Building Bridges: MHA Ninth-graders Apply Geometry Skills

MASON, OH -- Mars Hill Academy ninth grade geometry students applied their understanding of triangles to the building of bridges. 

Geometry teacher Betsy Lozier discusses construction design with students (from left) Logan Anderson of Maineville, Carson Lucas of West Chester Twp., and Sam Thistleton of Mason.

After exploring angles and sides, the relationship between congruent and similar triangles, proofs concerning triangles, and some right triangle trigonometry, they put these principles to the test. For this project, students create a design, estimate construction costs, build the bridge out of toothpicks and glue, present to the class, and then stress test their bridges.

Mars Hill Academy ninth grade students (from left) Kaiya Knodel of Springboro, Shauna Shehane of Lebanon, and Grace Minick of Cincinnati construct trusses for their bridges.

Photos and Story courtesy of Lisa Knodel