Racing for the Future

An Introduction to Newton’s Laws of Motion

(Teacher’s Edition)

Disciplinary Area: STEM

Unit: Newton’s Laws of Motion

Grade Level: 5th

Literacy: A Journey Through TransportationbyJohn Haslam and Chris Oxlade (or another book about early automobiles)

STEM Content Standards:

Science

Physical Science

  • 4-PS3-1 Use evidence to construct an explanation relating the speed of an object to the energy of that object.

Technology and Engineering

Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science

3-ETS1-1 - Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success andconstraints on materials, time, or cost.

3-ETS1-2 Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

3-ETS1-3 Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identifyaspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.

Standards for Technological Literacy

  • Standard 8 - Students will develop an understanding of the attributes of design.

C. The design process is a purposeful method of planning practical solutions to problems.

D. Requirements for a design include such factors as the desired elements and features of a product or system or the limits that are placed on the design.

  • Standard 9. Students will develop an understanding of engineering design.

C. The engineering design process involves defining a problem, generating ideas, selecting a solution, testing the solution(s), making the item, evaluating it, and presenting the results.

D. When designing an object, it is important to be creative and consider all ideas.

E. Models are used to communicate and test design ideas and processes.

  • Standard 10. Students will develop an understanding of the role of troubleshooting, research and development, invention and innovation, and experimentation in problem solving.

C. Troubleshooting is a way of finding out why something does not work so that it can be fixed.

D. Invention and innovation are creative ways to turn ideas into real things.

E. The process of experimentation, which is common in science, can also be used to solve technological problems.

Mathematics

  • Measurement & Data
  • Solve problems involving measurement and conversion of measurements.
Represent and interpret data.
  • Geometry
  • Draw and identify lines and angles, and classify shapes by properties of their lines and angles.

Big Ideas:

  • Potential energy is the stored energy in an object due of its position or its configuration whereas Kinetic energy is the energy which a body possesses because of its motion
  • Propulsion is the action of driving or pushing forward and motion is the action or process of moving or being moved.
  • Demonstrate a basic understanding of Newton’s first two Laws of Motion
  • Proper use of the engineering design process

Essential Question: Can you build a balloon-power vehicle and apply your knowledge of Newton’s Laws of Motion to modify it to go faster and farther?

Scenario: Using the engineering design process and what you have learned about Newton’s Laws of Motion, can you build a scaled model racecar that will travel the greatest distance?

Vocabulary: The following vocabulary words are associated with this unit of study:

Acceleration: the rate at which an object changes its velocity

Balanced: equal

Constant: occurring continuously over a period of time

Force: a push or a pull

Friction: the resistance that one surface encounters when moving over another

Inertia: a tendency to remain unchanged

Kinetic energy: Energy which a body possesses because of its motion

Mass: the quantity of matter that a body or objet contains

Motion: The action or process of moving or being moved.

Net Force: The overall force acting on an object.

Newton (N):the standard metric unit for measuring force

Potential energy: Stored energy in an object due of its position or its configuration

Propulsion: The action of driving or pushing forward

Pull: a force drawing something in a particular direction

Rest: not moving

Speed: the rate at which something is able to move

Velocity: the speed of something in a given direction

Teacher Video Resources:Introduce the unit by showing the YouTube® videos below to your students. These two videos explain the first two laws of motion.

Content:In the late 17th century, Sir Isaac Newton published his ideas on motion and forces, which became known as Newton’s Laws of Motion.

  • 1st Law: If no forces (or a combination of forces that is balanced) act on an object then it is at rest, and it will remain at rest. If an object is manipulated with force, it is in motion; it will continue to move in a straight line path at a constant speed.
  • What does this mean? Objects in motion stay in motion. This is the law of inertia.
  • 2nd Law: If a single force (or a combination of forces that is unbalanced) acts on an object, its speed and/or its direction will change. How quickly the speed (and/or direction) changes is directly related to the strength of the net force and inversely related to the object’s mass.
  • Simplified, this means that a force pushing or pulling on an object will change its direction and/or its speed. When you kick a soccer ball, your kick is the force which will increase the soccer ball’s speed. If the ball was rolling towards you before you kick it, it will most likely change direction once you do. The harder you kick the more drastic and noticeable the change will be.

Teacher Tip: A quick demonstration with a ball and a couple of students would be a great way to introduce this concept! What does it mean when Newton says that changes are inversely related to an object’s mass? The answer is easy! The heavier something is, the harder it is to get it moving, keep it moving, and the slower it will move. Before the students start building, take a moment to talk about friction. Friction is what happens when two things rub together. You might have your students rub their hands together for a minute and feel the heat produced. This is a side effect of friction! Think about the molecules on the surfaces of two materials (even ones we think are smooth) like sandpaper, and then imagine rubbing them together. Just as the individual grains of sand rub against one another, so do the molecules in our smooth surfaces. Opposing friction, is always at work here on Earth, and it slows things down! How do we use this information to build a better balloon car? Here are the key points:

  • Objects in motion will stay in motion.
  • Force acting on an object will change its speed or direction, or both.
  • The heavier something is, the slower it will move.
  • The lighter something is, the faster it will move.
  • Friction is generally bad in automobiles. It will slow you down. While we cannot entirely escape it here on Earth, we do want to mitigate its effects as much as we can.

Introducing the Design Challenge:

  • After introducing the content above to your students:
  • Ask your students to read A Journey through Transportationby John Haslam and Chris Oxlade (or another book about early automobiles).
  • Discuss the engineering design process and the role it plays in solving the problem.
  • Assign the students to engineering design teams (2-3 students per team is ideal). Tell them that they will be evaluated on how well they solve the problem and how well they work as a team.
  • Provide the teams with the student edition and discuss the parameters for the activity (time, materials, testing, evaluation, etc.).
  • As the teams start their work, make sure that they are using the engineering design process (brainstorming, generating multiple potential solutions, etc.)
  • After each team has built their basic balloon-car, they will need to test the distance that the car can travel on the “test track” you have set up. A stop watch, 20 meter measuring tape, some masking tape (to mark the starting point), and a school hallway are all that you will need.
  • After recording their speed and distance for the first time/distance-trial (two tests), remind the students that “modification” is an important part of the engineering design process. Ask them to take the information that they learned during the first time/distance-trial and go back to their work spaces and modify the balloon-car to perform better. Teams will need to record times and distances for each time/distance trial (two tests each) on their worksheets.
  • Teams will need to calculate a speed ratio for the 1st and 2ndtime/distance-trials.

Average speed = total distance traveled (meters)

______

Travel time (seconds)

  • Remember, the challenge is to travel the greatest distance in the shortest amount of time! The balloon-car that travels the greatest distance slowly, might not be the winner!
  • Afterall teams have completed the first trial (and recorded the best time/distance), modified the racer (and recorded the best time/distance), and completed their worksheets, teams will be asked to describe their attempt to solve the problem orally to the remainder of the class.
  • The presentation should include a discussion of the laws of motion.
  • Teams should submit their racer and worksheets for assessment.
  • Optional: Present the willing team with a prize for first place!

Teacher Evaluation Rubric:

PointsCriteriaStandard

(0-20 points) / Team demonstrated knowledge of Laws of Motion / Team was able to describe how the first two laws of motion apply in making their car go faster and farther.
(0-20 points) / Team use the engineering design process to complete challenge / Team demonstrated the effective use of the engineering design process
(0-20 points) / Effective use of tools / Team used recommended tools and materials to solve the problem effectively
(0-20 points) / Completed provided handouts for evaluation / Team completed all questions and demonstrated knowledge and comprehension of Laws of Motion
(0-20 points) / Team effectiveness / Team solved the engineering design challenge and worked as an effective team

Total Team Points:______/100

Racing for the Future

An Introduction to Newton’s Laws of Motion

(Student Edition)

Names of Engineering Design Team Members: ______, ______, ______.

Design Challenge: Working as a member of an engineering design team, design a balloon-power vehicle that will travel the greatest horizontal distance before stopping in the shortest amount of time. The completed device must travel this distance intact (in other words, all parts of the device must travel the entire distance as a unit). During testing, the device will be placed at a given starting point and propelled forward with air-power from the balloon. The distance (in meters) will be measured from the starting point to the point at which the device stops.

Limitations: To complete this engineering design challenge successfully, teams must strictly adhere to the following design parameters:

  1. Teams will be allowed 40 minutes to: Complete the STEM design journal and build a working prototype that solves the design challenge;
  2. Teams will select materials and tools identified in Figure 1 below.
  3. Once the completed prototype is placed into a starting position in the testing area, the completed device may only be touched to launch/start the device in motion. Additionally:
  4. Two measured attempts will be allowed once the device is placed into position in the test area. The greater distance will be recorded;
  5. Nothing external to the device may be used to initiate propulsion (i.e., may not be pushed by humans, launched by a slingshot, etc.); and,
  6. After the first time/distance-trial, devices should be modified to make them more efficient. After modification, the team will be provided a 2ndtime trial.

Figure 1. Available Tools & Materials

1 –30 cm length duct tape / 1 – car body blank / 2 - plastic spoons
1 - heavy rubber band / 3–large balloons / 2 - push pins
2 - wooden pencils / 2 sets – wheels and axles / 1 –30 cm length of string
2 - plastic drinking straws / 6 - large paper clips / 2 – wooden craft sticks

Note: The following hand tools will be available to all teams: Hot glue gun and glue, and wood cutting devices. Please return all undamaged materials and tools at the conclusion of the challenge.

Deliverables: The engineering design team should submit the completed vehicle, an oral presentation, the STEM Design Journal and the Results/Reflection Worksheet for assessment after completing all tests.

STEM DESIGN JOURNAL