In Building Big, our 4th graders explored large structures and what it takes to build them. They learned about bridges, domes, and skyscrapers and participated in several hands-on learning activities.

A bridge must support its own weight as well as the weight of anything placed on it. Our fourth graders made two types of bridges. A paper bridge which they created with only one sheet of paper, 5 paper clips and 2 blocks of wood and then tested its stability. They also created a beam bridge (then transformed it into a suspension bridge) using straws, tape, paper clips, and a paper cup. Their engineering skills and creativity were evident with these challenges!

Which shape is more stable, a triangle or a square? Our 4th grade students learned which shape had greater stability between a triangle and a square. They made predictions, created their shapes from straws then tested their predictions to learn which shape had the greatest stability. We discussed how that shape would be used in large structures and then used the triangle to build geodesic domes using toothpicks and gumdrops/marshmallows.

Can a toilet-paper tube support your weight? Our students learned how columns are often used to hold up heavy loads, such as the roofs of buildings. The heavy load pushes on the column, putting it in compression. Students made predictions on whether a toilet-paper tube could withstand the compression caused by their weight and then conducted a couple of experiments to test their predictions! Students also constructed towers out of index cards to hold the weight of a can of marbles/beans!

In the book, Balloons Over Broadway, students learned the history of the Macy' Thanksgiving Day Parade and about the puppeteer Tony Sarg. Then they designed their own balloon. They were very creative!

Our 4th graders read the passage Do Reindeer Live Outside the North Pole? They learned several new facts about reindeer. They were then challenged to design a reindeer out of cardboard and other materials. Their primary material had to be cardboard and they needed to ensure the stability of their reindeer. This activity proved to be quite challenging!

You will find more pictures, a class blog for each grade level, unit resources, links with activities each of the core subjects and interesting topics, plus much, much more!

Nichols GT Specialist

4th Grade GT Specialist at Fred Douglas, Joe Wright, & West Side

Nichols UIL Coordinator

Email: april.cagle@jisd.org
Website: mrscaglesgtclass.com
Location: 818 Texas 456 Loop, Jacksonville, TX, USA
Phone: 903-541-0213