Cordel, Betty, Courtney, Barry.
Hardhitting in a Geo-World
. AIMS Education Foundation, California (1996). This is a part of the AIMS (Activities Integrating Math and Science) series. In addition to teaching measurement and introducing geometry, metric system and patterns, the book contains a unit on building straw bridges. The unit includes excellent worksheets, and hands-on activities which promotes problems solving skills.
Isidro-Cloudas and Cassis, Glenn.
Instructors Guide to Connecticut Pre-Engineering Program Bridge Project
. A great resource for bridge design based on the engineering process and principles. Includes excellent math algebraic problems as they relate to civil engineers.
Leonhardt, Fritz.
Bridges: Aesthetic and Design
. MIT Press, Massachusetts (1984). Excellent source for background information concerning all aspects of bridge building. It discusses the importance of aesthetics, the different types of bridges that exist in the world today, how bridges stand up, etc…
Outerbridge, David.
Bridges
. Henry N. Abrams, Inc., (1989). This book includes excellent illustrations (close up shots) of the three types of bridges discussed in this paper. It is a great source for giving students ideas about the bridges they will create in this unit.
Pollard, Jeanne.
Building Toothpick Bridges
. Dale Seymour Publication, United States of America (1985). An excellent guide for teachers wishing to sponsor a toothpick bridge contest. The unit includes excellent worksheets, and hands-on activities which promotes problems solving skills.
Salvadori, Mario.
Why Buildings Stand Up: The Strength of Architecture
. W.W. Norton and Company, New York (1980). Contains two chapters on bridges which explains how the arch, truss and suspension bridges carry their load. It also gives several hands-on examples to further explain the concepts being presented in the book. The other chapter gives the history of the Brooklyn Bridge. (pages 145-178)
