Bridges: The Art and Science for Creating Community Connections

CONTENTS OF CURRICULUM UNIT 08.04.09

  1. Unit Guide
  1. Introduction
  2. Objectives
  3. Strategies
  4. Bridges
  5. Calatrava's bridges
  6. Activities
  7. Lesson Plan 1: The Examination of the Structure of Leaves and Humans
  8. Lesson Plan 2: Finding and Developing Ideas from Nature as Inspiration for Bridge Designs
  9. Lesson Plan 3: The Building of the Bridge Models
  10. End Notes
  11. Bibliography for Teachers
  12. Reading List for Students
  13. Materials for Classroom Use
  14. Implementing District Standards
  15. Appendix

Bridges: Inspired by Nature

Karen Ruth Sturdy Yarnall

Published September 2008

Tools for this Unit:

Guide Entry to 08.04.09

This unit is designed to spark students' interest in and appreciation of bridges. Through the suggested activities in this unit, students will develop an understanding of the rationale for creating bridges, study bridges in their historical contexts and follow the development of new ideas, techniques, processes, materials and other considerations for the building of bridges. They will become aware of bridges as paths of travel that impact the communities that they connect. Architect and artist Santiago Calatrava will be studied because of the way that he has incorporated the principles of structures found in nature (such as a leaf) into the design of some of his architectural structures. Calatrava will serve as an inspiration for the students. The students will build their own individual bridges that have been inspired by nature, assessing both their own and those of their peers. This unit will culminate with an art exhibit of the students' bridges and their drawn plans on graph paper. Even though this unit has been created for high school 3-D Design art students, it can be adapted for use in other disciplines, particularly those of science and math, and other grade levels.

(Developed for 3-D Design and Art, grades 9-12; recommended for Art, grades 7-12)

Comments:

Susan Mitchell Hechter

March 11, 2009 at 11:52 am

Karen Yarnall

Sounds like an appealingly appropriate project for High School.

Damian Nash

October 14, 2016 at 2:34 pm

Extraordinary Resource!

Karen Yarnall has absolutely captured the magic of the same curriculum theme that I have been using in my IET Core classes at Kauai High School. Her arts-integration approach to bridge design leads students into a mathematical appreciation of the natural world and also the world of design. This is the way that Calatrava should be understood and appreciated! Well done. Bravo! Her lesson plans will significantly improve my own. I wish I could borrow her PowerPoint slide shows as well. Damian Nash

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