Bridges: Built on a Firm Foundation
Gwendolyn Robinson
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Tell the students that we will be investigating "bridges." Ask the students do they know of any famous bridges. Remind them of the song "London Bridge is falling down," and that thinking about bridges they know about will help them understand this investigation of bridges. Encourage your students to work with a partner. Invite them to walk with you to a local bridge. Before you leave have them make a K-W-L Chart. A K-W-L chart is a way of organizing information. It is usually made up of three (3) wide columns. At the top of the first column is a K that stands for what you KNOW about a subject. The middle column would have a W at the top of it that stands for what you WANT to know about a subject. At the top of the last column would be an L that stands for what you LEARN as a result of your investigations. Have them write everything they know about bridges, then what they want to know about bridges. The purpose for going to this bridge and completing the readings is to help them focus on the information they want to know. Have the students write everything they observe in connection with the construction of this bridge. At the end of the marking period they should be able to fill in the L, what they have learned from this unit.