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Home > Science > Regina Vermina Cars

Regina Vermina Cars

 Context:

This assignment was created under the instruction of Jeff Goodman for GS 4401: Science and Science Technology in Elementary Schools.

I worked with another classmate, Jennifer Gage, to complete this assignment.  Together we planned, built, and tested a rolling vehicle and determined it's velocity at different ramp heights. 

Impact:

The purpose of this assignment was not only to teach science concepts that should be known as an educator, but it also served as a great example of a project that could be used later in the classroom.  This assignments gives students a fun, hands-on learning experience where they will be able to make predictions, perform tests and experiment with the vehicle, as well as compute data. 

Alignment:

Standard 2: Indicator 2: Teachers have knowledge of geometry and measurement. Teachers:

  • Model appropriate measurement systems in various settings (standard, nonstandard, and metric system) in measuring length, perimeter, area, capacity, volume, weight, angle, time, money, and temperature.

This Indicator was met by this assignment because to find the data for the vehicle, measurements were taken using the metric system and were used to represent the distance of the vehicle, height of the ramp, weight of the car, and computations of distance and velocity of the vehicle.

Standard 2: Indicator 4: Teachers have knowledge of data, probability, and statistics. Teachers demonstrate an understanding of:

  • The importance of formulating the proper question in order to obtain measurement and reliable answers through analysis,
  • How to systematically collect, organize, analyze, and summarize data in order to predict outcomes,
  • Various methods for reporting and representing data (graphs, charts, tables, and grids),
  • The likelihood of an event occurring by completing simple probability experiments, and
  • Ways to use appropriate software to extend and promote an understanding of data collection, analysis of data, and display of data.

This indicator was met through the collection of the data of the cars and use of this data to create graphs and charts representing different variables (distance, time, velocity).  This data was used to predict future outcomes of the vehicle.

Standard 3:

Indicator 2: Teachers have knowledge of basic physical science concepts including:

  • Systems of measurements, analysis, and interpretation of data
  • Forces of motion

This indicator was met by the measurements that were taken for the construction of the vehicle and the data collected from the tests on the vehicle.  The concept of the forces of motion was also displayed through this assignment as the velocity of the vehicle was predicted as well as computated.

Standard 9: Indicator 4: Teachers develop instruction in making connections that enables all students to:

  • Recognize and apply mathematics in contexts outside of mathematics

The fact that this was an assigment that used a great deal of math concepts but was used for science and to discover scientific concepts makes this assignment meet this specific indicator.

Standard 9: Indicator 5: Teachers develop instruction in representation that enables all students to:

  • Use representations to model and interpret physical, social, and mathematical phenomena

Through the completion of this assignment, the teacher is able to understand ways to represent the data that is obtained from a specific experiment.  The assignment provided many ways to display and model the mathematic concepts discovered.

File Attachments:
  1. Regina Vermina Report Including Models and Data Regina Vermina Report Including Models and Data
Author: Kristin Goad
Last modified: 12/8/2008 1:28 PM (EST)