Building Big

In September and October 2000, ERE students and professionals from the local American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) visited 7th and 8th grade classrooms in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties. The classes did hands-on activities that introduced them to concepts such as tension, compression, and load. The Building Big project was sponsored by WGBH in Boston, the largest PBS station in the country. WGBH also produced a five-part miniseries on mega-structures and and the people who designed them which aired over the month of October 2000.

Jennifer Johnston at the Build-a-thon on November 11, 2000

In addition a Build-a-thon was held at the Bayshore Mall in Eureka, California on November 11, 2000. The one day event had numerous hands-on activities for children of all ages. Some of the many activities involved the children making a dome out of newspaper and building structures with gumdrops.