Learning Goals
Learning Goals:
- Students brainstorm ideas and share with their group.
- Students draw and label Solar Mobile designs in Engineering Notebooks.
- Students research an aircraft to trace (if this was not accomplished in the Center of Gravity lesson) and trace the aircraft outline onto foam board.
- Students construct a solar circuit to power motors and propellers on a foam board aircraft and test multiple times before adding to the solar mobile stand.
- Students construct solar mobile stands and add their aircraft to a dowel attached to the central hub.
- Students work with a partner to balance each aircraft onto the mobile.
- Students test the mobile speed outside (depending on weather) and compare it to speed under indoor light stands.
- After initial testing, students redesign circuits or mobile construction to optimize design.
- Students use hand-held devices to film their moving Mobiles to judge the machine’s speed.
- Students demonstrate how their Solar Mobile works and justify in writing why their mobile should be chosen for the Children’s Technology Museum.
Materials List
Handouts
- Student Engineering Notebooks
- Student Engineering Design Challenge Worksheet
- Student Engineering Design Challenge Rubric
Classroom Supplies
- X-acto knives for cutting foam board
- Safety Goggles for use while cutting
- Wire strippers/cutters
- Needle nose pliers
- PVC pipe cutter(s)
- Multimeter
- Hot glue gun and glue
- Clear tape, masking tape, or blue painters tape
- Laptops or computers for student’s to research airplane designs
Group Supplies (2 per group)
- 2-6 Solar modules of varying size (0.5V, 1V, 1.5V, 2V)
- 2 Sheets of lightweight foam craft board (1 per aircraft)
- 4 Small DC motors (3-6V) (2 per aircraft)
- 4 Small hobby propellers (2 per aircraft)
- 2 5mm 1/4″ O-ring for attaching each aircraft’s fishing line guide wires to the dowel
- 1-2 meters of Fishing line
- 2 Large paperclips
- 1 KidWind hub (drilled according to the Teacher Tips)
- 1 Five way 1/2″ PVC connector
- 2 Wooden dowels 1/4″, cut to 2 feet
- 1 Arrow, 30″ fiberglass with steel point
- Lamp stand(s) with various bulbs
Important Links
Next Generation Science Standards
Next Generation Science Standards
| Performance Expectation | How is this Assessed? |
| MS-ETS1-3 Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success. | Students record and discuss their results before, during and after the implementation of their team’s solar mobile prototype. Students justify – in a demonstration and in writing – why their solar mobile is the model that should be chosen for public display. |
| MS-ETS1-4 Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool or process such that an optimal design can be achieved | Students work through modifications and apply what was learned about solar circuits, the center of gravity, and irradiance as they build their final model. |