Magazine+Writing+Assignment+1

Magazine Writing Assignment 1

You will write a magazine article that demonstrates your understanding of the different types of structures: frame, shell, and mass. Your article must be conversational in tone and use opening, closing, and transition sentences.

1. 150-300 words 2. Explain the 3 types of structures. 3. Give 2 examples of each type of structure. (1 natural, 1 manufactured) 4. Explain why each type of structure is better for some uses than others. (pros/cons) 5. Have a picture of each type of structure.

Exemplar: Look around you. There’s a good chance you’re either inside a structure or surrounded by them. Structures are an important part of our lives, but we might not always think about how they work. Some of the most famous monuments in the world are also great examples of simple structures put to fabulous use, like the Eiffel Tower in Paris. A lattice made of iron, its frame structure is great at transferring the force of its weight and the wind to its strong base, allowing visitors to travel high into the sky above the city and take in the view. Of course, structures can also be tall without a frame, but their base must be much wider, and they can’t reach as high. The Great Pyramid of Khufu, a mass structure, is made up of more than two million carefully fitted stones piled into a nearly perfect geometric shape. The mass structure pyramid is incredibly strong and sturdy, and has held back the force of the weather for almost five thousand years. Shell structures are also popular for famous monuments. The dome atop the Pantheon in Rome was the largest dome in the world for more than 1300 years, transferring its own weight to the strong stone structure beneath it. Nature also produces structures. Beavers create mass structures with their dams, chicken eggs are shells, and the vines and branches of the rainforest produce frameworks for all sorts of animals and vegetation to build a home on. Look around you. I’ll bet you can spot these structures now!

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