Miami-Dade County Public Schools

Department of Science

Puff Mobile Lab

STEM 4.0

Mary TweedyNoreyda Casañas

Yusimi Perez-Osteen

Curriculum Support Specialists

Dr. Millard Lightburn

Instructional Supervisor

Department of Science

Puff Mobile Activity STEM 4.0

BenchmarksSC.4.P.10.4 Describe how moving water and air are sources of energy and can be used to move things. Cognitive Complexity: Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & ConceptsSC.5.P.13.2: Investigate and describe that the greater the force applied to it, the greater the change in motion of a given object. Content Complexity: Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & ConceptsSC.5.N.1.1: Define a problem, use appropriate reference materials to support scientific understanding, plan and carry out scientific investigations of various types such as: systematic observations, experiments requiring the identification of variables, collecting and organizing data, interpreting data in charts, tables, and graphics, analyze information, make predictions, and defend conclusions. Content Complexity: Level 3: Strategic Thinking & Complex ReasoningSC.5.N.2.1: Recognize and explain that science is grounded in empirical observations that are testable; explaining must always be linked with evidence. Content Complexity: Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & ConceptsSC.4.N.3.1: Explain that models can be three dimensional, two dimensional, an explanation in your mind, or a computer model. Content Complexity Rating: Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & Concept

Force and Motion Ideas Review• What is a force?• What is motion?• How does a force change the motion of an object?

North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics

Department of Science

Zoom Into Engineering!

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Let’s

build a

PBS Learning Media

Design, Build, and Test a Puff MobileMaterials:3 nonbendable straws4 Lifesavers candies1 piece of paper2 paper clipsTape and scissors

Procedures1. Design a car that will use only the

materials on the list.2. Build the car. Here’s the catch: to

make your car move, you can only blow on it!

3. Mark a start line using masking tape.

4. Test the car out. How far does your car go after one puff? How many puffs does it take to the car travel 2 meters? Record the data.

5. Repeat step four, two more times for three trials.

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Redesign your car so that it will travel the same distance with fewer puffs

Think about what would happen if you: • Changed the size of the car or• Used fewer materials or• Added a new material like thread spoolsChoose one thing to change (test variable) and create a problem statement. Record it on your Puff Mobile Lab Sheet.Make a hypothesis. Record it. Record your variables.Create procedures and a data collection table.Test the new car. Analyze data from both cars and write a CER conclusion.

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http://eie.org/overview/engineering-design-process

Puff Mobile Redesign Data Table

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Design One Design TwoTrial Number of Puffs

to Travel 2 MetersTrial Number of Puffs

to Travel 2 Meters1 12 23 3Average Average

Puff Mobile Background Essay

In order for a vehicle of any type to move, it must produce or harness a force strong enough to overcome the resistance of friction or drag. Most vehicles rely on internal power sources to convert energy into a force that propels them forward. However, some vehicles, including sailboats, use the wind's energy to generate the force that makes them move…

Source: PBS Learning Media

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Puff Mobile!Discussion Questions

1. What is the source of energy that makes the Puff Mobile move?

2. What forces slow down the Puff Mobile?3. What shapes make good Puff Mobiles?4. Which design features are the most successful

on the Puff Mobile? Explain why.5. What could be a new test question?6. Do you think these Puff Mobiles would work as

well if you tested them outdoors? Explain.

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Teacher Discussion Questions

1. How did you feel completing the second part of the

activity as full inquiry activity?

2. How would it have been different if you were given

explicit directions?

3. How was technology infused?

4. How could this activity be expanded?

5. PBS Learning Media: Designing a Puff Mobile

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CER Conclusion WritingQuestion: Does…

Claim: (The answer to the question)Evidence: (All the evidence you gathered from hands-on investigations.) The evidence includes the clues: the data collected and the observations made.Reasoning: (A scientific justification that links the claim and evidence.) It shows why the data count as evidence by using appropriate and sufficient scientific principles.

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Zoom Into Engineering!

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Let’s look at others Build a Puff MobileAlex & Eric of Springville, UT wrote:“I got one sheet of blue card stock and folded it by one corner into a triangle to make a Puff Mobile. Then I put a paper clip at the nose and cut the top off. My brother Eric did the same thing to his but didn't cut the top off. Then we tested our Puff Mobiles to see how many puffs it would take to travel three meters (9 ft.).”What is their problem statement or question?

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CER Conclusion Writing: Sample Response

Question: Does changing the Puff Mobile’s sail design by cutting off the top decrease, increase, or have no effect on how many puffs it will take to travel three meters (9 ft.)?

Claim: Changing the design of the Puff Mobile’s sail by cutting off the top decreases the number of puffs it takes for the Puff Mobile to travel two meters.

C ER C o n clu sio n W riti n g: Sam p le R e sp o n se

Evidence:

The Puff Mobile that has the top of the sail cut off required an average of 13 puffs to move the three meters (9 ft.) distance. While the Puff Mobile that didn’t have the top of the sail cut off required an average of 20 puffs to travel the same distance.

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CER Conclusion Writing: Sample Response

Reasoning:

According to pbskids.org/zoom Engineering Scoop “When you blow, you create moving air, or wind. When wind pushes against an object, it can make the object move. Think about a sailboat. Wind pushes against the sail and makes the boat move. So a sail is one part of your car that can help it move.” http://www-tc.pbskids.org/zoom/printables/activities/pdfs/puffmobile.pdf

Looking at the evidence collected, it was found that the design of the sail affected the performance of the Puff Mobile. The Puff Mobile that had the top of the sail cut off required only an average of 13 puffs to move the three meter distance. While the Puff Mobile that didn’t have the top of the sail cut off required an average of 20 puffs to travel the same distance. These findings demonstrate that the design of the sail does affect the amount of wind needed to move the Puff Mobile.

CER Conclusion WritingQuestion: Does…

Claim: (The answer to the question)Evidence: (All the evidence you gathered from hands-on investigations.) The evidence includes the clues: the data collected and the observations made.Reasoning: (A scientific justification that links the claim and evidence.) It shows why the data count as evidence by using appropriate and sufficient scientific principles.

Department of Science

Online Presentation Resources

North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics:http://www.ncssm.edu/learn/forces-and-motion-0

PBS Learning Media:http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/phy03.sci.phys.mfe.zpuffm/designing-a-puff-mobile/

http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/puffmobile.html

Department of Science