1. Construction: Building and Beams
Instructional Guide

2. During this unit you are going to:
Explore forces that act on structures.
Discover the strength of a beam varies.
Design, construct, test, and evaluate paper beams.

3. Forces
Compression - The act, process, or result of pressing or squeezing together.
Tension - The act or action of being stretched or the condition of being stretched.

4. Beam Efficiency Beam Efficiency = Weight Beam Held Weight of Beam
X 100

5. Design Challenge
You are a structural engineer and you are helping your parents design a family room addition to a house that has a deck on the roof.
The challenge is to design a deck strong enough to support family and friends. You will create the strongest beam possible. A successful beam will support family, friends and the deck itself. The strength/efficiency of the beam will be determined by dividing the
final load by the beam’s weight.

7. Step 1 – Identify a challenge
What is the challenge?
Brainstorm ways of constructing the beams out of one sheet of paper.

8. Draw end and side views of two possible beams.
Step 2 – Explore Ideas
Draw end and side views of two possible beams.
√ Identify a challenge

9. Sketch a refined design.
Step 3 – Plan and Develop
Sketch the best idea.
Sketch a refined design.
√ Identify a challenge √ Explore Ideas

10. Step 4 – Testing and Evaluating
How much weight did it hold?
What can you do to make it stronger?
Revise and draw design.
What changes did you make?
What are the differences from the first design?
Which design was better? Why?
√ Identify a challenge √ Explore Ideas √ Plan and Develop

11. Step 5 – Presenting the Solution
What are the final dimensions, weight, and load?
Determine the efficiency.
List the materials used.
How well did the project go?
Would you change anything?
√ Identify a challenge √ Explore Ideas √ Plan and Develop √ Testing and Evaluating

12. Conclusion Compare all of the beams with the class.
How are they different?
How are they similar?
How could they be made better?
Discuss and design a final beam with the whole class.