Structures and Forces

  Your previous studies have included a review of the PBS Building Big series, construction of paper towers, drinking straw shapes and cardboard roll columns.  This series of web pages will provide additional background information, assist you in creating more complex structures and preview some of the structures you may see in an upcoming field trip.

Our Starting Point

  It may be helpful to start with the Hyper History site.  Follow the link to the parallel timeline charts for recognized civilizations through the ages.  I am skipping over the period before 1000 BC as there are, with notable exceptions, few examples remaining of the structures built in those times.

  We will instead look at the types of construction and methods that are the precursors of modern structures and how this knowledge plus new materials have allowed us to build big.

Key to Hot Buttons

Green buttons will take you to supporting information you might find interesting.
Red buttons take to similar supporting information, but you may find pop-up ads or similar distractions.
Yellow buttons lead you to other sites.  I may ask you to look for particular information within those sites.
Cyan buttons lead to reference materials that may be helpful when you build structures in class.
Orange buttons lead to interactive models.
Purple buttons lead you to descriptions of history or timelines.
Blue buttons take you to photographs taken locally.