Duration: 45 minutes
SPIRIT Skills:
- Creativity
- Resilience
- Flexibility
- Problem-solving
Brief Description
Teams build their first indoor bridge prototype using simple materials, focusing on structure rather than fixings. Students test ideas in practice, observe where designs fail, and adjust their approach. The teacher supports learning through guiding questions rather than direct solutions. This stage highlights experimentation, creativity, and learning through trial and error.
How does this develop particular SPIRIT skills?
- Develops resilience by allowing students to experience failure and learn from it.
- Strengthens creativity through hands-on experimentation with structure and form.
- Encourages problem-solving as students adapt plans when ideas do not work as expected.
- Supports collaboration and responsibility through role-based teamwork.
- Reinforces openness to change and flexibility in thinking.
What do we want to achieve regarding SPIRIT skill development (student understanding and/or behaviour)?
- Students translate a drawn plan into a physical structure.
- Students test ideas in practice and observe what works and what does not.
- Students remain engaged even when the structure collapses or fails.
- Students suggest at least one possible improvement based on observation.
- Students cooperate respectfully and follow agreed team roles.
Academic/Curriculum Objective connection
- Technology and Engineering: Building a functional prototype under given constraints. Understanding that engineering solutions require testing and revision.
- Science: Observing stability, balance, and force effects during construction.
- Mathematics: Measuring span, height, or alignment during building.
- Language and Literacy: Using descriptive language to explain problems and ideas within the team.
Materials and tools needed for implementation
- Unsharpened pencils, wooden rods, or dowels (one set per team)
- Planning sheets from Stage 3
- Rulers or measuring tape
- Flat working surface (table or floor space)
- Optional: camera or tablet for documenting attempts
- Board or flipchart for recording common challenges or discoveries
Preparation notes
- Ensure all teams have equal quantities of materials.
- Prepare a standard testing gap (e.g. two chairs or marked floor space).
- Review safety rules for handling long objects.
- Decide in advance that no fixings (glue, tape, rubber bands) are allowed during this first build.
- Plan to circulate and observe rather than intervene directly.
Guided Questions
Observation and Reflection:
- What is happening as you place this piece?
- Where does the structure start to wobble or collapse?
Problem-Solving:
- What could you change without starting over?
- How might adjusting the angle or position help?
Connection to Planning:
- How does this compare to your original plan?
- What part of the plan worked better than expected?
Stage Debriefing Questions (Optional)
- What was the biggest challenge during building?
- Did anything surprise you when you started constructing the bridge?
- What would you like to change in the next version?
- What did you learn from something that did not work?
Tips and Tricks for dealing with stage challenges
- Remind students that collapse is part of the learning process, not a mistake.
- Encourage small adjustments instead of complete rebuilds when possible.
- If frustration rises, pause the group briefly and refocus on observation.
- Avoid giving direct solutions, guide students with questions instead.
- Highlight examples of persistence and teamwork during the activity.
- Give a clear time warning (e.g. “10 minutes left”) to support pacing.