The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Hot Wheels vs Generic Cars- Which is the Best?

Hot Wheels vs Generic Cars- Which is Best?

A 6th grade STEM lesson

Lisa Barnard

5/25/2023

Notes for teachers

My students worked in groups for this activity to also work on our collaboration and communication skills. They had to do the final claim on the last page on their own.

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This was done at an IB school, so I included an IB standard among the others.

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I had 10 of each type of car. For each class I had about 9 groups. Students checked out the cars from me and I wrote down which group took each car so that way at the end of class I could see which cars were turned in.

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At the beginning of each class, I did show where materials were, went over how to set up materials, and reminders on expectations.

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This engineering activity took my students 4 days to complete. We did the introduction, test 1 on Day 1. Students finished test 1 if needed and did test 2 on Day 2. On Day 3, students completed the first two tests on their cars and then choose other qualitative or quantitative data to collect of their choice. On Day 4, students discussed the data with their groups and then completed the final claim on the last page on their own as their assessment.

List of Materials

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• 1 Hot Wheels car per group
• 1 Generic car per group ( I purchased 3 for $1.25 at Dollar Tree https://www.dollartree.com/die-cast-cars-3ct-packs/109207 )
• Straight race track sets (each group needs 3 straight tracks)- each one comes with 2 tracks and 2 blue connecters for $1.25 at Dollar Tree https://www.dollartree.com/hot-wheels-racetrack-sets-24-in/317775
• 1 loop with track (each group needs 1 loop and 1 track to make the loop) for $1.25 at Dollar Tree https://www.dollartree.com/hot-wheels-toy-racecar-accessory-packs-24x335x325-in/317793
• Each student needs a digital or paper copy of the Hot Wheels vs Generic Cars Challenge
• Meter sticks, tape measure, or rulers (1 per group)
• Masking tape (each group will need 1-4 pieces as they work with the tracks to hold them in place)

Standards

AZ 6th Grade Math:

6.SP.B.5 c. Giving quantitative measures of center (median and/or mean) and variability (interquartile range and/or mean absolute deviation), as well as describing any overall pattern and any striking deviations from the overall pattern with reference to the context in which the data were gathered.

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IB Standards:

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Criterion A: Knowing and Understanding

Iii. Analyze and evaluate information to make scientifically supported judgments

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Criterion C: Processing and Evaluating

ii. Interpret data and outline results using scientific reasoning

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Standards

Science and Engineering Practices

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• ask questions and define problems
• develop and use models
• 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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NGSS Middle School Engineering Standards

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MS-ETS1-2.

Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

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MS-ETS1-3.

Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.

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Objectives:

I will plan and carry out an investigation to see if a Hot Wheels or generic car is the best deal.

I will analyze and interpret data in order to see which car is the most effective.

I will evaluate the data and write a claim about which car is the best deal by using evidence.

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Agenda (3-4 50 minute class periods)

Complete testing for two different cars to collect data

Design your own data collection

Evaluate which car is the best based off scientific evidence

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Hot Wheels VS Generic Cars

Which is the best?

Warm-up Question

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What do you notice?

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What do you wonder?

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Challenge: You will be collecting data and then creating a claim for the following question:

Quantitative Data VS Qualitative Data

Quantitative Data- Think NUMBERS! This data is numbers-based, countable, or measurable.

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Qualitative Data- Think LANGUAGE! This data is descriptive and based on observations.

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SLIDESMANIA.COM

Experimental Setup

Two track lengths connected with blue connector

Loop made with one track length

One track length after the loop

Initial ramp height = 30 cm

Car positioning before release

Hot Wheels vs Generic Cars: Test 1, Day 1

• This will be a project that lasts more than one day. We will be doing Test 1 today.
• You will be checking out two different cars with me, one Hot Wheels and one generic. Send one person to sign them out.
• One person in your group can get a meter stick. You are measuring in centimeters, not inches.
• You may need a few pieces of masking tape in order to hold down the start of your track and to put on the base of the loop to keep it in place.
• Please remember to take care of the equipment and carefully collect your data! We need the data to be accurate to make a good claim at the end.
• If you are done with Test 1, check back in the cars, put the loop and track back without any tape, and put away your measuring tape or meter stick.

Materials:

• 3 straight orange racetracks
• 1 blue connector
• 1 loop made out of 1 orange racetrack
• 1 Hot Wheels car
• 1 generic car
• masking tape
• 1 meter stick
• Each student needs a paper or digital copy of the recording sheet

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Hot Wheels vs Generic Cars: Test 2, Day 2

• Please finish test 1 if you haven’t already done so. Then please work on test 2.
• You will be checking out two different cars with me, one Hot Wheels and one generic. Send one person to sign them out.
• For timing, you can use your iPad or a phone.
• You may need a few pieces of masking tape in order to hold down the start of your track and to put on the base of the loop to keep it in place.
• Please remember to take care of the equipment and carefully collect your data! We need the data to be accurate to make a good claim at the end.
• If you are done with Test 1 and 2, check back in the cars, put the loop and track back without any tape, and put away any other supplies you may have had out.

Materials:

• 3 straight orange racetracks
• 1 blue connector
• 1 loop made out of 1 orange racetrack
• 1 Hot Wheels car
• 1 generic car
• masking tape
• 1 meter stick
• a timer
• Paper or digital copy of the recording sheet

Today you will

need:

Test 1 and 2- Discussion

• What was challenging about the tests?
• Did anything surprise you?
• What are you noticing about your data so far?
• Are there any factors that may have affected your data?
• Please turn in your data sheet if you’re using a paper copy.

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Hot Wheels vs Generic Cars: Test 3, Day 3

• Please finish tests 1 and 2 if you haven’t done so. Then you will be working on test 3. You get to collect any qualitative or quantitative data you think will help you decide on which car is the better deal.
• You will be checking out two different cars with me, one Hot Wheels and one generic. Send one person to sign them out.
• Please remember to take care of the equipment and carefully collect your data! We need the data to be accurate to make a good claim at the end.
• If you are done with all tests and have your data check back in the cars, put the loop and track back without any tape, and put away any other supplies you may have had out.

Materials:

• 1 Hot Wheels car
• 1 generic car
• Your choice of materials
• Paper or digital copy of the recording sheet

Hot Wheels vs Generic Cars: Write your Claim! Day 4

• You should have all of your data collected.
• With your group, you will have 5 minutes to discuss your data and to decide which car you think is the better deal and why. What data will you use? It’s okay to disagree with your group.
• After 5 minutes, you will then be writing page 4 on your own.
• What scientific evidence from your data do you think is the most important to support your claim?

Materials:

• Paper or digital copy of the recording sheet

Assessment

As students work throughout the project, the teacher should be monitoring their work and asking questions. I like to keep a clipboard with the groups and walk around as I check in with them each day. That way I know who I need to check in with.

For a formative assessment, I had student discuss on Days 1 and 2 the questions I included on the slide in order to see where they were in their thinking.

For the final assessment, I had them complete the claim on the last page by themselves. I was looking for their data in order to support their final conclusion.

Differentiation

• During the engineering process, ask specific questions to groups that are struggling that help them come up with ideas.

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• If students have technology, give each student a copy of the Google Doc so they can use accessibility features such as speech to text and text to speech.

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Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Students can conduct other forms of testing to see if the car they think is the best is supported by more data and evidence.

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You could have students brainstorm what would make the cars faster.

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You could have students add weight to the cars and see what that does to their data.

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Finally, students could research questions they may have about their data or the materials they used.

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