Modified for Elementary

I used a version of this lesson in a 3rd grade classroom. The students were very receptive to the talking points and ideas; I simplified the presentation for them and condensed a lot of the ... See More

I used a version of this lesson in a 3rd grade classroom. The students were very receptive to the talking points and ideas; I simplified the presentation for them and condensed a lot of the information. Students were fully engaged with the lesson, build, and testing portions.

Putting it All Together

Students build a wind-powered car while engaging an inquiry-based activity that follows the six steps of the engineering design process. This lesson is presented in a student worksheet that... See More

Students build a wind-powered car while engaging an inquiry-based activity that follows the six steps of the engineering design process. This lesson is presented in a student worksheet that uses the 7E learning cycle [engage, elicit, explore, explain, elaborate, evaluate, extend] and provides a possible time limit for each stage. All aspects of the 7E process are and discussed in the article. The article also provides a grading rubric and a video so students can see what a real product might look like.