Science 4 Vehicle Design Project information

I am attaching the Vehicle Design Project information. I hope this will help make clear what your grade 4 student will be doing in Science class over the next week or so. I had originally planned to attach the assessment rubric too, but the table format didn't transfer well. If you would like to see a copy of the assessment rubric, please contact me at the school or ask your child to bring home their copy.

Vehicle Design Project
Your task is to use the information you have learned in the “Wheels and Levers” and the “Building Devices and Vehicles that Move Units” to build a vehicle.

Goals:
1. To work with other students to identify the steps to be used in constructing a mechanical device (a vehicle) that moves or has moving parts
2. To construct the vehicle or device
3. To design and construct different models and identify the relative strengths and weaknesses of the models (this means to make improvements on your design and explain why you made the changes you did)
4. Work cooperatively with other students

Criteria: Vehicle will roll down a ramp and travel 2m or more in a straight line after leaving the ramp.

Final Report: Students will work in groups. Each group will submit a final report, and each of the group members will receive the same mark.

The report will contain the following sections and information:

A. List of group members

B. An explanation of why you chose to design your vehicle the way you did.
- Why did you choose to use particular materials? (If there is a scientific reason why, please be sure and explain it.)
- Can your vehicle be made cheaply with easily available materials?
- Does it use recycled materials, and can the materials be used again?

C. Plan – a labelled picture of your first design showing measurements where appropriate, and giving a description of the materials used to make your vehicle. E.g. axles made from bamboo skewers, wheels made from…

D. Modifications – if you needed to make changes to your design, write them in this section and explain what changes you made and why.

E. Evaluation –
- Does your vehicle work? Does it work every time?
- Does it stand up to repeated use?
- Is it easy to construct? Is it easy to use?
- Are there any risks of hurting oneself or others in making or using it?
- Are there any possible improvements you would have liked to make?
- Are there any new applications for your design or method of construction? (Could you use your design for another purpose or another device?)