glue ($50), duct tape ($25 for a foot), Scotch tape ($10 for a

foot), and Plastic Gloves ($5 per pair, students must buy gloves if they buy the super glue).

Students are going to have to think critically about what tools will work best for their bridge

and how to budget correctly. The bellringer will be five minutes, the explanation of the day will

be five minutes, so the groups should have forty minutes to build their bridge and answer the

questions for the day.

Day Three –

Materials needed:

 Completed research questions and 2-D design

 Completed Construction questions

 Completed pasta bridge

 Kahoot with at most four-teen questions, ready to go

 Weights to test bridge

Objectives: Students will be able to stand in front of the classroom and present what

they have learned about their bridge, including their research, construction, and hypothesis.

Bell ringer: Groups will get together and receive their work from the past two classes, including

the research, construction process, a two-dimensional design, and their three-dimensional

model. As a group, they will have five minutes to decide who is going to say what in their

presentation.

groups will first be able to volunteer to present their findings but no matter what each

group must present because it is a formative grade. During the presentation, the groups are

expected to present their research, and their construction, as well as test their hypothesis by

placing five to twenty-five pounds on their bridge and see if their hypothesis was correct. All

group members must speak during the presentation.

After all the presentations have gone, I will pull up a Kahoot online. The Kahoot will be a

fun quiz for all the students about the presentations that they just saw. The questions will be

from the research questionnaire, I asked each group to come up with two questions with

answers on the first day, those are the questions and answers I will put into the Kahoot, and I

can then assess the students to see if they were listening to the groups.