Girders play a critical role in our daily lives, supporting many of the structures we encounter. These essential architectural and engineering components often go unnoticed by students. To capture their curiosity and enhance their understanding of the world around them, it’s important for K-12 teachers to teach students about girders. This blog post will guide educators through an engaging lesson that will captivate students of all ages.
Begin with a brief discussion about why girders matter. Explain their role as horizontal support beams that help bear the load of structures such as bridges, buildings, or railroads. This is an opportunity to introduce real-world examples of how various girders are used in structures close to your school or even famous landmarks around the world.
After establishing the purpose and significance of girders, it’s essential to discuss different types. There are three primary types: I-beam, box girder, and truss girder. Provide visuals and examples for each type to help students better understand their distinct characteristics.
To facilitate an engaging hands-on experience, split the class into groups and have them construct models representing different types of girders using any available materials (such as popsicle sticks, straws, or pipe cleaners). Allow creativity and collaboration among group members to build unique designs.
Once each group has completed their models, encourage class discussion about which type would be best suited for different applications. For example, a long-span bridge might require an I-beam girder for its strength and efficiency, whereas a lightweight construction project could utilize truss girders for their cost-effective benefits.
After the interactive activities and discussions, uniting mathematics with real-world applications is a must. Students can become more engaged by using simple calculations to address common questions about how girders function, such as determining load capacity or deflection. Teachers can easily adjust these problems based on their students’ math skills.
To close the lesson, consider inviting a local engineer or architect to talk about their experiences working with girders directly. They could provide first-hand insights and detailed information in a way that textbook explanations might lack. For a more extended learning project, students can also investigate girders’ roles in disaster recovery situations such as earthquakes or hurricanes.
Teaching students about girders is an exciting and immersive way to bring engineering concepts into the classroom. By incorporating creative activities alongside real-world connections, teachers can inspire students to think critically about the structures they encounter daily and open pathways for future career exploration in architecture and engineering.
