Energy Transformation Challenge: Rubber Band Racers | 4th Grade STEM Unit Pack

Описание: Unlock the secrets of NGSS 4-PS3-4 with this hands-on Energy Transformer lesson that your students will love! Watch as we design, test, and refine "Rubber Band Racers" to master the concepts of Potential and Kinetic energy through active engineering.

✅ Purchase this lesson plan, posters, and worksheets now: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/P...

🚗 IN THIS VIDEO Are you looking for a way to make abstract physics concepts stick? In this video, I walk you through a complete 90-minute lesson plan titled "Energy Transformers – Designing for Motion". We move beyond textbooks to apply scientific ideas by building devices that convert energy from one form to another.

We start with the "Flashlight Hook," tracing how chemical energy in a battery becomes light and heat, before diving into the main engineering challenge: building a car powered by elastic potential energy. You will see how to guide students through the design process, from taping axles to winding the "engine".

In this lesson, we cover:
• The Core Concepts: Defining Potential Energy (stored) vs. Kinetic Energy (motion) and understanding Energy Transfer.
• The Build: Step-by-step instructions on using cardboard, bottle caps, and skewers to create a working vehicle.
• Data Collection: How to set up a "racetrack" and measure how the number of winds affects the distance traveled.
• Real-World Connections: A great tip on comparing your rubber band racer to Electric Vehicles (EVs) and regenerative braking.

🛠️ MATERIALS NEEDED Gather these simple classroom supplies to get started:
• Cardboard rectangles (approx. 3x6 inches)
• Plastic bottle caps (4 per car)
• Drinking straws and Wooden skewers
• Rubber bands (the engine!)
• Tape and Scissors

💡 TEACHING TIPS
• Differentiation: For students needing motor support, pre-poke the holes in the bottle caps with a pushpin. For advanced learners, challenge them to add traction to the wheels to alter the energy transfer.
• Visual Aid: Use a Slinky to demonstrate the difference between compressed (potential) and released (kinetic) energy before starting the build.

📝 LESSON OBJECTIVES (NGSS 4-PS3-4)
• Identify and define forms of energy including electrical, light, heat, and sound.
• Analyze how energy transforms in common objects like toasters and flashlights.
• Apply the engineering design process to convert stored potential energy into kinetic energy.

👇 TEACHER CHALLENGE Have you tried this build? Let me know in the comments: Did your students find that "heavier" cars traveled further, or did the lighter designs win the race?

🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more hands-on STEM lessons, science experiments, and classroom engineering challenges!