Materials List: Truss Destruction

Each group needs:

  • pencil and paper
  • 70 Popsicle sticks per student
  • craft scissors, to cut Popsicle sticks
  • glue sticks and glue gun
  • safety glasses, pair per student
  • Truss Destruction Worksheet, one per student

To share with the entire class:

  • (2) 20-gallon buckets (one will suffice, but testing takes longer)
  • sand to fill buckets
  • scale to weigh sand-filled buckets
  • rope, any type, of sufficient length to suspend a bucket over a model truss for testing, so the bucket is off the ground (see Figure 6)
  • (2) 14-inch long 2x4 wooden board (~16 cm long, ~ 5 cm x 10 cm)
  • 2 tables, or one table and two saw horses (see Figure 6)
  • 2 clamps (optional: a few small pieces of wood to aid in clamping)
  • camera
  • Truss Configurations Sign-Up Sheet
https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_trusses_lesson01_activity1