ELASTIC POWERED CAR – Colour, Detail, Engineering

Students will be able to:

• build an elastic powered car with a working wheel and axle;
• use cardboard and paint to add details that highlight the car's purpose;
• explain the difference between elastic potential energy and kinetic energy;
• demonstrate technical accomplishment and creativity;
• support their ideas with evidence found in the works.

Have students:

• work in small groups to test different ways to make model cars powered by kinetic energy, e.g., kinds and lengths of elastics, size and width of wheels; shape and type of car body; 
• create a chart to communicate their findings;
• develop a car that will travel a long distance;
• compare their car with the cars of their peers to find the design that goes the furthest;
• explain what they learned. 

1. Download and display the Colour and Form posters available on this website.
   - review or teach the element of colour – analogous, complementary, monochromatic colours
   - review or teach the element of form – 3-dimensional object, mass
2. Gather small cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, elastics and canning lids.
3. Prior to this lesson teach about gravity, potential and kinetic energy, and simple machines. 

1. View several different sizes of elastics – stretching them to see how far they will extend.
2. Discuss the qualities of elastics and make a list of possible uses for them, e.g.,
   - holding a paper roll in place
   - hold braces in place
   - an eraser
   - a hair tie
   - keep ribbons from unspooling
   - keep bags sealed
3. Fire an elastic across the room and discuss what happened.
   - stretched elastic stores elastic potential energy – the energy created when the elastic material is stretched or compressed (the more stretch - the more potential energy)
   - when you release the elastic the stored energy is converted to kinetic energy – motion 
4. Explain that they will be making a simple machine that uses that energy.
5. Review how a wheel and axle system works.
6. Introduce the challenge.

1. Place students into small groups. 
2. Ask them to: 
   - Compare their work and describe to each other what they did to solve problems along the way.
   - Explain how their design highlights the car's purpose.
   - Run their cars to see how effectively and how far they go.
3. Share ideas with the whole class. 
4. Ask them to tell how they felt about doing this activity and why.

1. Observe students as they work – thoughtful focus, discriminating, seeking more information, elaborating, experimenting.
2. Observe students as they discuss their cars – speaks with a clear voice, looks at audience while speaking, holds car to the side, provides accurate information, answers questions from the audience effectively.
3. Observe students as they listen – looks at presenter, asks effective questions, supports ideas with evidence found in the car.
4. Use a checklist to track progress. (Downloads - ElasticCar_tracking.pdf)
5. Have students use the self-assessment form to evaluate their work. (Downloads - ElasticCar_self-assessment.pdf)