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The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Exploring Force & Motion with Lakeshore Design & Play: Cars

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Exploring Forces and Motion with Lakeshore Design & Play: Cars

A K-5 Science & Engineering Lesson

Dr. Maggie Dominguez

June 2023

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Notes for teachers

Lakeshore Learning Kit

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Purchase enough kits in order for each student to have a car and one for each group. An extension for this activity could be sending students home with materials to make their own car at home.

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It is easier if a ziploc bag with all materials to build one car is assembled for each student to take home.

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List of Materials

  • Design & Play STEM Kit - Planes: Lakeshore Learning (each kit makes 10 cars)
  • Extra Materials:
    • Crayons or colored pencils
    • Scissors
    • Rulers
    • Tape
    • Open space for testing the cars
  • Assessment - My Car: This is what I did! Worksheet
  • Yardstick to measure distance

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Standards

5.P3U1.4

Obtain, analyze, and communicate evidence of the effects that balanced and unbalanced forces have on the motion of objects.

5.P3U2.5

Define problems and design solutions pertaining to force and motion.

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Standards

2.MD.A.1

Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools (e.g., ruler, meter stick, yardstick, measuring tape).

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Objective(s):

  1. Students will understand the concept of force and motion through hands-on exploration with the Lakeshore Design and Play STEAM Kit Car.
  2. Students will apply problem-solving skills and creativity to design and modify the kit car to achieve specific go the furthest.
  3. Students will collaborate and communicate effectively with peers during the design and testing process.

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Agenda (90 min.)

  • Introduction & Force/Motion Discussion (20 min. depending on use of suggested videos)
  • Hands On Car Construction (25 min.)
  • Car Testing & Modifications (25 min.)
  • Reflection & Discussion (15 min.)
  • Conclusion (5 min.)

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Intro/Driving Question/Opening

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  • Begin the lesson by asking students if they know what force and motion are. Discuss their prior knowledge and provide a simple explanation. “What is an example of when you used force?” �“Tell us a time when you were ‘in motion’. What were you doing? What did you use to be ‘in motion’?”
  • Play video: Force and Motion - Science for Kids
  • Show the Lakeshore Design and Play STEAM Kit Car to the students and explain that they will be using it to learn more about force and motion today.
  • Divide the class into small groups of 3-4 students each.
  • Distribute the Lakeshore Design and Play STEAM Kit Cars to each group.

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Hands-on Activity Instructions

  • Distribute the Lakeshore Design and Play STEAM Kit: Cars to each group of students. Having each group’s materials in a ziploc bag helps manage this activity.
  • Instruct the students to use their materials in the kit to construct their cars.
  • Encourage students to personalize their cars by decorating them with crayons or colored pencils.
  • Ask the students to make predictions about how they think their cars will perform. How far will the car travel?
  • Take the students to an open space where they can safely test their cars.
  • Give students the opportunity to test their initial designs by launching their cars and measuring drive distance and accuracy.
  • After the initial test drive, instruct the students to modify their airplanes by making changes to specific parts.
  • Discuss how the modifications affected the drive characteristics of their cars.

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Assessment

  • My Car: This is what I did! Worksheet

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Differentiation

For older students it might be better to work individually to solve the design problem.

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For younger students, reflection assessment could be based on a set of verbal questions instead of the worksheet.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

An extension/enrichment activity could be for the class to brainstorm a list of what they liked from each car and find a way to combine the positives to create a new car.

The class can get in groups and create an entirely new car and see how far it travels.

Students can reflect on how and/or why the new car improved or declined in performance.