Duration: 45 minutes
SPIRIT Skills:
- Creativity
- Problem-solving
- Critical thinking
Brief Description:
Through short, hands-on mini-investigations and guided observation, students explore key scientific concepts related to structures: balance, friction, load, and stability. They repeatedly watch and analyse short reference videos of self-supporting bridges, collecting observations and informal data about how elements interact, where forces act, and what contributes to stability. Using simple materials, students test what causes objects to tip, slide, or collapse, and compare their findings with what they observed in the videos. Based on this evidence, they synthesize insights and develop their own design ideas, rather than copying a single solution. This stage develops a shared scientific vocabulary and a research-based conceptual foundation for later bridge design.
How does this develop particular SPIRIT skills?
This stage primarily develops critical thinking, curiosity, and problem-solving, while also strengthening openness and resilience. Through hands-on mini-investigations, students observe cause–effect relationships and begin to reason about why structures behave the way they do. They learn to question first impressions, test ideas, and revise their thinking based on evidence. Working together during investigations also supports respectful collaboration and shared sense-making.
What do we want to achieve regarding SPIRIT skill development (student understanding and/or behaviour)?
- Students recognize that stability depends on balance, contact points, friction, and load distribution.
- Students describe observations using simple scientific language (e.g. stable, unstable, heavier, slips, balanced).
- Students make predictions before testing and reflect on results after testing.
- Students demonstrate patience and persistence when outcomes differ from expectations.
- Students listen to others’ explanations and build on shared observations.
Academic/Curriculum Objective connection
- Science: Understanding basic concepts of forces, balance, friction, and stability through observation and experimentation. Developing early scientific reasoning by predicting, testing, observing, and explaining outcomes.
- Mathematics: Comparing quantities (more/less, heavier/lighter). Recognizing simple patterns related to structure and support.
- Language and Literacy: Using descriptive and explanatory language to communicate observations and ideas.
Materials and tools needed for implementation
- Unsharpened pencils, wooden sticks, or rulers (for balance and structure tests)
- Small weights (erasers, blocks, identical small books, or containers)
- Different surfaces for friction tests (smooth table, paper, fabric, sandpaper)
- Rulers or measuring tape
- Simple investigation cards or visual instructions (optional)
- Board, flipchart, or large paper for collecting observations and key terms
Preparation notes
- Prepare 2–3 simple mini-investigation setups in advance (balance, friction, load).
- Test each activity beforehand to ensure it works within a few minutes.
- Decide whether investigations will be done as whole-class demonstrations or small-group rotations.
- Prepare key vocabulary to introduce or collect during discussion (e.g. balance, stable, slip, weight).
- Ensure materials are safe and easy to handle for all students.
Guided Questions
Prediction and Observation:
- What do you think will happen if we add weight here?
- Which structure do you think will stand longer? Why?
- What do you notice when it starts to fall or slide?
Reasoning and Explanation:
- Why do you think this structure is more stable than the other one?
- How does the surface change what happens?
- Where do you see balance or imbalance?
Connection to Bridge Building:
- How could this idea help us when we build our bridge?
- What should we remember when we want something to stay standing?
Stage Debriefing Questions (Optional)
- What did we discover about what makes a structure stable?
- Which test surprised you the most?
- Did any prediction turn out differently than you expected?
- What idea do you think will be most important for building our bridge?
Tips and Tricks for dealing with stage challenges
- If students rush to conclusions, slow down the process by asking them to describe what they see before explaining why. Use comparisons (this vs. that) to support clearer thinking.
- If attention drops, turn an investigation into a quick challenge (e.g. “Can you make it stand longer?”). Reinforce that this stage is about exploring and understanding, not about being correct.
- Clearly connect discoveries back to the upcoming engineering task to maintain relevance and motivation.