The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Racing Cars, How Mass Affects Speed and Distance

Racing Cars -

How Mass Affects Distance and Speed

A 6th Grade STEM Lesson

Jennifer Coggins

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January 2023

Notes for Teachers

• Context: This lesson takes place in a classroom over 2 class periods. Period 1 is the activity, Period 2 is the lab report. Optional Period 3 for team presentations.
• Students work in small groups of 2-4.
• Accuracy in data collection to justify a claim is a focus.
• Creativity and inquiry is emphasized.
• A full lab report is the end product including hypothesis, variables, background, data tables, graphs, illustrations, an analysis and conclusion.

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List of Materials

• pull back toy cars - 1 per team

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• meter sticks, 2 per team
• clay
• digital scales
• slo mo video camera (cell phone, tablet)
• timer (cell phone, tablet)
• masking tape
• optional: giant white boards and dry erase markers

Arizona Science Standards

6.P4U2.5

Analyze how humans use technology to store (potential) and/or use (kinetic) energy.

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Science and Engineering Practices

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• ask questions and define problems
• plan and carry out investigations
• analyze and interpret data
• use mathematical and computational thinking
• construct explanations and design solutions
• engage in argument from evidence
• obtain, evaluate and communicate information

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Core Idea:

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6.P4: The total amount of energy in a closed system is always the same but can be transferred from one energy store to another during an event.

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Arizona ELA Standards

6.RI.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

6.RI.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.

6.W.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. a. Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly. b. Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships among claim(s) and reasons. d. Establish and maintain a formal style. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the argument presented.

National Science Standards

(NGSS): MS-PS3-1

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Construct and interpret graphical displays of data to describe the relationships of kinetic energy to the mass of an object and to the speed of an object.

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Science and Engineering Practices

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• ask questions and define problems
• plan and carry out investigations
• analyze and interpret data
• use mathematical and computational thinking
• construct explanations and design solutions
• engage in argument from evidence
• obtain, evaluate and communicate information

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National ELA Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.1: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text (relevant to the research phase).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including technical meanings (e.g., defining "mass," "kinetic energy").

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence (relevant to writing the hypothesis and final lab report conclusion).

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Arizona Math Standards

6.EE.A.2: Write, read, and evaluate algebraic expressions.

c. Evaluate expressions given specific values of their variables. Include expressions that arise from formulas used to solve mathematical problems and problems in real-world context.

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Mathematical Practices

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6.MP.4 Model with mathematics.

6.MP.5 Use appropriate tools strategically.

6.MP.6 Attend to precision.

Objective(s):

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• The students will be able to:
• Research and write how mass affects both distance and speed.
• Design a hypothesis/claim.
• Determine variables.
• Develop procedures for an experiment that will test the hypothesis.
• Problem solve and resolve test to ensure accuracy.
• Conduct multiple tests.
• Collect data accurately using technology.
• Write an analysis and conclusion.
• Justify a hypothesis.

Agenda (1-3 hours)

Day 1:

1. Students research what affects speed and distance and write a paragraph description in their own words.
2. Using the race car worksheet, students write a hypothesis, write their procedures, determine their variables, and set up their data collection chart.
3. Students test their pull back cars for distance and speed using the slow mo cameras and the timers. Students calculate distance and speed.
4. Students revise their procedures.
5. Students collect data over multiple trials.

Day 2:

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1. Students complete their lab report by graphing data, making illustrations to show the test procedures, and writing an analysis and conclusion.

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Day 3: Optional

1. Students use the giant white boards to present their hypothesis or claim, their procedure, their data and their justification regarding their hypothesis.
2. Students share their boards with their peers.

Intro/Driving Question/Opening

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Bring 5 students to the font of the room. Give each a pull back car. Have them line up on a pre-marked line on the floor. Have students pull back their cars. On the “Ready, Set, Go” have them release their cars and determine who’s went the furthest.

Ask the students to guess who’s was the fastest? Discuss why they think one was faster than another. Discuss if the distance it traveled had anything to do with its speed? Does the measure of speed matter when you measure it? Is it when you release the car? When it is first going? When it slows down? When it stops?

Brainstorm how you measure the distance the car traveled in this situation. Discuss what factors could have made the distance results different. Was it just random or was there a reason? Ask the same question regarding speed.

Hands-on Activity Instructions - 2 days

Day 1:

Group students into teams. Teams of 3 are optimal.

1. Go over the question, hypothesis, variables and materials as a class. Have students complete their hypothesis or claim individually. Discuss how you will know if your hypothesis or claim is correct.
2. Students work in their team to do research how mass affects distance. Record their findings in the Research Box.
3. Teams determine what mass they will test and how they will follow the procedures section. Discuss and practice. Students determine the mass they will be testing. Explain how important it is to pull the car back the same distance, method, and times each test. Discuss how teams will ensure the accuracy of their pull back technique.
4. Explain how to record the data.
5. Students conduct their tests and record their data.
6. Students graph their data, write individual analysis and individual conclusion.

Day 2:

1. Repeat Day 1 but this time conduct the experiment for speed.
2. Demonstrate how to use the slow mo camera and the digital stopwatch to determine accuracy in time. Show students how to use the formula for speed to calculate their data.
3. Students test different mass, record their data, calculate the speed using the digital stopwatch and the slow mo camera.
4. Students complete the lab paper with their graph, analysis and conclusion.
5. As a class compare the distance data to the speed data with regard to mass. Discuss if this matches their research. Make real life applications to speed and mass. (Why a heavy bike goes so much faster downhill then a light one, or why it’s hard to slow down a semi truck.)

Materials: (Per team of 3)

• pull back car
• 2 meter sticks
• slow mo camera on device
• stopwatch on device
• lab worksheet distance
• lab worksheet speed

Assessment

1. Prior to giving teams their materials, check lab papers to make sure students have written how they will determine if their claim/hypothesis is correct, if their variables are correctly listed, and if they’ve determined their pull back technique and their mass measurements.
2. During the experiment, check that students are using consistent pull back techniques, using slow mo cameras and stopwatches correctly, and that they are measuring when the car stops accurately (always at the front of the car or at the wheels or at the back of the car).
3. Measurements for time should be to the nearest hundredth of a second and for distance to the nearest mm. Ensure data is recorded accurately on the data table.
4. Check that graphs are labeled correctly, include axis titles, and a graph title. Make sure they are using the correct type of graph and are graphing averages.
5. Ensure that the analysis refers to the data and that the conclusion is complete with discussion on their methods, their success with proving the hypothesis/claim, their possible errors and what they would revise or fix next time.

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Differentiation

1. Only do the distance activity.
2. Do the activity as a demonstration.
3. Pre-determine the mass of clay to be used on each test.
4. Pre-determine the pull back technique to use.
5. Graph the data together.
6. Provide the reading materials for the research piece.
7. Assist in recording time.
8. Do the formula for speed together.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

1. Conduct more than 1 test.
2. Try different kinds of cars.
3. Modify the car in other ways to impact distance and speed such as the shape, tires, amount of friction, or pull back techniques.
4. Ask students if they think that car manufacturers take into account the mass of a car when they are designing it? Do they think this is for speed? For fuel efficiency? For cost savings? Research these questions.

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