Mousetrap Powered Vehicle Project

Introduction

Our world is in an energy crisis.  All of the power plants have failed and batteries no longer work.  The world has turned to you to find a solution to the transportation problems we now face.  Your job is to create a vehicle that runs solely on the power of a mousetrap.  Can you help?

Task

You will create a car that runs solely off of the energy of a mousetrap.  You will also submit a car design sketch.  Project is in groups of 2-4 people.

Process

1.    Brainstorm (write down) a list of sources where you might find information on friction, momentum, potential energy and kinetic energy.

2.    Check out Doc Fizzix for helpful information

3.    Submit a sketch of your mousetrap car design.

4.    Then, with the knowledge you’ve gathered, construct a mousetrap car with the following guidelines:

-The car runs solely off the energy of the mousetrap.

-No other power sources may be used.

-The wheels on your car must not have originally been wheels.

-The mousetrap must be part of your car.

-You can only use one mousetrap in your design.

-No kits are allowed.  Cars must be original.

-No lubrication may be added to the axels.

5.    You will conduct testing of your mousetrap car using a provided procedure.

6.    Your car will compete in a contest with other mousetrap cars to see which one travels the farthest.

7.    You will also submit an analysis/self evaluation on how well you think you did on this project.  Include:

–What did I do right?

–What did I do wrong?

–What would I change if I could?

–How could I make the project better?

Evaluation

Points will be given for the distance the mousetrap car travels as follows:

–0-1 meter—5 points                                         10 points – creativity

–1 meter—10 points                                          10 points – proper materials

–2 meters—20 points                                        30 points – teamwork

–4 meters—30 points                                        50 points – 20 testing procedure pages

–6 meters—40 points                                        50 points – participation

–9 or more meters—50 points                            50 points – documentation log w/ graphs

–5 points for the farthest travel

Separate grades will also be given for the sketch, the typed presentation with outline, and the self-evaluation.

Design sketch due:  February 2, 2010

Contest date:  March 5, 2010  No late projects will be accepted!

Conclusion

At the end of this project you will become more acquainted with action/reaction, rotational inertia, and potential and kinetic energy.  Let the race begin!!

Examples of successful vehicles found at:  http://senior.billings.k12.mt.us/mouset/fall98/index.htm

Recommended research – www.docfizzix.com

^{The first thing that we did this morning was our morning work. We all started our spelling homework and read. Next, we worked on conversational prompts. After that we had our walk. Once we got in from walk, we did our grammar poem out of our poetry packet. The next thing we had was our specials. After specials we had math groups with Mr. B. Math with Mr. B is always fun because he is really funny. Once we finished we had lunch. Lunch was awesome! We had shrimp poppers and like, everyone gave theirs to me. Well any way, after lunch we had recess and library if it was your day. Next we did simplifying fractions with Mrs. Starbuck. Once that easy stuff was over had to finish our fractions test if we didn’t. Well after that we were supposed to watch a space video but it didn’t work. So, for the rest of the day we did missing assignments or unfinished work.}

                          ^{And that was our Monday!}        

Happy New Year!  Welcome to quarter 3 of our school year.  We are starting of strong and have a lot to get done.   This week students will be taking their STAR tests to help me place them correctly for AR.   Please expect their goals and AR levels to be available by mid week.  Our unit on the solar system will be wrapping up this week with a solar sytem scaled chart that we will be doing in class Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

We are in DESPERATE need of male chaperones for science camp.  If you are interested in doing this please contact me ASAP.

SCIENCE MATTERS!
This Saturday, December 5 – 9 to 11 am – Bill Nye the Science Guy, Sid the Science Kid and Ruff Ruffman from FETCH! will converge on the Phoenix Convention Center North Exhibit Hall hosted by NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) and Eight, AZ PBS!

Make plans to join us for this FREE community event for all ages! Pre-Register, print and bring your form with you!

     This is what we did today….             

First today we did cursive. We were very loud. I don’t think anybody remembered their cursive. Then we talked about different leads for writing. The question lead, talking, snapshot, and the setup. After that we went to walk for fifteen minutes. That’s when we spend outside time with friends The fourth graders that did not go on the field trip came to fifth grade. We had four kids come in. When we came in we did our homework for snapshot lead. Then we read till specials. For specials we went to P.E, choir, band, technology, general music, or orchestra. Then was word study. Depending on your spelling skills you go to different rooms. Like Mr.B, Mrs.Starbuck, Mrs.Errington, or Ms.Stanfel. Next was lunch. At lunch is the time to talk, eat, and have fun with your class. We are usually very loud at lunch. After lunch we go out to recess and waste our energy. We go ‘Aaahhh!’ and play with our equipment.  Before we got to play we had two laps to walk in line because we can’t walk in the hall quietly. After recess we did our class math groups. Today for math groups we worked on fractions. Then we went to hopsports. We did the hop mat video thing this week. It was exciting! We have  hopsports every Friday at the almost end of the day. The last thing of the day is social studies. This week were working on our thirteen colonies project with Mr.’s class. We were each assigned a colony and had to find who ,where ,why , and had to make a podcast. That’s how our day was! Then we went home!

By Lauren

            Today when we came into the classroom we had to do cursive. It was the first day of cursive. Well we had a door decorating contest on Character Counts. We won so we got to have doughnuts and juice. We had the choice of either glazed or chocolate doughnuts. I chose glazed! We had to sit in the breezeway because third grade was doing P.E. When we were all done eating doughnuts we went back to the classroom and we had A.R time. A.R went by so fast. After that we went to walk. Mrs. Starbuck told us all to thank Mrs. Stanfel because she was the on to go and get the doughnuts from dunkin doughnuts! Then we came back and did A.R again. After we were done with A.R we went to specials. The specials in fifth grade are technology, orchestra, band, P.E, choir, and general music. After that we had math groups with Mr. B. If you are having trouble with multiplication you are in Mr. B s group. If you have trouble with division, factor trees, factors, ECT you are in Mrs. Starbucks group. Some people get to go to Mrs. Reimer to help the first graders read. So those people left to go help them. I was one of the people. I helped a little boy named Candler. When it was 12: 05 I had to leave to go to lunch. Today for lunch we had spaghetti with meat sauce. But I brought my lunch. After that loud time in lunch we went to recess. At recess we started a stampede with all of the fifth graders. Some of the forth graders joined in but not lot! After the hot time outside we went inside and A.R read. A.R took forever this time. Afterwards we did our own math groups in our classroom. Finally it was time to pack up and go home.        

By Taylor

.this morning we did are morninAfter we sat down Mrs /.starbuck   about what she did on Sunday. Then we had to do that to. Then  went walk/snack  we got back from walk and AR read after that we had special and some people went to band, orchestra, PE, and tech after that we went to lunch and had tostado it was good we went outside for recess and came back in for math groups and we did are 13 colonies.

By Aleah

First thing we did today was morning work. It is when you do sorts with your word study words and today we had to glue them in. second we worked on our personal narrative. The day before she gave us each a sticky note to write any questions we had. Then today she came around and answered any questions we had. Third we went to walk during this time we walk around the field. Fourth we did point of view. We read a book then compared jovohn and Cinderella and we had to do five things for each category. Fith we went to specials each day you have a different thing Monday I have orcstra Tuesday I have p.e wensday I have orcstr Thursday I have technology and Friday I have orcstra. Sixth thing we did was we went to lunch to eat so me re and my friends were talking the whole lunch. At recess me and my friend’s were kicking ball’s back and fourth.  Then when recess was over we went back in side and did a timed test I was on my 5′s and I passed.  Then we went to Mr. B’s room to talk about a social studies project he told us the groups we would be in.  Then, we went back to our room and packed up.

By, Jared

On the announcements only Mr. Lineberry spoke. We were doing morning work when I noticed this. During walk people were chasing each other for candy.  When we got back we all emptied our desk’s and turned them around at an one hundred eighty degree angle, which is a half circhle, which our teacher, Mrs. Starbuc, said “its preparing you for sixth grade” so now we have to carry everything that used to be in our desks. After this we went to special.  Then when we got back our teacher let us work on missing assignments.  Then we lined up for lunch.  After lunch we went out to recess.  When we got back inside we had math groups.  Then we packed up, cleaned the floor, and went home.

By Garrett

We did many activities today. First,we did our morning work. Our morning work we had to do was where we had to do blind sort for word study and do five sentences from our words.Then we did the creating leads.For my lead I did was when my father past away when I was in First grade. After the leads we had walk. I had four cookies for walk.Then we did the important’s of setting. I can’t remember what we did.Then we had specials. I had Technology for today. In technology I had to paint for fun. After specials we learned about the Mayflower.We all had to cram in a circle of desks with our hands above our heads.Then we got these nasty biscuits. Then our class was talking to much so we went to our desks and watched a video of the May flower then we took a test on the video. After that we went to lunch and ate out side. I had a hotdog for lunch.Then we had recess. At recess I played football.Then I had my division quiz. It was very easy to do. After that we worked on missing work or we read. After that we left school.All in all,that is what we did for today.

sincerely,

Joshua