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Posted January 9th, 2009 by admin

Motion and Design

Author: Carol Swink
Level: Elementary School
Content Area: Science, Technology, Engineering

Lesson 7: Evaluating Vehicle Design: Looking at Rubber Band Energy

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Pre-activities: 

NOTE: Prior to the investigation, have rubber bands connected.

Activities: 
  1. Students gather materials for the investigation. Discuss the reason why goggles need to be worn for this lesson.
  2. SCIENCE NOTEBOOK:
    1. Students write the question to be investigated: How will the energy from rubber bands affect the motion of the car?
    2. Students write their prediction to the question.
  3. Students will use pages 29-30 from the student book for this lesson.
  4. SCIENCE NOTEBOOK:
    1. Students will complete handout 6-A. This handout is the data/observation sheet and will be cut out and glued into the science notebook.
    2. Using the data and observations, students will write their conclusions about the effect rubber band energy has on the motion of the car.
  5. Share findings with the class.
  6. Discussion questions:
    1. What did you feel in your hand as you wound the rubber band? Did the feeling change as you wound the rubber band tighter? If so, how?
    2. Did the direction in which you wound the rubber band affect the direction in which your vehicle traveled? If so, how?
  7. SCIENCE NOTEBOOK: LOL consists of findings from other groups and a content blast.