The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project
Solving Mysteries: The Vortex Part 4 of 4
Solving Mysteries: The Vortex Part 4 of 4
A 2nd-5th Grade STEM Lesson
Minda Grissett
January 2024
Notes for Teachers
List of Materials for Part 4 only
Standards
Science (2018 Arizona Science Standards)
Mathematics (Arizona Mathematics Standards)
English Language Arts (2016 Arizona ELA Standards)
Standards
SCIENCE:
3-PS2-1.
Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object.
3-PS2-2.
Make observations and/or measurements of an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion
5-PS2-1.
Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down.
TECHNOLOGY:
3-5.4.b. Students, in collaboration with an educator, use digital and/or non-digital tools to plan and manage a design process.
ENGINEERING:
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.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS:
3.RL.1.
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
4.RL.1.
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
5.RL.1.
Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
Objective(s):
Students who demonstrate understanding can ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
Students who demonstrate understanding can plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object.
Students who demonstrate understanding can make observations and/or measurements of an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion.
Students who demonstrate understanding can define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
Students who demonstrate understanding can 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.
Students who demonstrate understanding, in collaboration with an educator, can use digital and/or non-digital tools to plan and manage a design process.
Agenda Part 4 (30-45 Minutes)
Intro/Driving Question/Opening
Let’s think back to all of the mysteries Jesse has seen and experienced. Can you name some of them? How many different types or kinds of vortexes are there? What types of vortex’s have we learned about that are most common in Arizona?
Vortexes in Arizona
Landspout:
a phenomenon like a waterspout but occurring over land
Dust-Devil:
a miniature whirlwind strong enough to whip dust and leaves and litter into the air
Jesse experienced a vomit vortex from centrifugal forces. Those forces projectiled Clark’s puke from the center of the merry-go-round. Yuck!
Today we will create our own vortex’s using air to help solve the mystery of the Tree Trash Trepidation in Chapter 2.
Today we will create our own mini vortex cannon. Some of the words we should know from Jesse’s word list are:
Remember, In Chapter 7 of our book, Professor Peach has given us all the information we need to complete this task. You got this!
Hands-on Activity Instructions
Notice the different parts of the mini vortex cannon
Talking points for after the activity:
What Happened?
Could you make the target move by shooting an air vortex at it? The air vortex, which is basically a blast of air, shoots out of the cup so fast that it pushes the target away, so it starts moving. The air-vortex cannon works by quickly applying force to the air molecules inside the cup. When the balloon surface snaps forward it collides directly with the air molecules inside the cup, pushing and accelerating them toward the hole at the end of the cup. This push starts a chain reaction of high-speed collisions with other air molecules, and the only way for them to escape is through the opening at the end of the cup. You should have heard the "poof" of the air escaping rapidly through the hole each time you use your air cannon.
The fast-moving air then mixes with the still air outside the cup, and a vortex is formed. Because there is a higher air pressure on the outside of the ring (as the surrounding air moves slowly) and lower pressure on the inside (as the air in the vortex moves faster) the vortex spins and stays together as it travels across the room. Eventually the doughnut-shaped ring breaks up and disappears. You should have noticed that with a larger vortex cannon it takes longer for the air vortex to disappear, meaning that it traveled farther. This is because you are able to push a larger volume of air out of the cannon. Other design criteria such as the size and shape of the exit hole or the shape of the container (cup versus box) matter, too. Also, if you put more force on the membrane by pulling the balloon farther out, you make the vortex travel farther as the air gets pushed out of the cup faster.
Talking points for after the activity:
Digging Deeper
Although air is invisible, it is made up of different molecules, mostly those of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide. When wind is blowing in your face you can actually feel these molecules press against you. But what makes them move to create wind? Air moves due to differences in air pressure. It always moves from areas of high to low air pressure. Differences in air pressure can, for example, be caused by temperature differences. You can also physically move air and create areas of high and low air pressure by "pushing" or manipulating the air around you. The investigation of how and why air flows is called the science of aerodynamics. One fascinating airflow phenomenon is a toroidal vortex, which looks like a doughnut-shaped ring of air. You rarely notice these unless there are some particles in the air such as steam or smoke, which make the vortex ring visible.
In this activity you created such an air vortex yourself with your homemade vortex cannon! With a vortex cannon you create a burst of air that shoots out of a hole. The fast-moving air displaces the air outside of the hole, which then swirls around in the shape of a doughnut. The air forms this shape because the air leaving the cup at the center of the hole is traveling faster than that leaving around the edge of the hole. The difference in air pressure between the fast-moving air inside the vortex ring and the slow-flowing air on the outside of it makes the vortex spin, keeping it stable while moving through the air. With some practice you can get your air vortex to move so fast that you might even be able to knock over a paper cup with it!
Work independently to complete your new STEM Journal or Digital Design Notebook entry.
Assessment
In formal assessments of STEM Journal and shared thinking/partner talk.
Differentiation
Remediation
Extension/Enrichment
Take students outside for an extension activity by performing another demonstration of air pressure using a larger vortex cannon.
Here is an example of a larger cannon you could pre-make for this extension activity.