The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Ferris Wheel

Thrill Deal

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Ferris Wheel

A 7th grade STEM lesson

Savita Narang

01-30-23

Notes for teachers

• This lesson takes place in a classroom for one week.
• Students may work in small groups of 3-4.
• An emphasis on the target product (a moving Ferris wheel).
• Creative solutions should be encouraged.
• Facilitate student reflection on why and how George Ferris built the first wheel.

List of Materials

• Any easily available and inexpensive material like cardboard, wood, popsicle sticks, skewers for making the framework
• rubberbands
• playdough
• hot glue
• scissors
• ‘Mr. Ferris and His Wheel’ book or
• Video read aloud

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Science Standards

7.P2U1.2 Develop and use a model to predict how forces act on objects at a distance.

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7.P3U1.3 Plan and carry out an investigation that can support an evidence-based explanation of how objects on Earth are affected by gravitational force.

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7.P3U1.4 Use non-algebraic mathematics and computational thinking to explain Newton’s laws of motion.

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ELA Standards

7.RI.3 Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events).

7.W.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

Objectives:

Today we will explain how a net force is required to make an object move.

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Today we will explain how gravity plays its role in moving a Ferris wheel.

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Today we will describe a character using details from a story.

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Today we will collaborate and communicate effectively with our peers to complete an engineering design challenge.

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Today we will be able to design and engineer a Ferris wheel.

Agenda (one week)

Day 1 - Introduction: What is a Ferris wheel? How does it work?

Day 2 - Book - Mr. Ferris and His Wheel/Video Read Aloud.

Make sketches for design ideas.

Day 3 - Gather your material and engineer a Ferris wheel.

Day 4 - Continue working on constructing your Ferris wheel.

Day 5 - Test and present.

What is a Ferris wheel? Why is it called so? How does it work?

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Science and Engineering Concepts

Students should have the knowledge of the concepts like forces, motion, gravity, engineering process in order to fully understand how a Ferris wheel turns.

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Read aloud

Thrill Deal - Ferris Wheel

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In a group of 3-4, engineer a Ferris wheel. When you push it with your hand, your wheel must turn. Use any material that is safe and easily available.

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Constraints:

• Use material that is safe.
• Adult supervision while using hot glue.
• Total time - one week.
• Wheels must turn.
• No ready-made kits to be used.

Assessment

• We test our Ferris wheel to see if it rotates around its axis.
• We welcome and value feedback.
• We make modifications and recheck.
• We check whether our final prototype meets all the requirements.
• We stay within constraints.

Assessment ELA Assessment

Test your wheel:

• Does it rotate?
• Did you stay within constraints?
• How many sketches did you make for design ideas?
• Were you able to improve your wheel?

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How is what you are doing similar to what George Ferris did in ‘Mr. Ferris and His Wheel’?

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How is it different?

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Describe in detail how George Ferris built his wheel and what he accomplished.

Differentiation

Assign different roles to different students within a group.

Anyone interested in drawing may make sketches of design ideas. The one who does not want anything complicated, may glue various parts together. Some students may make figures for the seats using playdough or any other material.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

A motor can be used that can turn the wheel with the press of a button.

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A project report can be written.