Learn Littles • Daily Worksheet
5th Grade
Deeper reading, structured writing, fractions, and multi-step problem solving
Worksheet for 2026-08-31
📖 Why Bridges Need Expansion Joints
Materials can expand when they warm and contract when they cool. Large bridges experience temperature changes throughout the year, so engineers include expansion joints that allow sections of the bridge to move slightly without cracking or buckling. The movement may be small compared with the size of the bridge, but across long distances even tiny changes can matter. Expansion joints are one example of engineering that accounts for predictable changes in materials.
1. What happens to many materials when they warm?
2. Why do bridges use expansion joints?
3. Why can small changes matter on a long bridge?
4. What broader idea does this example show?
✏️ Writing
Write 1–2 paragraphs explaining how engineers can design for changes caused by temperature.
➕ Math
🎨 Color & Create
Sketch a bridge section and label an expansion joint.
View Answer Key
📖 Reading Answers
- They expand.
- To allow small movements without damage.
- Small changes add up across long distances.
- Engineers design for predictable material changes.
➕ Math Answers
- 13.0
- 10.6
- 7.2
- 0.5