Build a Big Wheel

jun 19 2014

Source: IEEE

Summary Information

Keywords:

engineering, design, buildings, structures, motion, forces, ferris wheels

Topic:

Physical Science

Target Grade (Ages):

Grade 5 (Ages 10-11)

Grade 6 (Ages 11-12)

Grade 7 (Ages 12-13)

Grade 8 (Ages 13-14)

Grade 9 (Ages 14-15)

Grade 10 (Ages 15-16)

Grade 11 (Ages 16-17)

Grade 12 (Ages 17-18)

Estimated Time Required:

2-3 hours

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LESSON

Goals and Prerequisites

Goals:

Through this lesson, students will:

Learn about engineering design.
Learn about motion, load, and construction.
Learn about teamwork and working in groups.

Instructional Objective(s)

As a result of this activity, students should develop an understanding of:

structural engineering and design
problem solving
teamwork

Instructional Resources

Background:

The London Eye uses two types of cable, wheel cables and backstay cables. Wheel cables include 16 rim rotation cables, and 64 spoke cables, these are similar to bicycle spokes and stretch across the wheel. There are six backstay cables, which are located in the compression foundation. The compression foundation is situated underneath the A - frame legs; it required 2,200 tonnes of concrete and 44 concrete piles - each being 33 metres deep. The tension foundation, holding the backstay cables, used 1,200 tonnes of concrete. The main elements of the hub and spindle were manufactured in cast steel. The spindle was too large to cast as a single piece so instead was produced in eight smaller sections. Two further castings, in the form of great rings, form the main structural element of the hub. The hub is a rolled steel tube forming the spacer that holds them apart. All the casting was carried out by Skoda Steel. Find out more at www.londoneye.com/LearningAndDiscovery.

Materials:

Boxes of different shaped pasta
One set of materials for each group of students:
- Glue, string, paperclips, paper, cardboard, cardboard tubes (such as from paper towel or toilet paper rolls)
- Quantity of pasta shapes as requested by each team based on their design (note: students will likely come back for more/different shaped pieces)
- Four - eight dry tea bags (for optional weight challenge -- dry tea bags serve as the pods or benches for the model pasta wheels)
- Glue, string, paperclips, paper, cardboard, cardboard tubes (such as from paper towel or toilet paper rolls)
- Quantity of pasta shapes as requested by each team based on their design (note: students will likely come back for more/different shaped pieces)
- Four - eight dry tea bags (for optional weight challenge -- dry tea bags serve as the pods or benches for the model pasta wheels)
Student handout

Procedure:

1. To get a feel for the construction, students may wish to visit Build the London Eye Online to explore the components of the London Eye. There are also lots of other educational resources at www.londoneye.com/LearningAndDiscovery/Education/TeacherResource/OnlineR....

2. Divide students into groups of 2-3 students, providing a set of materials per group.

3. Explain that students must develop a turning pasta wheel (you may wish to require "weights" such as tea bags which can be tied onto the wheel).

4. Students meet and develop a plan for their wheel. They agree on materials they will need, write or draw their plan, and then present their plan to the class. They should consider the stages of construction.

5. Student teams will request of the "project manager" (you!) the quantity of different pasta shapes they want for their design. They will likely come back and ask for different or additional shapes during construction.

Extensions

Write an essay or a paragraph about the engineering challenges faced during the construction of either the London Eye or the Singapore Flyer.

Assessments and Rubrics

If you are interested in learning how to make your own rubric for this or other lessons, you may be interested in watching the How to Make a Rubric video below.

These reflective questions will help assess student understanding:

What was one thing you liked about your design? What is its main weakness?
What is one thing you would change about your design based on your experience?
Are there algebraic and physical principles that can be applied to this activity?
How would you modify the instructions to create a better experience for the participants?

External Resources

TryEngineering
London Eye
Build the London Eye Online
Bellevue Ferris Wheel (Germany)
Singapore Flyer
ITEA Standards for Technological Literacy: Content for the Study of Technology
National Science Education Standards

Credits

This lesson was originally created for TryEngineering by IEEE.

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