Westchester Day School third graders put their engineering knowledge to the test this week in an exciting “What Makes Bridges So Strong?” lesson.  After learning about different bridge designs through the story of Charles Ellis and the Golden Gate Bridge, students eagerly tackled the “Paper Bridge Engineering” challenge. Using only paper and scissors, they designed and built bridges to span a six-inch gap between book stacks.

The classroom buzzed with creative energy as the young engineers folded, rolled and tested their paper structures. Many students created arch bridges, while others built pillar bridges (also known as beam bridges) to distribute the weight. With each penny added, the suspense grew! Students discovered firsthand how various forces act on structures and learned to problem-solve when designs failed. The photos capture their concentration and excitement as they worked to create bridges that could support an impressive number of pennies.