Student Name: Olivia Norman

Date: 7 June, 2016

Portfolio artifact description: Truss Bridge Using Microsoft Publisher drawing tools to create
a 2-dimensional side profile of a truss bridge
What you learned: I am very familiar with using Microsoft Publisher so I wanted to try to
challenge myself a little. Instead of making all straight lines for my truss, I decided to make it
curve at the bottom. I found it was quite challenging to make the rendering both arced and
symmetrical. I started by drawing the bottom curve and then designing one half of the upper
portion. I copied it in its entirety, pasted, and flipped. When I lined up the 2 sides, I discovered
that my arch was not symmetrical. I tried various ways of making the curve symmetrical before
finding a grid setting which made it much easier. The lines of the grid were also helpful in
determining the mid-point of my lines. The grid, however, was distracting at points so I found it
best to turn it off and on depending on which part I was designing.
National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS)*S Addressed: Standard #1
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products
and processes using technology.
Application of Skills Learned for the Future: I would love to incorporate this into a group
project that would cover many areas. Each group would create a company that designs bridges.
In addition to designing the bridge, they could also design marketing materials for their
company. The children would have to assign different jobs to each member of the group such as
accountant, foreman, and laborers. Each group, or company, would digitally create the bridge,
then would need to buy materials such as toothpicks and glue while staying within a budget. At
the culmination of building, they would measure the structural integrity of their bridge using
weights. Their goal would be to build the strongest and least expensive bridge.