Context:

I completed this artifact in Block 2 during the Fall semester of 2007.  It was created under the advisement of Mr. Jeff Goodman in GS 4401: Science and Science Teaching in the Elementary School.

For this assignment, the class designed and made cars, collected and interpreted data, and related the project to energy transfer.

Impact:

Using this lesson with students would enable them to meet the following North Carolina Standard Course of Study Objectives:

Fifth Grade:

4.01 Determine the motion of an object by following and measuring its position over time.

4.02 Evaluate how pushing or pulling forces can change the position and motion of an object.

4.03 Explain how energy is needed to make machines move.

• Moving air.

• Gravity.

4.04 Determine that an unbalanced force is needed to move an object or change its direction.

4.05 Determine factors that affect motion including:

• Force

• Friction.

• Inertia.

• Momentum

4.06 Build and use a model to solve a mechanical design problem.

• Devise a test for the model.

• Evaluate the results of test.

Students will analyze movement and its relationship with energy throughout the data collecting process.  Students will also design cars that will move as far and straight as possible.  Through this project students will practice designing objects, collecting data, measuring distance, and analyzing results in the context of energy transfer.

Alignment:

Through this project I have met the following NCDPI and NETS-T Standards:

Standard 2, Indicator 2:  Through this project I was required to create geometric shapes out of which to create the body for my car.  I was also required to measure length in the metric system to collect data.  I also measured the weight of my car in grams.

Standard 2, Indicator 4:  Through this project I was able to systematically collect, organize, summarize, and analyze data.  Each time the car rolled down the ramp, we collected the time traveled, distance traveled, and height of the ramp.  We also created tables and graphs to represent our data.  We used graph making software to create our graphs, therefore I used appropriate software to help me display data.

Standard 3, Indicator 2:  This project shows that I understand forces of motion, conservation of energy, and measurement, analysis, and interpretation of data.  In order to create cars that rolled the farthest, we needed to understand the basics of motion, including information about inertia and mass.  We also analyzed the movement based on energy conservation, noting where the energy came from and where it transferred to during the movement.  Also, during the project, we analyzed and interpreted the data that we collected.

Standard 9, Indicator 4: This lesson enables me to develop instruction that makes connections between mathematical ideas. By completing this activity, I was able to create a connection between actions in real life and mathematics. By creating the cars, students would see that mathematical data could be collected from the distance that the car moved, the time that the car moved, and the velocity of the car. This data is all connected and creates a part of a whole. The distance and time is connected because both are aspects of velocity. Students will be able to see the connection because they are collecting the data and then translating it into velocity.

Standard 9, Indicator 5: Through graphing the data, students would be creating representations that organize, record, and communicate mathematical ideas. The graphs that students would create include time graphs, distance graphs, and velocity graphs when cars are released at specific ramp heights. By creating these graphs students will also be able to analyze which height is the optimal ramp height for the cars to travel the farthest and fastest.

Standard 15, Indicator 1: By designing and experimenting with cars, students will be using real world applications of math and science which will pique their interest in these subjects. Many students will have interest in at least some part of the experiment, whether designing the cars or collecting data, which will help under represented groups do well in the two subjects.

NETS-T IIA: This artifact helps me meet this standard because all students would be using a graphing program to create their graphs. The students can experiment with different designs, colors, and numbers to make the graph an effective representation of their data. By using the program students with physical disabilities will be able to create graphs that look no different from other student representations. Additionally, students who do not understand graphs as well as other students would have help because each section is specifically laid out with questions and illustrations of what the terms mean. Students who need more of a challenge can experiment with their graph's color, layout, and spacing.