Description  

The construction process of individual paper bridges culminates in a junior contest. Participants in the age between 6 and 18 years create/construct own paper bridge alone or in a team. They take part in age categories (primary and secondary school). A jury identify winners by loading weight on the bridges in steps up to the amount that breaks the bridge. The winner’s bridge is the most stable one.

Bridges construction may take place in regularly creative STEM club workshops or at home with family support. 

 

Approach It is a challenge for everybody (including adults) to construct / create an own bridge only made of paper and glue. The participating children will easily reach a simple result. The difference makes the construction approach. 
During construction, children will face a few learning by “try and error” situations. They may test some own construction ideas and find out new approaches by testing them. Children can work alone or in groups under supervision of an engineer or teacher. Participants may discuss their ideas and some results together. Finally each person or group can create an own design. A longer regularly creative process - for example in a STEM club environment – make it possible to create really stable paper bridge examples that hold more than the weight of the designers (>50 kg). It is possible to work with fully school classes as well as with smaller mixed groups or even single persons.