NAME:________________

Building An Elastic Powered Car

Oh no! The world has just run out of non-renewable resources like
oil and gas, and now humans cannot power their cars like they used to!
You have been selected to build a prototype car for the Ford Motor
Company; however, you must find a way to power your car using ONLY
elastics.

Your task: (in partners or individually)

You must create your prototype chassis and wheels/axles using only
recyclable materials (we want to reduce and reuse our waste!).
Recyclable materials may include:
 Kleenex boxes
 Paper towel rolls
 Old CDs
 Bottle caps
Miss. Pointer and Mrs. Neher will provide you with any extra
materials that you may need to hold your car together. For example, we
will provide hot glue, pipe cleaners and string.

You must make sure that your prototype car has a wheel and axle,
AND a way to connect and convert the potential energy within elastics
to kinetic energy.

Representatives from the Ford Motor Company have voted and decided
that in order to fairly test and compare your prototype cars, your car
must be tested using these criteria:
 Your car must be tested 4 times per test
 Your car must travel a far distance
 Your car must be strong enough to survive all testing
 And, bonus points will be awarded for how accurate (how straight)
your car travels
Data Recording Of The Elastic Cars- Part 1
1
 #1) What is the question/what problem are you trying to solve?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
___________

#2) Make a prediction.

I think
_______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
because_______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________.

#3. List your variables.

Constant/controlled variable(s): (what stays the same?)
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________
Manipulated variable(s): (what do you change?)
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________

#4. Briefly explain the test procedure (how are you testing the car?)
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________
#5. Data Collection
Distance
Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Test 4
(in cm)
2
 Accurate
(Yes or no)
Strength
(Yes or no)

#6. What do you think caused these results? (What worked/what did not
work well?)
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________

#7. What could you modify (change) to improve your car?

_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________

Data Recording Of The Elastic Cars- Part 2

#1) What is the question/what problem are you trying to solve?

_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
3
 _______________________________________________________________________
___________

#2) Make a prediction.

I think
_______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
because_______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________.

#3. List your variables.

Constant/controlled variable(s): (what stays the same?)
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________
Manipulated variable(s): (what do you change?)
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________

#4. Briefly explain the test procedure (how are you testing the car?)
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________
#5. Data Collection
Distance
Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Test 4
(in cm)

Accurate

4
(Yes or no)
Strength
(Yes or no)

#6. What do you think caused these results? (What worked/what did not
work well?)
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________

#7. Comparison. Compare the results between your first round of

testing and your second round of testing (after modifications). What
effect did your modifications have on your car?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________

Congratulations!
You have now successfully completed the first round of
prototype selection. You have built, tested, modified, and
compared your design. The Ford Motor Company would now
like to hear from you!

5
Working individually, you must now explain your design to the Ford
Motor Company by recording yourself in a video, using FlipGrid. In this
video recording you will individually answer these questions:
 Explain how you began planning, designing and beginning to build
your car
 Explain how your car works:
o What is your chassis made out of?
o What are your wheels and axles made out of?
o What simple machines are in your car?
o How does your car convert the potential energy within
elastics to kinetic energy (energy of movement)?
 Explain your initial design and your initial results before
modification
 Explain why you made the modifications that you did
 Reflect on what you have learned and why Ford should select your
design

Pro tip: You will use the following pages to write out and practice your
script before you begin recording!

Script Information
(You can use point form sentences to fill out your script. This is to help
you plan out what you need to say and to make sure that you say all of
these things in your video).

Explain how you began planning, designing and beginning to build your
car:
6
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________

Explain how your car works:

What is your chassis made out of?
_______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________
What are your wheels and axles made out of?
_______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________
________________________________________________________

What simple machines are in your car?

_______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________
________________________________________________________

How does your car convert the potential energy within elastics to
kinetic energy (energy of movement)?
_______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________
________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________
________________________________________________________

7
Explain your initial design and your initial results before modification
_______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________
________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________
________________________________________________________

Explain why you made the modifications that you did

_______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________
________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________
________________________________________________________

Reflect on what you have learned and why Ford should select your
design
_______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________
________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________

FlipGrid- Video Recording Marking Rubric

Needs
Criteria
Exceeding Grade level Approaching Improvement
(SLOs and Skill Insufficient/Blank*
4 3 2 1
Outcomes)
Provides an Provides a Provides a Provides an
Student can explain in-depth substantial partial undeveloped
how the car was explanation explanation explanation explanation of *No score is
designed and of building of the of the the building awarded because
constructed, using process. building building process. there is insufficient
scientific terms such Demonstrates process. process. Demonstrates evidence of student

8
as simple machines, knowledge of Demonstrates Demonstrates a superficial performance based
chassis, wheel and deep knowledge of a simplistic understanding on the requirements
axle. (SLO 1) understanding understanding understanding by using of this assessment
by using all by using by using limited task
possible most some correct correct
correct applicable terminology. terminology.
terminology correct
terminology.
Provides a Provides a
Provides an Provides a
partial and partial and
extensive and sufficient and
Student can explain mostly incorrect
correct correct
how the car uses correct explanation
explanation explanation
potential energy and explanation and cannot
and can and can
where it converts it to and can properly
properly properly
kinetic energy. (SLO properly identify where
identify identify
3) identify the car uses
where the car where the car
where the car potential
uses potential uses potential
uses potential energy.
energy. energy.
energy.
Student can explain
Provides a
the need for different Provides a Provides a Provides a
well-
versions of a car sufficient basic limited and
considered
design and can comparison comparison unsupported
comparison
successfully compare and and comparison
and
and evaluate the evaluation evaluation and evaluation
evaluation
strengths and between each between each between each
between each
weaknesses of each design. design. design.
design.
design. (SLO 5 and 7)
Provides a Provides a Provides an Provides a
Student can identify a purposeful logical and appropriate superficial
problem and explain and extensive substantial yet cursory and limited
how they problem summary of summary of summary of summary of
solved using a variety how they how they how they how they used
of strategies and used a variety used a variety used a variety some
modifications. (Skill of strategies of strategies of strategies strategies to
Outcome 4-3) to problem to problem to problem problem
solve. solve. solve. solve.