From the manufacturer Read more About Thames & Kosmos Thames & Kosmos was founded in 2001 with the mission of improving informal science education outside of the classroom by publishing high-quality science kits for children of all ages. T&K's mission has since expanded from its STEM roots to encompass other educational branches as well, including arts and crafts and the panoply of thinking and social skills that can be taught through games and magic. T&K places an emphasis on teaching concepts and skills through tactile processes. Our vision is to give all children access to real, physical activities and projects that teach them how things work. Structural Engineering: Bridges & Skyscrapers Build and Construct Experiments on 20 Structural Models Do you ever wonder how bridges span huge distances and how skyscrapers stay standing? Structural engineers use physics and their knowledge of the properties of building materials and geometric shapes to design structures with sufficient strength and stability. With this kit of modular building pieces, you can learn the basics of structural engineering by conducting a series of 20 model-building experiments. Each model demonstrates a basic principle of mechanical physics or structural engineering in a hands-on way. Ages 8 and up 44-page, full-color manual 323 pieces 20 models Read more The Models: Bridges After kids build small models to demonstrate how structural elements can be attached together to maximize the strength of a structure, they can move on to building more complex models and experiment with different types of bridge construction: a truss bridge, arch bridge, cantilever bridge, rope bridge, and suspension bridge. The Models: Skyscrapers First kids can follow the instructions to build two different towering skyscraper models. Then, they're tasked with using their imagination and the knowledge gained from their model building to build the tallest skyscraper they can, using only the pieces in the kit. Further information goes into detail about five types of skyscraper structural systems and the maximum number of floors that can be achieved with each type. The Manual The 44-page, full-color manual provides detailed step-by-step instructions for assembling the 20 models in the kit. After constructing each model, short experiments pose questions to get kids thinking like a structural engineer. Read more What's Inside The kit comes with 323 building pieces to build and experiment with 20 different structural models of varying sizes, each designed to provide an introduction to structural engineering. The plastic building system is compatible with other Thames & Kosmos Construction, Engineering, and Physics kits--combine the pieces to create your own configurations limited only by your imagination! Educational Value Kids learn additional information about the forces acting on structural elements including tension, compression, shear, and bending in the 'Check It Out' sections of the manual. They'll also learn about basic structural elements including columns, beams, trusses, plates, arches, shells, and catenary. The manual also provides insight into the strength and stiffness of materials and how structural engineers optimize factors to maximize safety, and minimize cost and the risk of structural failure. Quality Assurance & Customer Satisfaction Thames & Kosmos is committed to providing quality products that users can enjoy and learn from for a long time. Our customer service department is available to troubleshoot any problems that may arise while using our kits, and replacement parts are also available. Should you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us. We love our products and want you to have the best possible experience with them! Read more Read more

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 13.1 x 1.8 x 11.6 inches
• Item Weight: 1 pounds
• Domestic Shipping: Item can be shipped within U.S.
• International Shipping: This item can be shipped to select countries outside of the U.S. Learn More
• Country of Origin: Taiwan
• Item model number: 625414
• Manufacturer recommended age: 8 - 14 years
• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer: No
• Release date: April 1, 2019
• Manufacturer: Thames & Kosmos
• Brand: Thames & Kosmos
• Theme: Science
• Age Range (Description): 96 months to 168 months
• Item Dimensions LxWxH: 13.1 x 1.8 x 11.6 inches
• Item Weight: 1 Pounds

• Build 20 different models that each teach about force, load, compression, tension and more
• Over 285 interchangeable building pieces
• Includes 36-page, illustrated experiment manual and Assembly guide
• Skill level: Intermediate