Third Grade Engineers: K'NEX Bridges

Our third-grade students had a blast working together to create K’NEX bridges! Through this hands-on activity, they explored the forces that shape bridge construction while having loads of fun. One key discovery? Triangles make structures incredibly strong! Throughout the project, students engaged in the full engineering process—designing, building, testing and improving their bridges. The excitement peaked during the "Index Card Challenge," where teams tested their bridge strength by stacking index card packets until their structure collapsed. The winning bridge, built by Colt, Gianluca and Luke, held an impressive 101 packets—perhaps a sign of future engineers in the making! This exciting K’NEX bridge project provided a dynamic way for students to deepen their understanding of engineering concepts while fostering critical thinking, collaboration and a mindset of continuous improvement. You can click on this link to get a glimpse into the classroom.