Thinking Like a 21 st Century Scientists / Engineer: Design Challenge: Ladybug Launcher

Transcription

1 8 th Grade SAFETY ADVANCED PREPARATION ACTIVITIES (6 days) Thinking Like a 21 st Century Scientists / Engineer: Design Challenge: Ladybug Launcher 1. Students will be launching projectiles. Make sure that the target area is clear before any launch is made 2. Mr. Ladybug can be any small object launched in the air. Make sure that the item used to represent Mr. Ladybug is an appropriate size, mass, shape, and material. Gather materials for student use and allow students time to bring in their own materials. Possible materials may include: Pencils, Rubber bands, Springs, Clay, Cups, Rulers, Meter sticks, Cotton balls, Plastic Spoons, String, Paper, and other available materials. Objective: The objective of the following activities is to give students the opportunity to use the engineering design cycle and problem-solving skills to develop a solution to an engineering design challenge. What is the teacher doing? Engineering Design Challenge (Day 1) Read the book Super Ladybug to the Rescue by Guido Van Genechten aloud to the class. Discuss with students that we all face difficulties in life and that we have problems that we must overcome through problemsolving. Distribute the design challenge hand-outs and read the prompt aloud located on the top of the student pages and discuss the problem. Divide the students into groups (groups of 3 recommended) Tell the class that the problem is that they must launch Super Lady Bug one meter and to hit a target (Day 2) Provide materials and facilitate as students build their launcher. (Day 3) Facilitate the testing of the Ladybug Launchers. Use a clay ball or other item to represent the Super Ladybug. What are the students doing? Engineering Design Challenge (Day 1) 1. Listen to the book Super Ladybug to the Rescue being read by the teacher. 2. Participate in class discussion 3. Students listen to the prompt and read along. Discuss the problem and challenge. 4. Students work in groups of three to begin brainstorming, and designing their ladybug launcher and create a drawing. (Day 2) 5. Students build a ladybug launcher based on their design and drawing. (Day 3) 6. Students will test their designs by attempting to launch Super Ladybug (i.e.clay ball) into the air and land 1 meter away on a 15cm target. 7. Students will record their testing procedures and results on their student worksheet. 1

2 (Day 4) Assist students as the make modifications to their designs. (Day 5) Facilitate re-testing of solar cookers. (Day 6) Assist students as they use the CCS Lab Report template to summarize the process, draw conclusions, and communicate the results. (Day 4) 8. Students will evaluate their results and make necessary modifications on their ladybug launcher. (Day 5) 9. Students will retest their ladybug launchers. (Day 6) 10. Students will use the CCS Lab Report Template to summarize the process, draw conclusions, and communicate the results. OPTIONAL: **Super Extension** See information on the last page of the student worksheets. 2

3 8 th Grade Thinking Like a 21 st Century Scientist and Engineer Design Challenge Ladybug Launcher Teacher Notes: Optional: Read with your class, Super Ladybug to the Rescue by, Guido Van Genechten. Design Cycle Discuss the problems that the book addresses. Point out that all of us encounter obstacles each day. Even the most trusted tools occasional fail or fail to work when needed. These are times to innovate and use the available resources to work out a solution. The book also shows the use of creative problem solving and the value these skills have in society. The challenge is to follow the design cycle to create a device to launch Super Ladybug back into the air to get his engine started again. Considerations: Your class will be building a device to launch a Super Ladybug object 1 meter and to land accurately on a circle with a diameter of 15cm. Some objects may bounce so measure the distance to where the object lands as the projectile s total distance. The students can build any launcher they choose. Their goal is to design it, build it, and test for accuracy. They might choose to build a crossbow-like structure, catapult, a trebuchet, or a slingshot. **Safety is a concern with projectile motion. Objects should only be aimed at the target and only one member should be testing the device at a time. Materials: Pencils Rubber Bands Springs Clay ball Cups Rulers Meter Sticks Cotton Balls Plastic Spoons String Paper Other Available Materials Building Designs: Pass out the student sheets. Remind the students that they will be working on this for several days and they are not expected to do it in a rush. They are to work thoughtfully and document everything that they do. Their first design will be modified and improved each day. To test the devices measure a distance of 1meter. At one end, place a circle with a 15cm diameter target. The students must launch Super Ladybug from behind that 1 meter distance. They must hit the target on the first bounce. You may wish to place a target container with a diameter of 15cm and fill it with an energy absorbing material (e.g. sand) to prevent bouncing projectiles. 3

4 Name Date Period 8 th Grade Design Challenge Ladybug Launcher He is not just any bug. He is Super Ladybug. And he has a real problem. His engine is not starting and he needs a launch to start the engine. He is exactly the same size, shape, and weight as a small marble. Once the engine starts, he is good but will need 1 meter of airtime to kick start the motor. So your target is a circle with a diameter of 15 centimeters. Design Cycle You may use whatever materials your teacher can provide and whatever you can find at home. Your only limitation is that accuracy and airtime count most! You must save Super Ladybug and all the animals he helps! Bounces will not count. The final distance measured is where the marble first lands. Brainstorm 3 more ways that you could launch Super Ladybug. Now think about accuracy. You can t just shoot Super Ladybug into the wall and expect him to stick. He has to land 1 meter away on a 15cm target. The most powerful device is not the one that hits the hardest, but the one that gets the job done. Which of the devices that you brainstormed, can you adjust the range to get the desired accuracy? 4

5 Name Date Period Make a sketch of a device that you think can land Super Ladybug precisely. Include measurements and a design scale (e.g. 1cm=20cm). Label all of the parts and write the material (chart below) that they are to be made of. Based on your drawing create a materials list. Then check whether your teacher can help you get it or if you can supply these resources. Material Teacher On My Own 5

6 Name Date Period Build your device. And you must test your device. Record your tests below. 6

7 Ask yourself - How far does your device launch the Super Ladybug object? Is it too powerful, not powerful enough, too hard to aim? How would modifying your device improve accuracy? In the box below identify through text and pictures what needs modified and how you will do it. Write a paragraph explaining why you think your modifications will work. 7

8 Name Date Period Test your device again. Record your second test results here. The process of building, testing, modifying is the engineering design cycle. Keep track of each test result and changes that you have made. You can do that on separate sheets of paper or the engineering design notebook sheets. Attach them to this document. **Super Extension** Super Ladybug had a bad day at McDonalds. He woke up this morning and found that he is now the size, shape, and weight of a golf ball! How do you need to change your device to complete the same task? Record your test results on a separate sheet of paper. 8

9 Middle School Science Lab Report Title: A descriptive complete sentence. Introduction: This section should include an introductory paragraph discussing question(s)/ problems in which you are trying to answer. This paragraph should also include preliminary observations or basic researched information about the subject as well as listing any formulas that will be used during the lab. Hypothesis: This section requires you to write a possible solution for the problem found within the introductory paragraph. Make sure this solution is testable and written as a complete sentence. Materials: Create a bulleted list of all items used in the lab Safety Concerns: Create a list of all safety precautions/concerns within the lab. Procedure: This section will be numerically listed (1,2,3 ) step by step list of instructions to complete the lab exercise. These steps must be written so that another person can use the directions to complete the activity. Results/ Data: This section should include all observations or additional notes you make during the lab. It must include appropriate labeled tables, graphs and charts needed to simplify your data. Add color when appropriate. Conclusion: The conclusion section of your lab should be at least a paragraph long. Your conclusion should begin with restating your hypothesis. Then you need to either support or reject your hypothesis based on your results and analyzed data taken from your lab. Explain why you supported or rejected your hypothesis-support your decision with facts from your lab. Additionally state one thing you learned from the lab and describe how it applies to real-life situations. Diagram/Illustration (if necessary): Examples: Draw a visual representation of your lab set up describing what occurred/ draw what you saw under the microscope/ before and after illustration of the lab results. This will be determined by your teacher. *Lab reports should be written using Third Person. However, use your best judgment when it concerns your students. (Modeling will help.) 9

10 6 th Grade Lab Report Name: Date: Period: Title: Introduction: Hypothesis: Materials: Safety Concerns: 10

11 Procedure: Results/ Data: Conclusion: 11