Mousetrap Vehicle Challenge lesson Plan
Unit Title: Mousetrap Vehicle Challenge
Subject: Engineering
Grade Level: 8
# of Weeks:2
Stage 1: Identify Desired Results Established Goal(s)
Generalization from Connecticut frameworks about what students should know and be able to do.
Connecticut Career & Technical Education Performance Standards & Competencies (2011)
A2. Identify functions of an engineer.
B5. Identify principles of a problem.
B6. Describe the process for researching known, relevant information, constraints and limitations.
B7. Analyze and research between alternate solutions.
B8. Develop details of a solution.
B9. Build a prototype from plans.
B10. Test a prototype.
B11. Describe the steps of the design process (e.g., create, evaluate, synthesis, final solution, findings, and present.)
C12. Explain and use pre-engineering laboratory equipment and materials.
C13. Explain quality control.
C14. Measure with precision measurement tools and instruments.
C15. Describe and demonstrate the components of personal and group laboratory safety.
C16. Describe and use safety laboratory equipment.
D18. Interpret basic views and dimensions in a working drawing.
D19. Identify geometric tolerance symbols.
D20. Interpret drawings, pictures, and symbols.
F22. Identify available resources for researching problem solutions.
F23. Use word processing software to develop reports.
F25. Describe and demonstrate the process for using CAD in a design solution.
International Technology Education Association: Standards for Technological Literacy
1. Students will develop an understanding of the characteristics and scope of technology.
2. Students will develop an understanding of the core concepts of technology.
5. Students will develop an understanding of the effects of technology on the environment.
8. Students will develop an understanding of the attributes of design.
9. Students will develop an understanding of engineering design.
10. Students will develop an understanding of the role of troubleshooting, research and development, invention and innovation, and experimentation in problem solving.
11. Students will develop abilities to apply the design process.
20. Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select and use construction technologies.
Enduring Understandings
Insights earned from exploring generalizations via the essential questions (Students will understand THAT…)
Essential Questions
Inquiry used to explore generalizations
1. The transfer of stored spring potential energy into kinetic energy and eventually to dissipation of that energy as a result of non conservative forces.
2. Friction will eventually slow and stop their vehicle.
3. Requirements for a design are made up of constraints and limitations.
4. Problem solving and design involve a set of steps, which can be performed in different sequences and repeated as needed.
1. What are the factors that affect the force of friction?
2. How does the size of the force affect the motion of an object?
3. How does the duration of the force affect the motion of an object?
4. Can a vehicle be powered by the energy of a mousetrap?
5. How can a mousetrap vehicle be designed for distance versus speed?
Knowledge and Skills
What students are expected to know and be able to do
1. Identify and describe the forces acting on the mousetrap car.
2. Observe and measure the speed of the mousetrap car as it moves.
3. Describe how forces affect the motion of the mousetrap car.
4. Identify energy transformation in the mousetrap car.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of energy storage and transfer.
6. Calculate circumference of a circle.
7. Calculate the distance your mousetrap vehicle will travel.
8. Calculate speed of their mousetrap car.
9. Calculate the wheel- to -axle ratio.
10. Define terms: torque, power, friction, and speed,
11. Differentiate between kinetic and potential energy.
12. Design and build a vehicle, powered by a single mousetrap, to travel the greatest distance using various scientific and mathematical principles.
Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence
Performance Task(s)
Authentic application in new context to evaluate student achievement of desired results designed according to GRASPS (Goal, Role, Audience, Setting, Performance, Standards)
Other Evidence
Application that is functional in a classroom context
Only to evaluate student achievement of desired results
Goal: To apply the engineering design process to solving a technology related problem.
Role: Mechanical Engineer
Audience: Classroom Teacher
Setting: Technology classroom and lab
Performance: Students will design, construct and test a vehicle powered by the spring of a mousetrap to travel the greatest distance.
Standards: Student work will be assessed on the rubric for the Mousetrap Vehicle Challenge.
Design sketches
Do nows
Quizzes
Observation of student lab work
Stage 3: Develop Learning Plan
-document distance travelled
Click to Download
Subject: Engineering
Grade Level: 8
# of Weeks:2
Stage 1: Identify Desired Results Established Goal(s)
Generalization from Connecticut frameworks about what students should know and be able to do.
Connecticut Career & Technical Education Performance Standards & Competencies (2011)
A2. Identify functions of an engineer.
B5. Identify principles of a problem.
B6. Describe the process for researching known, relevant information, constraints and limitations.
B7. Analyze and research between alternate solutions.
B8. Develop details of a solution.
B9. Build a prototype from plans.
B10. Test a prototype.
B11. Describe the steps of the design process (e.g., create, evaluate, synthesis, final solution, findings, and present.)
C12. Explain and use pre-engineering laboratory equipment and materials.
C13. Explain quality control.
C14. Measure with precision measurement tools and instruments.
C15. Describe and demonstrate the components of personal and group laboratory safety.
C16. Describe and use safety laboratory equipment.
D18. Interpret basic views and dimensions in a working drawing.
D19. Identify geometric tolerance symbols.
D20. Interpret drawings, pictures, and symbols.
F22. Identify available resources for researching problem solutions.
F23. Use word processing software to develop reports.
F25. Describe and demonstrate the process for using CAD in a design solution.
International Technology Education Association: Standards for Technological Literacy
1. Students will develop an understanding of the characteristics and scope of technology.
2. Students will develop an understanding of the core concepts of technology.
5. Students will develop an understanding of the effects of technology on the environment.
8. Students will develop an understanding of the attributes of design.
9. Students will develop an understanding of engineering design.
10. Students will develop an understanding of the role of troubleshooting, research and development, invention and innovation, and experimentation in problem solving.
11. Students will develop abilities to apply the design process.
20. Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select and use construction technologies.
Enduring Understandings
Insights earned from exploring generalizations via the essential questions (Students will understand THAT…)
Essential Questions
Inquiry used to explore generalizations
1. The transfer of stored spring potential energy into kinetic energy and eventually to dissipation of that energy as a result of non conservative forces.
2. Friction will eventually slow and stop their vehicle.
3. Requirements for a design are made up of constraints and limitations.
4. Problem solving and design involve a set of steps, which can be performed in different sequences and repeated as needed.
1. What are the factors that affect the force of friction?
2. How does the size of the force affect the motion of an object?
3. How does the duration of the force affect the motion of an object?
4. Can a vehicle be powered by the energy of a mousetrap?
5. How can a mousetrap vehicle be designed for distance versus speed?
Knowledge and Skills
What students are expected to know and be able to do
1. Identify and describe the forces acting on the mousetrap car.
2. Observe and measure the speed of the mousetrap car as it moves.
3. Describe how forces affect the motion of the mousetrap car.
4. Identify energy transformation in the mousetrap car.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of energy storage and transfer.
6. Calculate circumference of a circle.
7. Calculate the distance your mousetrap vehicle will travel.
8. Calculate speed of their mousetrap car.
9. Calculate the wheel- to -axle ratio.
10. Define terms: torque, power, friction, and speed,
11. Differentiate between kinetic and potential energy.
12. Design and build a vehicle, powered by a single mousetrap, to travel the greatest distance using various scientific and mathematical principles.
Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence
Performance Task(s)
Authentic application in new context to evaluate student achievement of desired results designed according to GRASPS (Goal, Role, Audience, Setting, Performance, Standards)
Other Evidence
Application that is functional in a classroom context
Only to evaluate student achievement of desired results
Goal: To apply the engineering design process to solving a technology related problem.
Role: Mechanical Engineer
Audience: Classroom Teacher
Setting: Technology classroom and lab
Performance: Students will design, construct and test a vehicle powered by the spring of a mousetrap to travel the greatest distance.
Standards: Student work will be assessed on the rubric for the Mousetrap Vehicle Challenge.
Design sketches
Do nows
Quizzes
Observation of student lab work
Stage 3: Develop Learning Plan
- Pre-Test
- Break students up into design teams.
- Introduce students to the activity using the design brief and rubric.
- Demonstrate how the mousetrap vehicle works. (show examples)
- Allow students to research various mousetrap vehicle designs using the Internet. (Google Images)
- Have students sketch out three potential design solutions to the problem.
- Have students use pencil and graph paper or CAD software to formulate a 2-D working drawing of their solution.
- Review Lab safety procedures.
- Have students utilize the lab to construct a model of their design solution.
- Have students calculate the circumference of their front and back wheels.
- Have students estimate, with calculations, how far their mousetrap vehicle will travel.
- Have students weigh their vehicles using a scale.
- Have students test their design solution (3 trials).
- Have students complete post evaluation.
-document distance travelled
- Post-Test
Click to Download
