The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project
Understand and Implement the Steps of the Design Thinking Process (Design a Balloon Powered Car)
Understand & Implement the Steps of the Design Thinking Process
A 6th grade STEM lesson
Author:
Marie Lombardi
Date:
March 1, 2023
Notes for teachers
List of Materials
Constraints: Limited to four wheels and two axles. Car must only be powered by the balloon.
Materials:
One plastic cup, one balloon
Cardboard, masking tape, popsicle sticks�
Choose: 4 bottle caps, bottles, buttons, beads, or spools
Choose: 2 straws, skewers, pipe cleaners, stirrer sticks
Lesson Pacing:
This lesson is flexible per your schedule.
Students will read “Rosie Revere Engineer” and “Inventor’s Secret” as a whole class in order to discuss problem solving and perseverance.
�Students and teacher will discuss the Design Process and take notes. (See AGENDA for links to the Design Thinking Note taking).
Students will follow the Design Thinking Process step by step in order to collaboratively design and build a balloon powered car.
Students will test their cars and record their data. �
Standards
6.P4U2.5 Analyze how humans use technology to store (potential)
and/or use (kinetic) energy.
Science & Engineering Practices
Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
ELA Standards:
6.RL.1
6.RL.2
6.RL.3
Math Standards: Statistics & Probability
Agenda - 1 to 3 days (this lesson is flexible per your schedule)
Lesson Pacing:
Students will read “Rosie Revere Engineer” and “Inventor’s Secret” as a whole class in order to discuss problem solving and perseverance.
�Students and teacher will discuss the Design Process and take notes.
Design Thinking (Blank) Notes to be used with the Balloon Powered Car Challenge
Students will follow the Design Thinking Process step by step in order to collaboratively design and build a balloon powered car.
Students will test their cars and record their data. �
Intro
What are the steps to the steps to the Design Thinking Process?
Discuss the Design Process and take notes.
Students will follow the Design Thinking Process step by step in order to collaboratively design and build a balloon powered car.
Students will test their cars and record their data.
Objective:
Understand and implement the steps of the Engineering Design Thinking Process
How can I design a balloon powered car that travels at least 12 inches?
Constraints: Limited to four wheels and two axles� Car must only be powered by the balloon
Materials: One plastic cup, one balloon� Cardboard, masking tape, popsicle sticks� Choose: 4 bottle caps, bottles, buttons, beads, or spools� Choose: 2 straws, skewers, pipe cleaners, stirrer sticks
How can I design a balloon powered car that travels at least 12 inches?
Independently draw at least two ideas for what your �car could look like.
How can I design a balloon powered car that travels at least 12 inches?
Constraints: Limited to four wheels and two axles
Car must only be powered by the balloon
Materials: One plastic cup, one balloon
Cardboard, masking tape, popsicle sticks
Choose: 4 bottle caps, bottles, buttons, beads, or spools
Choose: 2 straws, skewers, pipe cleaners, stirrer sticks
Share your designs with your group.
How can I design a balloon powered car that travels at least 12 inches?
Constraints: Limited to four wheels and two axles
Car must only be powered by the balloon
Materials: One plastic cup, one balloon
Cardboard, masking tape, popsicle sticks
Choose: 4 bottle caps, bottles, buttons, beads, or spools
Choose: 2 straws, skewers, pipe cleaners, stirrer sticks
Work with your group to create one final design idea to build.�Your final design can include parts of multiple design ideas.
Make a list of the materials that you will need.
How can I design a balloon powered car that travels at least 12 inches?
Constraints: Limited to four wheels and two axles
Car must only be powered by the balloon
Materials: One plastic cup, one balloon
Cardboard, masking tape, popsicle sticks
Choose: 4 bottle caps, bottles, buttons, beads, or spools
Choose: 2 straws, skewers, pipe cleaners, stirrer sticks
Work with your group to build your car.
How can I design a balloon powered car that travels at least 12 inches?
Constraints: Limited to four wheels and two axles
Car must only be powered by the balloon
Materials: One plastic cup, one balloon
Cardboard, masking tape, popsicle sticks
Choose: 4 bottle caps, bottles, buttons, beads, or spools
Choose: 2 straws, skewers, pipe cleaners, stirrer sticks
Let’s test our designs!
Each group will have two chances to test their car.�The farthest distance will be recorded.
How can I design a balloon powered car that travels at least 12 inches?
Constraints: Limited to four wheels and two axles
Car must only be powered by the balloon
Materials: One plastic cup, one balloon
Cardboard, masking tape, popsicle sticks
Choose: 4 bottle caps, bottles, buttons, beads, or spools
Choose: 2 straws, skewers, pipe cleaners, stirrer sticks
Talk to your group about what you could do to improve your car design.�Make a plan.
How can I design a balloon powered car that travels at least 12 inches?
Constraints: Limited to four wheels and two axles
Car must only be powered by the balloon
Materials: One plastic cup, one balloon
Cardboard, masking tape, popsicle sticks
Choose: 4 bottle caps, bottles, buttons, beads, or spools
Choose: 2 straws, skewers, pipe cleaners, stirrer sticks
You now have time to make adjustments to your design.
How can I design a balloon powered car that travels at least 12 inches?
Constraints: Limited to four wheels and two axles
Car must only be powered by the balloon
Materials: One plastic cup, one balloon
Cardboard, masking tape, popsicle sticks
Choose: 4 bottle caps, bottles, buttons, beads, or spools
Choose: 2 straws, skewers, pipe cleaners, stirrer sticks
How can I design a balloon powered car that travels at least 12 inches?
Share your design with your classmates.�Be sure to talk about any challenges that you encountered.
Constraints: Limited to four wheels and two axles
Car must only be powered by the balloon
Materials: One plastic cup, one balloon
Cardboard, masking tape, popsicle sticks
Choose: 4 bottle caps, bottles, buttons, beads, or spools
Choose: 2 straws, skewers, pipe cleaners, stirrer sticks
Assessment
Engineering Design Process - Notes
Design Thinking Notes, Fill-in-the-Blank, Assessment
Design Thinking (Blank) Notes - grade notes (optional)
Design/Present/Share: students present their balloon powered car -explaining/reflecting on each step of the design thinking process & receive peer feedback.
Differentiation
Extension/Enrichment
Design another Challenge using the Engineering Design Process
Students create a Flip (Formerly FlipGrid) to share results
Add more constraints to the balloon powered car or have it travel further than 12 inches.