Traveling Water

Developed by Dr. Jeff Froyd
Texas A&M University

                                             Click here for the PDF version of the lesson
Overview:

Student teams will be creating water-powered vehicles given certain restrictions and guidelines as to vehicle weight, power source, and budget considerations.  A competition to display the vehicles will be held about 5 weeks into the project.   

Learning Objectives or Student Outcomes:

By the end of this lesson or activity, students will be able to

design a wheeled vehicle with a mass of at least 100.0 grams and a sole source of energy (to propel the vehicle) that is the potential energy of one pop can full of water that initially is 1.00 m above the ground.

Length of Lesson:

This project takes approximately 7 weeks.  Factors which might alter the length of the project include: the amount of in-class time allotted to the project, the amount of out-of-class time deemed necessary by the instructor, and other activities which are scheduled to take place throughout the duration of the project. 
 

Team Size/Composition:

Teams of 4 work best; if necessary, a few teams of 3 or 5 students may be formed.

How is positive interdependence ensured?

Teams will keep a team design journal, present team oral reports, and submit team written reports.   

How is individual accountability built in to the project?

Individual accountability is ensured through peer assessments after project completion.  Also, students will be given accountability through different parts of the report.  In section 5, teams will be telling which team member will be responsible for doing what; in section 6, teams will include summary information on who was responsible for each aspect of the work and how long it took to complete tasks.

Basis or Components of Assessment:

Students will be provided a template with extensive guidelines for completing the written report, which comprises the majority of the grade.  The report is turned in several times, each time in a state of further refinement; instructor feedback will be provided with each version.  Students will also be keeping a team design journal—which will help them to organize their thoughts on the design process into the written report—and giving a team presentation about their project experience.  The final product itself will also help comprise the project grade, although the competition will not.

Team Skills Needed for Success:

Team members must have the ability to cooperate, communicate and collaborate; they must also feel comfortable sharing their own ideas and giving and receiving constructive feedback. 

Materials Needed by Students:

• a pop can
• water
• team-selected materials for the creation of the vehicle (purchased materials not to exceed $15)
• team design journal

Multimedia Needs for Instructor:

If students plan to present using PowerPoint or another presentation software as their medium, be sure to have a presentation system available.

Content Lesson Links:

Instruction to Students

Group Design Report

                                                    Lesson   |   Instruction to Students | Group Design Report  

©2002, Jeff Froyd                                                                                                                                     
These materials may be duplicated for educational purposes if properly credited.