THE BRIDGE OF FLOWERS

STEM Resources for Teachers: All about Bridges
By Danielle Kaden and Travis Van Brewer
 

Why study bridges?
The answer to this is that bridges should be studied because they are important infrastructure that can connect two different communities and help shape future development. Bridges are built over natural obstacles such as deep openings in the Earth, or large bodies of water. They allow for people, cars, and trains to cross from one side of the obstacle to another.
 

What can bridges teach us?
Bridges are well-rounded infrastructure that can teach us about physics, marine life, engineering, transportation, and architecture.

Brief Bridge of Flowers History

• Location: Shelburne Falls, MA

• Type: Arch

  • Link: Arch-Bridge Facts for Kids (kiddle.co)

• Historical use: The Bridge of Flowers was initially built as a trolley bridge on the Shelburne Falls & Colrain Streetcar Railway. The bridge connected the two towns of Shelburne Falls and Buckland over the Deerfield River. But, in 1929, when the railway was closed the bridge remained and was then converted into the Bridge of Flowers by the Shelburne Falls Area Women’s Club. Since 1929, volunteers have been planting and maintaining the flower beds on the beautiful Bridge of Flowers.

• Current use: Pedestrian bridge, tourist attraction

• Materials: Concrete

• Span Length: 400 ft.

• Width: 18 ft.

• Opening Date: 1908

• Recent reconstruction: 1979

• Pictures:

  • Link: Bridge of Flowers Gallery of Seasons

  • Link: Bridge of Flowers History

  • Link: 3D Digital Bridge of Flowers

Teacher/Parent Information
The following links provide different activities and methods of bridge education for elementary and middle school students. This section includes activities, labs, worksheets, word searches, and bridge toys available for purchase.

• Relevant websites for teachers

  • Link: PBS Bridge Basics - types of bridges and forces they experience

  • Link: Types of bridges: The 7 Main Types

  • Link: Britannica Information about bridge supports

  • Link: Britannica - Bridges for Kids

  • Link: Bridge Facts for Kids

• Bridge Worksheets

  • Link: STEM bridge-building vocabulary quiz

  • Link: Bridge-basics information and quiz (PDF file)

  • Link: Types of bridges quiz

• Bridge vocabulary word search

  • Link: About Bridges – Importance and Types Word Search (PDF file)

  • Link: Parts of a Bridge Word Search

• Bridge coloring pages

  • Link: Sydney Harbour Bridge Coloring Page

  • Link: Train arch bridge coloring

  • Link: Miscellaneous Bridges Coloring Pages

• Bridge Building Labs

  • Link: Popsicle Stick Truss Bridge, 9 Steps (with pictures)

  • Link: Gumdrop Bridge STEM Challenge

  • Link: Simple Suspension Bridge Model, 8 Steps

  • Link: Preschool bridge construction and testing with paper, wood blocks, and marbles

  • Link: Do a LEGO Bridge Building Challenge!

  • Suggestion: Create a bridge with wood blocks and then have students draw the bridge

• Bridge toys

  • Link: Bridge classroom set for middle schoolers

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Student Information
This section has fun and interactive information and links! We have included fun facts about bridges, bridge graphics, cool and educational videos about bridges, and games. 

• Fun facts about bridges

  • Examples:

    • Largest arch bridge is in China and is 5,712 ft long

    • The oldest bridge in the world is an arch bridge that was built in 605 AD (over 1400 years ago!)

    • Where is the Oldest Bridge in the World?

    • When the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City first opened, 21 elephants crossed it to demonstrate the bridge’s strength.

    • The Brooklyn Bridge is now one of the busiest bridges in the world, with over 145,000 cars passing over it everyday.

  • Links:

    • Bridges Facts (softschools.com)

    • Interesting Bridge Facts - Suspension Bridges, Arch Bridges, Fun Trivia for Kids (sciencekids.co.nz)

    • Bridge Facts for Kids (kiddle.co)

    • Bridge Graphics and Posters

    • The Architecture and Building of Bridges (Alan's Factory Outlet)

  • Videos:

    • Cool: Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse "Gallopin' Gertie"

    • Educational: What Makes Bridges So Strong?

    • Activity on PBS: Triangles - Designing a Straw Bridge

  • Games

    • Play Construct-a-Bridge

  • Mobile Apps (examples):

    • SimplePhysics

    • Build a Bridge! on the Apple App Store

    • Bridge Constructor