Who’s that trip trapping over my bridge?!

FS2 have been tasked to design a bridge that is a happier home for the troll and that The Three Billy Goats Gruff can walk safely across for the STEAM fortnight. The children wondered if the troll was happier, maybe they wouldn’t be so grumpy and mean to anyone crossing the bridge - a good place to start.

To start the children off on this project, FS2 went on a trip to see two bridges in Nanyuki, in order to better link their learning to real life. On the drive to these bridges, to the excitement of the children, they also saw numerous little bridges around town crossing over ditches.

The first trip was to look at a ‘traffic bridge’ made out of concrete. The children sat on the grassy banks of the river, talking about it and sketching it. Everyone loved watching the odd car drive across it and they too got to cross the bridge on the bus and see how high from the river the bridge really was.

The second bridge they went to was a footbridge. When they arrived, the children were thrilled to see GOATS eating the soft green grass on the land next to the bridge and river. The children got to walk across this bridge and watched the sticks they dropped from the bridge float down the river. Again, they talked about what they saw and sketched it.

Once they were back in class, they started to think about the troll and what it might be like to live under a bridge. We thought about his/her feelings and also started to think about what FS2 could do to make the bridge a nicer place to live. The children had a look at a number of pictures of bridges that are buildings too and they are now bursting with ideas.

Next up is designing and then crafting (the best part)! Look at our most amazing pile of boxes, thank you parents. We can’t wait to see what the children invent.