Bridges!: With 25 Science Projects for Kids

by Jennifer Swanson, Bryan Stone (Illustrator)

Getting from one place to another sounds easy if you are on a straight piece of land, but what if you have to get over―or under―a body of water or a deep gorge? Build a bridge! Bridges are the great connectors. They allow us to travel the twists and turns, highs and lows, ins and out of every geographic feature in our world.

Bridges! With 25 Science Projects for Kids introduces readers ages 7 to 10 to the concepts and vocabulary of bridge construction through the lenses of history, science, engineering, math, and technology. From the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco to the Tower Bridge in London, bridges are a huge part of our life. But how are these amazing structures built? What forces keep it standing? What might cause it to fall down? And who decides which type of bridge to use? In Bridges! With 25 Science Projects for Kids ,one of four titles in the Explore Engineering set, readers discover how these extraordinary feats of engineering are created, and apply what they have learned to hands-on, critical-thinking activities that include building different types of bridges, such as truss, cantilever, and suspension bridges, out of different materials and modeling different types of supports. They examine the natural forces that affect structure selection and appearance, and also learn about the types of support required for each. Trivia, cartoon illustrations, links to online videos and other sources, and clear diagrams round out this book and make it fun and interesting for class discussions. Following the guidelines set forth in the NGSS/NSTA engineering and design standards, teachers can feel comfortable using this book as a guide for targeted learning in their classrooms. In the Explore Engineering set, readers ages 7 to 10 develop foundational understanding of the physics that guides the building and maintenance of bridges, canals, dams, tunnels, and skyscrapers.

Titles in the Explore Engineering set include Bridges! With 25 Science Projects for Kids ; Canals and Dams! With 25 Science Projects for Kids ; Tunnels! With 25 Science Projects for Kids ; and Skyscrapers! With 25 Science Projects for Kids .

Nomad Press books in the Explore Your World series for children ages 7–10 integrate content with participation. Common Core State Standards, the Next Generation Science Standards, and STEM Education all place project-based learning as key building blocks in education. Combining content with inquiry-based projects stimulates learning and makes it active and alive. Nomad’s unique approach simultaneously grounds kids in factual knowledge while allowing them the space to be curious, creative, and critical thinkers.

96 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2018

About the author

Science Rocks! And so do Jennifer Swanson’s books. She is the award-winning author of over 45 nonfiction books for children. Using her background in science and history that she received from the U.S. Naval Academy, and her M.S. in Education, Jennifer excels at taking complex facts and making them accessible, compelling, and humorous for young readers, Jennifer's passion for science resonates in in all her books but especially, Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact and BEASTLY BIONICS which both received Florida Book Awards and NSTA BEST STEM book awards. Her Save the Crash-test Dummies book received an NSTA BEST STEM Award and a Parent’s Choice GOLD Award. Jennifer has been a featured speaker at the Tucson Book Festival, National NSTA conferences, the Highlights Foundation, the World Science Festival (twice), the Atlanta Science Festival (twice) and the Library of Congress’ National Book Festival in 2019. You can find Jennifer through her website www.JenniferSwansonBooks.com.

Reviews

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

An introduction to the science of bridge building. It explains the engineering and physics that go into their creation and shows real-world applications. Other topics discussed include safety, the inspection process, and the life of a civil engineer. The scientific method is presented as a means of problem solving. Main ideas are demonstrated in a down-to-earth, engaging manner. Each chapter includes activities and projects that coincide with its theme. The text is accompanied by excellent illustrations and diagrams. Important words to know are highlighted in green and the definition for them is in a side box on the page on which they appear. These words are also in a glossary after the main text. Other sidelights include facts of interest and corny jokes. Outside resources are indicated by a QR code and keyword prompts.
Overall, this book provides a good resource to draw upon for STEM educators. The book is suggested for ages seven through ten, but some concepts and words in the text might be a little difficult for them to understand. Thus, I think that its best use might be as a master textbook for an educator teaching a unit. (Reviewed by Charles Ross Hughes)

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

BRIDGES! is one in a series of the Explore Engineering set of books. This well-researched and well-written volume provides excellent background info and explanations on the topic. The projects give students hands-on learning experiences that cement their reading knowledge. A timeline and a thorough glossary complements the book. But the part that most made my science-heart sing is that the proper scientific convention of BCE and CE are used instead of the antiquated BC and AD. I highly recommend this book for inclusion in any school library, public or home. In fact, I wish this book, and series, had existed back when I homeschooled my kids in the 2000s.

[Esther May · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my favorite bridge book that has projects. The projects seem easy but effective. I enjoyed reading through this book and used some of the ideas in my engineering class.