VEX GO Lab 3 Motorized Super Car Teacher Portal Instruction Manual

VEX GO Lab 3 Motorized Super Car Teacher Portal

Product Information

Specifications

• Product   Name: VEX GO – Physical Science Lab 3 – Motorized Super Car
• Designed for : STEM Education
• Objective: Understand the effects of adding a motor to the Motorized Super Car
• Key Concepts: Gear configuration, speed output, energy transfer, force generation

Product Usage Instructions

Implementing VEX GO STEM Labs
STEM Labs serve as the online teacher’s manual for VEX GO, providing resources for planning, teaching, and assessing with VEX GO. The Lab Image Slideshows are student-facing companions.

Goals

• Apply changing gear size and configuration to affect speed output
• Differentiate between motorized and unpowered Super Car builds
• Configure gears for increased speed
• Understand force generation from energy sources

Objectives

1. Understand how adding a motor affects the car’s movement
2. Recognize energy conversion into force for movement
3. Demonstrate effects of gear configurations on speed and distance

Assessment

1. Recall predictability of Motorized Super Car speed in discussions
2. Describe energy transfer from motor to wheels in discussions
3. Illustrate understanding through Data Collection Sheet and discussions

Connections to Standards
Showcase alignment with NGSS standards for investigating forces and predicting motion patterns.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Q: How can students best understand the effects of gear configurations on speed?
   A: Students can experiment with different gear setups on the Motorized Super Car and observe how each configuration impacts speed and distance traveled.

2. Q: What is the importance of recognizing force generation from different energy sources?
   A: Understanding force from energy sources helps students grasp the concept of how motors enable faster and more predictable movement in the Super Car.

VEX GO – Physical Science
Lab 3 – Motorized Super Car Teacher Portal

Goals and Standards

Implementing VEX GO STEM Labs

• STEM Labs are designed to be the online teacher’s manual for VEX GO. Like a printed teacher’s manual, the teacher-facing content of the STEM Labs provides all of the resources, materials, and information needed to be able to plan, teach, and assess with VEX GO. The Lab Image Slideshows are the student-facing companion to this material. For more detailed information about how to implement a STEM Lab in your classroom, see the Implementing
• VEX GO STEM Labs article.

Goals

• Students will apply
  • Changing gear size and configuration of the Motorized Super Car to affect the speed output.
• Students will make meaning of
  • The addition of a motor effects the movement of the Motorized Super Car in comparison to Unpowered Super Car builds.
  • How to articulate the purpose of an investigation.
  • How to gather data, recognize patterns, and make predictions.
  • Gear size and configuration affect how the Motorized Super Car moves.
• Students will be skilled at
  • How to configure the gears of the Motorized Super Car to increase speed.
• Students will know
  • Force from the energy in a rubber band and a motor are different.
  • Force from the energy in a motor allows the car to move a faster and more predictable speed.
  • How to select the best gear arrangement to increase speed.

Objective(s)

Objective

1. Understand how the addition of a motor affects the movement of the Motorized Super Car.
2. Recognize how energy can be changed into a force from the battery to a motor, and then transferred to the wheels.
3.  Demonstrate with 3 different gear configurations how gear size and arrangement affects speed and distance.

Activity

1. Students will work with their team to build and run their Motorized Super Car.  They will record the speed of the car over the course of several test runs. They will compare the car’s speed to past test trials of the Super Car build in Lab 2.
2. Students will examine the motor-to-axle-to-wheel mechanisms. Through guided inquiry, they will recognize that the motor is turning energy into force, and transferring this force to the wheels through axles and gears.
3. Students will change the configuration of the car’s outside gears and observe how these changes affect the speed of the car and document these effects in a Data Collection Sheet   gear con gyrations: big-little, little- big, same size pair).

Assessment

1. In team and class discussions, students will recall that the speed of the Motorized Super Car is more predictable than the previous Super Car build.
2. In whole class and team discussions, students will be able to describe how energy is transferred from the motor to the wheels in their Motorized Super Car.
3.  Students will illustrate their understanding using their Data Collection Sheet and through class discussions.

Connections to Standards

Showcase Standards

• Next Generation Science Standard (NGSS)

• NGSS 3-PS2-1: Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object.

• How Standard is Achieved : Students will conduct an investigation during Play Part 1 to measure how much time their Motorized Super Car takes when traveling a certain distance. Students will analyze

• the forces acting on the car as they conduct three trials to measure the car’s speed.

Showcase Standards

• Next Generation Science Standard (NGSS)
• NGSS 3-PS2-2: M ake observations and/or measurements of an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion.
• How Standard is Achieved : Students will manipulate the gear configurations on the Motorized Super Car in Play Part 2 in order to recognize patterns in how it’s movement is affected. Students will be asked to observe how the gear pattern affects the car’s movement and then make predictions for how the car will move depending on the set gear configuration.

Additional Standards

• Next Generation Science Standard (NGSS)
• NGSS 4-PS3-1: Use evidence to construct an explanation relating the speed of an object to the energy of that object.
• How Standard is Achieved : Students will engage in a discussion about energy transfer in the Engage section by comparing the Super Car with rubber bands to the Motorized Super Car using a motor and a battery. Students will then revisit this concept in relation to the gear configuration and how manipulating the configuration allows the energy transfer to change during the Mid-Play Break.

Summary

Materials Needed

• The following is a list of all the materials that are needed to complete the VEX GO Lab. These materials include student facing materials as well as teacher facilitation materials. It is recommended that you assign two students to each VEX GO Kit.
• In some Labs, links to teaching resources in a slideshow format have been included. These slides can help provide context and inspiration for your students. Teachers will be guided in how to implement the slides with suggestions throughout the lab. All slides are editable, and can be projected for students or used as a teacher resource. To edit the Google Slides, make a copy into your personal Drive and edit as needed.
• Other editable documents have been included to assist in implementing the Labs in a small group format. Print the worksheets as is or copy and edit those documents to suit the needs of your classroom. Example Data Collection sheet setups have been included for certain experiments as well as the original blank copy. While they offer suggestions for setup, these documents are all editable to best suit your classroom and the needs of your students.

Lab 3 Image Slideshow| For teacher and student reference : gear configuration| 1 for teacher facilitation
Pre-built Motorized Super Car| For teacher demonstration during the Engage and Play sections.| 1 for teacher demonstration
Motorized Super Car Build Instructions| For students to build the Motorized Super Car.| 1 per group
Robotics Roles & Routines| Editable Google Doc for organizing group work and best practices for using the VEX GO Kit.| 1 per group
Data Collection Sheet or Lab 3 Data Collection Example| Editable Google Doc for students to record data during the Play section.| 1 per group
Ruler/ Measuring Tape| For students to create their track for trials.| 1 per group
Timer| For students to time each trial of the Motorized Super Car.| 1 per group
Pencils| For students to record data, document design ideas and fill out the Robotics Roles & Routines worksheets.| 1 per student
Masking tape| Optional for creating the test track.| Classroom material to share
Pin Tool| To help remove pins or pry beams apart.| 1 per group
Get Ready…Get VEX…GO! PDF Book (optional)| To read with students to introduce them to VEX GO through a story and introductory build.| 1 for demonstration purposes
Get Ready…Get VEX…GO! Teacher’s Guide (optional)| For additional prompts when introducing students to VEX GO with the PDF Book.| 1 for teacher use

Engage

Begin the lab by engaging with the students.

Play

• Allow students to explore the concepts introduced.
• Part 1
  • Students will experiment with the Motorized Super Cars in timed trials and record those trials on a Data Collection Sheet. How long does it take for the car to get from one point to another? Students will measure out a track and run different trials to see how the motor affects the movement of the car.
• Mid-Play Break
  • How did the Motorized Super Car get the energy to move forward? How is the force transferred to the wheels? How do the gears affect the car’s performance?
• Part 2
  • Students will experiment with a gear configuration on the outside of the Motorized Super Car to see how the arrangement affects the car’s speed. The teacher can use the Lab 3 Image slideshow (see materials) as well as the pre-built car to demonstrate how to change the gear configuration, and what the configurations look like. Students will run test trials for the following gear configurations and determine which increases speed the most: same size pair (from Play Part 1), small to big, and big to small.  Animations in the Lab 3 Slideshow (see link in materials table) can help demonstrate the 3 different gear configurations.  The slides can be projected or shown on a tablet.
• Share
  • Share

Discussion Prompts

1. Where does the energy come from in the Motorized Super Car?
2. How do the gears affect the car’s performance?
3.  What ideas were shared in your group when predicting which gear configuration would make your car faster?
4. What arrangement of gears made your Motorized Super Car the fastest?

Engage

Launch the Engage Section
ACTS is what the teacher will do and ASKS is how the teacher will facilitate.

1. Make a personal connection to the build.
2. Show the completed build of the Super Car from Lab 2.
3. Identify that the difference between this build and the last is that they will be adding a motor in this build. Write a list on the board of objects that use motors based on the student answers.
4. Establish that a motor changes how the machine functions.

|

1. Have you ever ridden a bicycle? What is the difference between a motorcycle and a bicycle? (it has a motor, it moves more quickly, a motorcycle doesn’t have to be pedaled)
2. How did we power our Super Car? (turning the Orange Knob on the rubber band)
3. What other objects use motors? (lawnmowers, cars)
4. How will adding a motor to our Super Car affect its speed? Why would using a motor be helpful? (it can be more powerful, go faster, go at a steady speed, travel longer)

Getting the Students Ready to Build
The Super Car uses the rubber band to move. We will now build the same car, but with a motor. How will adding a motor to our Super Car affect its speed?

Facilitate the Build

1. Instruct
   Instruct students to join their team, and have them complete the role sign up on the Robotics Roles & Routines sheet. Use the Suggested Role Responsibilities slide in the Lab Image Slideshow as a guide for students to complete this sheet.

2. Distribute
   Distribute build instructions to each team. Journalists should gather the materials on the checklist.

3. Facilitate
   Facilitate building process.

   • Builders can begin building. If there are multiple builders, they should alternate steps to complete the build.
   • journalists should assist with build instructions as needed and document all lab results.
   • Offer suggestions and note positive team building and problem solving strategies as teams build together.

Teacher Troubleshooting

• If students are having trouble with the pins, offer the Pin Tool as support.
• Ensure the Motor, Switch, and Battery are connected properly. View the Using the VEX GO Switch VEX Library article for more information about how to properly connect the components.
• Ensure all batteries are charged before starting the build.

Facilitation Strategies

• Student “Help Desk” – if groups are having trouble with the build, they can ask other groups for support.  If one group a trick or a helpful hint – encourage them to share it with the class.
• Offer “in the moment” observations as teams work well, and invite them to share teamwork strategies with the class.
• For more information on how the VEX GO Gears function in the Super Car build, see the Gears section of the Using VEX GO Wheels, Gears, and Pulleys VEX Library article.
• Use the Get Ready…Get VEX…GO! PDF Book and Teacher’s Guide – If students are new to VEX GO, read the PDF book and use the prompts in the Teacher’s Guide to facilitate an introduction to  building and using VEX GO before beginning the Lab activities. Students can join their groups and gather their VEX GO Kits, and follow along with the building activity within the book as you read.
  • Use the Teacher’s Guide to facilitate student engagement. To focus on VEX GO connections in a more concrete or tangible way, use the Share, Show, or Find prompts on each page to give students an opportunity to get to know their kits in more depth.
  • To focus on the habits of mind that support building and learning with VEX GO, like persistence, patience, and teamwork, use the Think prompts on each page to engage students in conversations about mindset and strategies to support successful group work and creative thinking.
  • To learn more about using the PDF book and accompanying Teacher’s Guide as a teaching tool any time you are using VEX GO in your classroom, see this VEX Library article.

Part 1 – Step by Step

1. Instruct
   Instruct students to measure out a 600 millimeter (~ 24 inch) track for their Motorized Super Car trials. Explain that they will perform three trials in which they record their car’s speed. The track should be in a straight line.

2. Model
   Model how to complete a trial using the track and timer, and demonstrate how to record the results on their Data Collection Sheet.
   Model for students how to use the Switch.

   • Setting the Switch to ‘+’ will rotate the Motor in the forward direction and move the Motorized Super Car forward.
   • Setting the Switch to ‘-‘ will rotate the Motor in the reverse direction and move the Motorized Super Car in reverse.

3. Facilitate
   Facilitate by walking around the room and asking students what they are seeing in their trials.

   • Are the speeds consistent?
     Encourage students to use good teamwork and collaboration, as well as vocabulary words in their conversations.

4. Remind
   Remind groups that they should start the timer at the same moment that the car takes of, and stop the timer right when it reaches the end of the track.

5. Ask
   Ask students to study the gears on the outside of their build.

   • Which gear is driving and which is driven?
   • What are the gear sizes in relation to each other? (should be same size)

Mid-Play Break & Group Discussion
As soon as every group completed their Motorized Super Car trials, come together for a brief conversation.

• How did the Motorized Super Car get the energy to move forward?
• How is the force transferred to the wheels?
• How do the gears affect the car’s performance?

Part 2 – Step by Step

1. Instruct students that they will continue with two more trials, but this time they will change the gear configuration and track how the gear size and arrangement affects the speed of their car.

2. Model
   Model How to change the external gears. (The two gears should have been the same size in the first build.) You can also use the slideshow animations to demonstrate the different arrangements.

   • Point out which gear is driving, and which is driven.
   • Now, change the gears so that a smaller gear is driving a larger gear.
   • The smaller gear is driving the bigger gear
   • Call this configuration : “small to big.”
   • Show how the little gear is pushing the bigger gear.
   • Use the animations in the Lab 3 Slideshow to help demonstrate the 3 different gear configurations.

Explain that students are going to first configure their external gears from “small to big,” then test and record the car’s speed on the same track. How does it compare to the speeds they recorded in the previous trials?
Then they will rearrange their gear configuration to “big to little” and repeat the trial.

The bigger gear is driving the smaller gear

• Facilitate
  • Facilitate discussions during investigations, as you circulate around the room. Ask students questions about why they think changing the gears changes the movement of the car.
  • For more information on how the VEX GO Gears function in the Super Car build, see the Gears section of the Using VEX GO Wheels, Gears, and Pulleys VEX Library article.
• Remind
  • Remind groups that the gear that is pushing is called the driving gear, and the one being pushed is the driven gear. Replay animations from the Lab 3 Slideshow to demonstrate gear configurations at the beginning of Play Part 2, or while groups are working, if they need help to understand how the gears are working together.
• Ask
  • Ask students to predict what will happen before they actually drive the car. Why do they think that? How did their thinking change after observing the movement of the car? What relationship can they see between the gear orientation and speed?

Share

Show Your Learning

Discussion Prompts Observing

• Where does the energy come from in the Motorized Super Car?
• What arrangement of gears made your Motorized supercar the fastest?
• How is the force transferred to the wheels?

Predicting

• How do the gears affect the car’s performance?
• What would be a reason to choose the “little to big con?guration”?
• What would be a reason for choosing the “same to same” con?guration?

Collaborating

• What worked well in your team?
• What challenges, if any, did you face?
• What ideas were shared in your group when predicting which gear configuration would make your car faster?

VEX GO – Physical Science – Lab 3 – Motorized Super Car
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