Bamboo Structures

What to Make:

Build a structure as wide as your classroom, or as high, or both!

What to Use:

• Use only Pea Sticks or Split Bamboo garden canes each approximately 1 metre long (i.e. between 600mm and 1200mm)
• Use only elastic bands to make joints.
• Any filled in panels may be made by adding coloured tissue paper fixed in place using P.V.A. glue.

Things to find out and think about:

• Look at large framework structures (e.g. truss bridges, scaffolding, garage forecourt canopies, electricity pylons) either by visiting them or searching for photos using the internet.
• Note the shapes made by the framework - how often do you see squares or triangles? Why do you think triangles are so common?

Some ideas:

Ways of Making:

• Lash together lengths of cane to make triangles using elastic bands - simply hook the elastic band round one end of a cane then keep it stretched tight as it is wrapped around the canes forming the joint.
• Link the triangles together to form pyramid like structures (e.g. either square or triangular).
• Join several pyramids together to create a large structure (e.g. a tower, a bridge across a classroom or a pyramid to walk inside).

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Safety Point! Cane structures are very light in weight so a safe way to build a tall structure is to lift and add extra pyramids from underneath rather than trying to stand on desks and chairs etc.

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Testing:

• Does it reach the classroom ceiling or allow you to walk under it or inside it?
• Which shapes worked best - triangles or squares?

Further Work:

• Think of making structures involving or including other shapes or polygons (e.g. look at how footballs are made)
• Find out about Geodesic Domes by searching on the internet.
• Even larger models can be built similarly by binding together long lengths of card tube, plastics pipe or lengths of timber using cable ties, gaffer tape, duct tape or similar.