Build Solar Cars

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Intended Grade Level(s):
4-6
Energy Content:
Circuitry,
Solar Photovoltaic
Learning Goal(s):

Students will construct a geared solar car, a pulley-system solar car, or both. Students will make verbal predictions about the outcomes and viabilities of different types of solar cars. Students will pinpoint the independent, dependent, and control variables in their solar car testing process.

Unit:
Solar Cars
Lesson Number:
3
Pedagogy & Practice:
Engineering Design,
Group Work/Collaboration,
Hands-on Materials,
Project-Based Learning
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices:
3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations,
6: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Relevant NGSS PE:
4-PS3-2,
4-PS3-4,
3-5-ETS1-1,
3-5-ETS1-3
Other Subjects Covered:
ELA: Vocabulary Development
Estimated Activity Length:
50 min
Files Associated with this Activity:
PDF icon Lesson 3_ Build Solar Cars.pdf
PDF icon Solar Car Construction_2-16-16-ln.pdf
Description:

Students will build their solar vehicles. There are many options for them to do this, depending on the specific variables hoping to be tested following the construction and material-selection process. Students will be given the opportunity to try out multiple sizes of gears or pulley systems in order to determine which type they hope to be racing in the following lesson plan and make verbal predictions about what exactly will take place when comparing the different iterations of vehicles. 

Science Kit Material(s) Used:
Solar Machines Kit
Other Material(s) Used:
Light source