The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Science Fact or Fiction: The Superhero Landing

Science Fact or Fiction: The Superhero Landing

A 3th-8th Grade STEM Lesson

Sarah France

June 2023

Notes for Teachers

This lesson was done as a 45 minute end of the year special.

However, it can easily be expanded upon for your needed time slot.

You will need access to an outdoor area for the egg-drop lab to be performed.

List of Materials:

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• Eggs (one per student)
• Straws
• Popsicle sticks (any or varying size)
• String
• Optional - Projector (for presentation & video)

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Physical Science Standards

3-PS2-1. Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces

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4-PS3-3. Ask questions and predict outcomes about the changes in energy that occur when objects collide

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5-PS2-1. Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down.

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MS-PS2-1. Apply Newton’s Third Law to design a solution to a problem involving the motion of two colliding objects.

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MS-PS2-2. Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object’s motion depends on the sum of the forces on an object and the mass of the object.

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MS-PS2-4. Construct and present arguments using evidence to support the claim that gravitational interactions are attractive and depend on the masses of interacting objects.

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Engineering Design Standards

3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.

3-5-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.

3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.

Objective(s):

By the end of this lesson, students will have planned, constructed, and tested a “superhero suit” container, using limited resources, that allows an egg to safely fall back to Earth, without breaking, after being dropped.

After testing, students will discuss and/or implement improvements for their containers.

Students will follow the Engineering Design Process throughout this lesson.

Agenda (lesson time)

Science Fiction �or Fact?

Sci-Fi

Could this really happen?

Design Challenge

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Laboratory Rules

Stay curious – ask questions!��Listen – voices off when someone is presenting��Explore – be thoughtful and dig deep when answering questions��Have fun – be kind, supportive, and mindful of others, the teacher, yourself, and the work!

Engineerin Design Process

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Ask

Imagine

Improve

Create

Plan

Question of the Day

Could Iron Man actually survive a “superhero landing?”

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Ask

Physics of Iron Man

• Iron man’s suit can travel up to 17,000 mph.
• For something To form a true impact crater, the object needs to be traveling extremely fast: many thousands of miles per hour!
• When a solid object crashes into something at these super fast speeds, it forms a crater regardless of how hard or tough it is.

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So… how is this possible?

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Imagine

Iron Man Suit Challenge

• Iron man had few materials and little time to make his first suit.
• You will have access to straws, pipe cleaners, string, and popsicle sticks.
• Using only those materials – create a container that will keep an egg safe when falling from a tall height.
• You will have 20 minutes to create your “suit.”

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Plan

Build your Suit

Limited Time!

Limited limits!

Limited Materials!

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• Create a container that will keep an egg safe when falling from a tall height.
• You can only use straws, pipe cleaners, string, and popsicle sticks.
• You will have 20 minutes to create your “suit.”

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Create

Time to test!

Will your egg survive the landing?

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What should Iron Man Do?

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Improve

Any other questions?

Questions?

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Hands-on Activity Instructions

• Students can work individually or in pairs.
• Depending on skill level, you can give students a set number of each material, or have it be unlimited.
• Students may use scissors to build, but the scissors cannot be used in their suit.
• Recommended that kits are made before the lab that have a handful of each material so all students can start a the same time.
• Allow students time to explore – try not to help them!

Assessment

Testing the super suits can be a formative or summative assessment depending on if you are giving students time to implement improvement plans.

Other assessments can include:

• Connecting Newton’s Laws to their observations
• Discussing how collisions occurred in the lab and what structures allowed the collision to be less impactful
• Calculating the amount of force by measuring the mass of the egg in the container and the acceleration of gravity

Differentiation

Students work with partners or in groups.

Show examples of strong structures before.

Give instructions for a structure for them to make.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Allow time for students to plan and create again based on improvements they believe will make the structure more sound.

Cross-curricular:

• Math – calculate the force using F=ma
• Reading – Have students read Iron Man comics and make observations of the suit as part of their planning.

Cross-standard:

• Use this lesson as an introduction to meteors/craters within Earth & Space Science standards.