Before instruction: Have the students read the attached paper:
Paris et al (2020): This published, peer-reviewed paper presents a highly technical analysis of the stability of the masonry dome built by Brunelleschi in Florence. This paper has highly technical parts and likely to be too advanced in its technical components for people that have not taken a college physics course, but also presents an accessible overview of how the brick laying pattern provides stability to the dome. If the students are confused by the technical analysis, the instructor should de-emphasize the mathematical components of the paper and the details of how the cross-herringbone pattern provides stability and discuss how specific solutions (like a brick pattern) can solve engineering problems and how this was discovered by Brunelleschi.
During instruction: My suggestion for the song to play in the pre-class period is “Untouchable (Taylor’s Version)” from the Taylor Swift album “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” released in 2021 by Universal Records. There is a small introductory lecture (with accompanying slides and board notes) meant to last for roughly 15- 20 minutes. This is meant to both discuss the dome at Santa Maria del Fiore and its construction, as well as discussing the reading and helping students understand the framework through which the masonry dome is stable. After the lecture, most of the remaining period (50 minutes) is used to have the students (in groups of 2) do the Pasta Dome activity (supplies needed per team: 1 physical printout of the activity prompt and 0.5 lbs of dry rotini pasta). The activity is framed as a competition, to mirror the engineering competitions that have been discussed in the module. The winning team is the one with the highest dome, and two tiebreakers (weight bearing capacity using small calibration weights and a sports trivia question) are provided. The effect of structure on stability is quickly demonstrated by attempting to stand up a bundle of chalk sticks, first by themselves and then with rubber band tied around them to make them into a makeshift fasces. In the last 5-10 minutes, the instructor will debrief the activity with the students, using the provided questions as a guide or letting the experiences of the students guide the discussion.
After instruction: In the class period following this module, a small recap of the interactions between engineering and societal developments is given. The societal developments that were necessary for the engineering advancements in Florence are discussed. This framework, proposed in Mukerji (2003) and explored in the Florence module is used and discussed throughout the remainder of the course (in its original iteration, this module was followed by 5 more modules focused on 5 areas of Civil Engineering.