Bibliography/ Resources
Teacher List
Brown, David J. Bridges: Three Thousand Years of Defying Nature. Toronto: Firefly Books, 2005.
This book discusses the structure and form of bridges over time. A history of the development of bridges is given and helps the reader understand their existence.
Cortright, Robert S. Bridging: Discovering the Beauty of Bridges. Orergon: Bridge Ink, 1998.
The book provides the visual application of bridges. Different types of bridges throughout the world are photographed.
Gottemoeller, Frederick. Bridgescape: The Art of Designing Bridges, Second Edition. New York, NY: Wiley, 2004.
This book is on book on bridge designing that relates the designs to the environmental context. An engineer's perspective is given on bridge making.
Graf, Bernhard. Bridges That Changed the World. Fort Worth: Prestel Publishing, 2005.
Discussions on bridge types are written to illustrate how they affect the environment and community. The community and neighbourhoods are discussed based on the pros and cons of bridges related to these variables.
Irvin, Barbara Bando. Geometry and fractions with tangrams: Grades 3-6. Vernon hills: Learning Resources, Inc, 1995.
How does one relate geometry and math in depth to the tangram puzzle? This book offers activities and suggestions.
Kappraff, Jay. Connections: The Geometric Bridge between Art and Science. Sassari: World Scientific Publishing Company, 2002.
This book was chosen as a reference book on introduction to shapes in its environment. The aesthetic look at how shapes in the arts and sciences are related.
Kidney, Walter C. Pittsburgh's Bridges: Architecture and Engineering. Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh History &, 1999.
This book is about the history of Pittsburgh bridges and how they helped the communities where they are located. The different types of bridge design are noted.
Mainstone, Rowland. Developments in Structural Form. London: Architectural Press, 2001.
This book describes different structure forms and how they work. He looks at how the material affects the structure.
Regan, Bob. Bridges of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh: Local History Co., 2006.
This is a photo essay and account of the bridges in this city. It talks of a small amount of history related to the bridges of this region.
Tzonis, Alexander. Santiago Calatrava: Complete Works, Expanded Edition. New York: Rizzoli, 2007.
This book discusses the Santiago's work and how he derived concepts for creating structures. The pictures are colourful and detailed.
Tzonis, Alexander. Santiago Calatrava: The Poetics of Movement (Universe Architecture Series). New York: Universe Publishing, 1999.
This book is an interconnected book of his works related to art, movement and engineering. This book also has wonderful pictures of his work.
Whitney, Charles S. Bridges of the World: Their Design and Construction. New York: Dover Publications, 2003.
This is an interesting book in the fact that the way it illustrates how building materials have related to the evolution of building structures.
Classroom List
Burns, Margaret The Greedy Triangle. Pheonix. Scholastic Publishing 1995.
Since this book has a great adventure for you. The triangle takes the foreground with wanting to be more important than the other shapes in the story.
Foster, Dr. T. E. The Tangram ABC Book. New York: BookSurge Publishing, 2006.
This book uses the puzzle to teach the letters of the alphabet.
Foster, Dr. T. E. Then and Now On Old MacDonald's Farm: A Tangram Number Book. New York: BookSurge Publishing, 2006.
A very clever way of telling the story of Old Mac Donald had a farm. This book is a very artistic and mathematically integrated book.
Hartswick, F. Gregory. The adventures of the beautiful princess in Triangle land, (His First tangram book). New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1925.
The play on the shape of a triangle and how all of the shapes to the puzzle come about.
Johmann, Carol A., and Elizabeth Rieth. Bridges: Amazing Structures to Design, Build & Test (Kaleidoscope Kids). Charlotte: Williamson Publishing Company, 2005.
This is a book for students to learn about the scientific aspects of bridge building.
Johnston, Susan. Tangrams ABC Kit. New York: Dover Publications, 1979.
This is another way of teaching initial letter identification using this puzzle. The math impact is always there because of the tangram puzzle and its shapes.
Mackall, Dandi Daley. The Shape of Things (Imagination Series) (Imagination Series). Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Publishers, 2003.
A look at the different shapes , a visual perception play on shapes and different settings.
Mechanics, Popular. Popular Mechanics for Kids: How do they Build Bridges? New York: Anchor Bay Entertainment, 1996.
This book shows kids how to build bridges on an elementary level. The use of inexpensive material is used.
Paterson, Katherine. Bridge to Terabithia. New York: HarperTrophy, 2005.
This is a chapter book and is a fantasy with different playful characters. The story is about boy and a girl escaping their daily life styles.
Shiotsu, Vicky. Grandfather Tang's story (Multicultural series). Palos Verdes Estates: Frank Schaffer Publications, 1993.
A story that reflects the culture of the Chinese people and discusses the tangram in relation to telling the story.
Stevens, Janet. The Three Billy Goats Gruff. New York: Harcourt Big Books, 1995.
A classic folktale that captures repetitive phrasing and emphasizes the importance of the bridge to the troll.
Website List
Tan, Amy. Tangram- Based on Book The Chinese Siamese cat (1994)
-http://ppskids.org/sagwa/games/tangrams/index.html
This website will get you to the tangram interactive game. The game is part of this units tangram and technology feature. The game provides different levels of readiness. There are different objects that the tangram puzzle goes into. (Accessed April15, 2008).
Matsuo Bridge Company Ltd. Types of Bridges. (1999). www.matsuo-bridge.co.iplenglish/bridges/basics/truss.shtm
This site gives a definition for a truss design and also has the structure. A small writing about the truss bridge but kept very simple and a to the point example. (Accessed June10, 2008)
Classroom Material
25-Geoboards
2 sets of K-nex
1 set legos
5 packs multi-color construction paper
3- Classroom table top computers
25- scissors
25 water paint
25 boxes crayons
25 pencils
60 sheets of blueprint paper
1 overhead projector
3 tangram wooden puzzles (large)
15 pictures of bridges (truss (beam) suspension and cable also Pittsburgh bridges)
25 sets solid shapes
25 sets flat shapes
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